Don do a little experiment for me. First raise your hands above your head and breath deeply. Next spread your arms out from your sides and breath deeply again. Lastly cross your arms across your chest and hold your elbows and breath deeply. Notice the difference? You seem to be a little unclear about the mechanics of the breathing during exercise might I direct you to Google to see all the information on chest compression and breathing.
As far as the specific article we're talking about. I'm still trying to
find it in my archives. It was widely talked about in the cycling news at
the time. I've talked with others that remember the articles too. Does
anyone on the list have access to the article. Also you might want to
read the CONI manual quote Dan Artley posted yesterday.
http://search.bikelist.org/
> 5% more breathing capacity with wide bars ?? I can hardly believe it.
> The chest is a fixed cavity and you breathe by pulling the diaphragm
> down, drawing air into the lungs. The arms are unable to influence
> the size of that cavity. The diaphragm is several inches below where
> the arms are in all riding positions except facing backwards sitting
> on the handlebars steering with your hands behind your back.
>
> I'd like to see a reference to the "so-called" research that purports
> that wider bars increase breathing capacity ! ! !
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA