Handlebar length and its effect on steering.

[CeeGee]

There have been comments on the forum about the steering on the Wisper 905 appearing light compared to the Powabyke Euro/Commuter.
I collected my new Wisper 905se City today from PowaRider of Woking and I didn't notice any real difference on the ride home.
Either I adapted immediately to the sort of steering I spent most of my long life having - or the fact that the straight flat bars I had fitted on my Powabyke Commuter are 13cms (5 inches) narrower than the Wisper made a difference.
I'm intrigued by this - any ideas?

Colin

 

[flecc]

Wider bars can make for better control on light steering bikes.

The Quando I owned had a steep steering angle with light skittish steering combined with high an very narrow handlebars, not likeable characteristics.

When I did a major conversion on it I equipped it with full width handlebars that were a bit lower and it transformed it's controllability, making it much more pleasant to ride.

Basically the arms damp the steering better when the leverage and angular movement is greater on wide bars.
.

 

[CeeGee]

Interesting points - thanks.
I will have to compare the riding positions between the two bikes and see how different they are. I was planning on putting narrow bars on the Wisper, but now I am not so sure.

Colin

 

[essexman]

the twitchy ride reported on a lot of folding bikes is actually due to the teeny tiny flat bars a lot of them have. The teeny tiny bars are obviosuly important to achieve a neat folded package for the bikes that have a very compact fold eg bridy and brompton, but i always think the dahons, which only really fold in half have cope for bigger bars.

 

[Mussels]

Interesting points - thanks.
I will have to compare the riding positions between the two bikes and see how different they are. I was planning on putting narrow bars on the Wisper, but now I am not so sure.

Colin

I've thought about putting narrower bars on the Wisper but have been put off by a couple of things. The handling as you said may be worse, as my panniers make the bike quite wide anyway I decided there wasn't enough of a benefit. Secondly the cost, the bars and the stem are all one unit so you will need to replace the lot.
I also toyed with the idea of cutting an inch off of each side but I've not had time to strip the throttle yet to see if there would be any consequences.