Of course choosing handlebars mostly comes down to personal preference, but we still need to follow a few basic rules. One of them is to use handlebars that have the same width as your shoulders. This way you can ease the pressure from your wrists and also can get into a comfortable riding position. Handlebars that are too wide can put too much pressure on your wrists; the too narrow ones can decrease your ability to breathe well and also the stability of your bike.
To choose handlebars for you MTB is much more complicated. You can choose from straight or riser type handlebars and the choice normally depends on your riding style and the preferred discipline.
The riser models give you much more comfort compared to the sporty and aggressive riding position with the straight handlebars. Riding with wide handlebars will give you much more control, this is extremely important on 29er bikes.
The next important detail is your new bars material. If you prefer the bit more budget option then good quality alloy handlebars will do the job. If you don’t mind investing a bit more and you’d like to decrease weight and increase comfort then you need to vote for a carbon fibre model.
Tip
· If you prefer comfort, then riser bars will be the best option
· If you rather prefer a more sporty setup then pick straight handlebars
· On 29ers, pick bars that have a width of around 700mm
· Always be sure the bars that you picked are compatible with your stems clamp size
· Always be very careful with carbon fibre models because the over tightened stem clamp, shifter and brake lever clamps can cause damage
· The centre of the handlebars is always marked by the manufacturer, pay attention to this when you fit your new bars
