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Free measurement workflow
Measure shoulder breadth and handlebar width twice to get the observed signed difference. Then measure left and right lever-blade gaps from one reference to identify the exact mismatch and the side to re-check.
The assistant reports geometry you actually measured. It does not prescribe an ideal bar width, turn millimetres into adjuster clicks, or promise comfort, handling, braking or performance.
Step 1 · observed widths
Pick one visible reference for each dimension, reset the tape or caliper between readings, and record the value again. Match centre-to-centre with centre-to-centre, or outside-to-outside with outside-to-outside; repeats of the same dimension must also match.
Width result
Two stable readings per dimension produce two observed means and the signed delta bar minus shoulder. A pair more than 5 mm apart requests a fresh third reading.
Step 2 · lever symmetry
Keep both levers at rest. Measure to the same point on each blade from mirrored, marked references. Choose the side whose current position you intend to preserve.
Symmetry result
The result will show left minus right, identify the farther blade and name the non-reference side to remeasure. It will not turn millimetres into clicks, rotations or a comfort promise.
Optional local record
Save the successful width and/or lever result in this device's bike timeline. A resolved bar width also updates that bike coordinate; no shoulder measurement is treated as an ideal target.
Visible method
Step 1
Choose visible shoulder, handlebar and lever reference points before recording a number. Write or mark them so every repeated reading uses the same definition.
Step 2
Reset the tape or caliper between readings. Enter two independent shoulder-breadth readings and two independent handlebar-width readings in millimetres.
Step 3
If either pair differs by more than 5 mm, make one fresh third reading for that dimension. Do not discard the inconvenient measurement or mix reference definitions.
Step 4
With both levers at rest, measure the left and right blade gaps from mirrored points using the same definition. Choose the side whose current gap is the reference to preserve.
Step 5
Before loosening a clamp or turning an adjuster, verify exact component compatibility, the model-specific procedure and every applicable manufacturer torque. Recheck brake and shift operation after any permitted change.
How to read width
The width result is handlebar mean minus shoulder mean. A positive value means the declared bar span measured wider; a negative value means it measured narrower. Because bar and shoulder references describe different objects, zero has no privileged status and no width is labelled ideal.
Preserve the definitions alongside the numbers. Hood-centre, drop-centre and outside-edge measurements are not interchangeable—especially on flared or swept bars.
How to read symmetry
The lever result is left gap minus right gap. The chosen reference side stays fixed in the comparison; the other side is named for re-measurement. If the mismatch repeats, the tool exposes the measured gap change required to match the reference side.
It never guesses how many clicks or screw turns create that distance. Adjuster direction, travel limits, interacting shift-paddle or contact-point settings, torque and post-adjustment checks remain specific to the exact component.
Primary manufacturer sources
The examples below show why OpenBikeFit does not publish a universal torque or click conversion. They apply only to the named product families. Use each manufacturer's technical portal to locate the current manual for the model actually on the bike.
Shimano dealer documentation
Shimano's RX815 dealer manual identifies a model-specific reach adjuster and explicitly requires checking that braking operates properly afterward. This is an example, not an instruction for a different Shimano lever.
SRAM user documentation
SRAM's Road AXS documentation describes the adjuster direction for that family and warns against turning it beyond its end position. Other SRAM products can use different hardware or offer no reach adjustment.
If the exact document is unavailable, the adjustment is outside this self-service workflow. Keep the measured result, leave the hardware unchanged and ask the component manufacturer, dealer or an experienced mechanic.