Handlebars affect not only your riding comfort but also have a direct impact on your bike's handling. The bars you choose need to be comfortable, but they should also work well with the rest of your steering system - stem, forks and frame. Wide bars on mtb bikes work well with short stems and relaxed head angles. Drop bars on road bikes should be slightly wider than shoulder width, the drop and reach you choose, plus choice from compact, anatomic or standard drop depends on personal preference.