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Centre to centre
Are you measuring at the drops, or the hoods?
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Often, sellers don't seem care enough. So I've usually seen it go like this: do the bars have packaging that states a number? If yes, that's how they will sell it. If not (i.e. used parts without a clear marking on it), they will measure it c-to-c. Hopefully. If you're lucky.
When it comes to figuring out which size you really want, there's no way past looking up how the manufacturers actually measure it. I've seen c-to-c / outside-to-outside at the bar ends, and c-to-c / outside-to-outside on the hoods. 3T, e.g., measures c-to-c on the hoods. Deda, I think, measures outside-to-outside, but I can't remember whether that's in the drops or the hoods...
Lolo
SwissChap
@Fox
I have four sets of 42cm handlebars (carbon Ergonovas, alu Ergonovas x 2 and a pair of Deda Speciale).
Centre to centre, they all measure 40cm not 42cm - except one pair of alu Ergonovas which is weirdly more like 39cm. But they are all supposed to be 42cm, which is actually more like their total width (i.e. not c-to-c).
If you look up websites selling/that have sold these bars, they all claim the width is measured c-to-c. I don't know why this is, but given this is the case, should I buy new bars in 42cm too, even though everyone claims this is a c-to-c measurement?
It's a conspiracy! Why can't the bike industry be honest about the width of handlebars?!