# 26.0 vs 31.8mm Handlebars



## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

Okay, I can't find anything what's all the rage with OS

I have 26.0 on my commuter and 31.8mm on my roadie and I can't really tell the difference.

Is there any Advantage? Disadvantages? No difference?

It's seems so much cheaper to buy 26.0mm stuff stem/handlebars as opposed to the new OS stuff. 

I must be missing something! :idea:
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Jaguar mark 2 picture


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## cyclust (Sep 8, 2004)

I tend to agree. When I bought my first bike with 31.8 bars, I changed them out cause I couldn't fit my dang computer mount on them! But, like most everything else on bikes these days, everything is evolving. They changed because they can make a 31.8 bar stiffer and lighter. Average road bike weights drop a little bit more each year and it's because of little things. When you add up all the little things that have saved an ounce here and an ounce there, pretty soon it's a few pounds. When I first got into cycling 20 years ago, a top quality road bike was maybe 22 lbs. Now it's typically 16lbs, 14 if you have 6 or 7 grand to spend. Those 6 lbs came off slowly, and ounce at a time, with things like the OS handlebars, which could be made a little bit lighter by increasing the bars diamater, but thinning the wall thickness of the tubing, thus saving weight. Like the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.


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## single1x1 (Mar 26, 2005)

not always lighter. I just changed from a regular wcs rithcey bar and stem to a oversized ritchey bar and stem. The regular bar and stem weighed 228g bar and 110g stem the OS stuff is 257g and 115g, I also have a stem mount for my computer now which I didn't weigh but is probably about 20g+or- but the OS setup is definitly stiffer and worth the added ounce or so maybe 2oz cause I found the regular WCS bar and stem to be somewhat flexey, especially on hard climbs. Fsa uses OS on almost all but their bmx stems cause they can make OS stems to fit road or mountain OS bars with the same stem. I've also liked salsa bell lap bars and their on the heavy side I have the cheaper motoace version in a 26.0 and have found them to be plenty stiff.
Carbon HB probably benifit even more from going OS but I won't pay that type of $ on a HB that isn't always much lighter then a good aluminum bar which will have a longer life expectency.


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## carbon13 (Dec 23, 2007)

The 31.8 was changed to to increase stiffness and lightness.
Cannondale used the rule that as a tube gets larger less material is needed to get the same amount of stiffness, using less material (therefore less weight) n theory is the reason.
l think dont quote me.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

CleavesF said:


> Okay, I can't find anything what's all the rage with OS:


Nothing wrong with OS, and it generally is stiffer and lighter. I like it. But sometimes I remind myself that the so-called new and improved often is an answer to a question very few people asked. I mean, there weren't exactly millions of cyclist fervently wishing for OS bars and stems, carbon rear triangles or Octalink bottom brackets. Some of these things need clever marketing manipulation to become all the rage. But hey, that's what keeps people in business, so it's all good.


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## carbon13 (Dec 23, 2007)

l personally love 31.8 bars.


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## C-40 (Feb 4, 2004)

*thoughts...*

26.0 is being phased out. If you have 26.0 stems and bars, you might as well use them, but if you're buying new, go for the 31.8. The only reason 26.0 might be cheaper is because it's on closeout. Otherwise there is usually little or no difference in cost, if the parts are equal in quality.

It's hard to beat the Ritchey 4-axis OS stem. I've bought all of mine on E-bay, far below retail price.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

Stiffness is the only real reason for the change. And while weight savings can generally be derived from larger diameters, it's not always true. Look at forks as an example. Folks trying build really light bikes often choose to build around 1" forks.

But stiffness for bars is a mixed bag. If you are a pro sprinter, no doubt it's handy and confidence-inspiring. If you are Joe rider, the 26 might be a more comfortable choice.

Unfortunately, 26.0 seems to be going the way of quill stems. Sure, you can still get them, but in increasingly smaller selections. 

We shouldn't be so fast to blame 'the industry' for answers to questions no one asked. They do things - for good reasons - for the elite racers, and following the next win, every poseur in the bunch has to have that same thing on his bike. Even if he's not enough rider to utilize it, and (as is often the case) he's worse off for having it. That creates the market pressures that drive what ends up in the shops. 

If we all said, "no, thank you, I'll take the old-scool stuff" consistently, it would still be in the shops. Alas, we're a fickle lot.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

danl1 said:


> We shouldn't be so fast to blame 'the industry' for answers to questions no one asked


Agree. There was no blame intended on my part, just an observation of how it is we get to love the things we didn't even know we wanted. Truth be told, a lot of the new stuff is decidedly better than the old—even if the desire for it had to be created


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

Am I "feeling" the right stiffness you guys are talking about?

Because I have an EA70 Wing OS and a Nashbar TT bar 26.0 and Sakae 26.0 Drops and they both flex a bit when I sprint or do hard climbs. When you guys talk about stiffness you're referring to less flex from the handlebars right?
________
Volcano Digital Vaporizer


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## Steve-O (Jan 28, 2004)

*I ride 26.0*

Several reasons why I'm still on 26.0 bars.


Lighter then 31.8 bar/stem combo (check your combo on WW's list and you might be surprised.
Easier to mount computers and lights.
generally cheaper on eBay and web retailers since everyone is going to 31.8 standard.
Stiff enough for the pros for the last 20 years = stiff enough for me.

My race bike uses 26.0. My commuter/cross bike uses 31.8. 4K miles last year between both bikes I can't tell the difference. I'll use 31.8 standard when my stash of 26.0 stems and bars run out.... Until then, not much of a reason to switch.


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## jordan (Feb 2, 2002)

One advantage to the OS road handlebar is being able to use the current OS MTB stems.The MTB stems seem to be less expensive and have many length/rise options.


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## laffeaux (Dec 12, 2001)

jordan said:


> One advantage to the OS road handlebar is being able to use the current OS MTB stems.The MTB stems seem to be less expensive and have many length/rise options.


That is a nice advantage. After 27 years of having a road and a mountain bike bar diameter standard, there finally is a single standard!! That is a good thing. Too bad they picked a size that was not already in use though. Part interchangability is a nice by-product.

I have several bikes with 26.0 bars/stems and will stick with that size for as long as possible. I like that I can move components and accessories between the bikes. If I owned a single bike, than OS would be fine. But all it will do at this point is cause difficulties for me, and cost a lot of money to "upgrade."


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## ti-triodes (Aug 14, 2006)

Results of a magazine test - I think it was either Velonews or Cycling Plus- last year stated there was no increase in stiffness in OS bars. I believe they also stated there was no weight savings due to the extra material used to strengthen the carbon that most bars are made from nowadays.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

ti-triodes said:


> Results of a magazine test - I think it was either Velonews or Cycling Plus- last year stated there was no increase in stiffness in OS bars. I believe they also stated there was no weight savings due to the extra material used to strengthen the carbon that most bars are made from nowadays.


Well yes...but the OS bars and stems must be lots better. After all...they're new and improved.


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