Bicycle Handlebars Buying Guide

No matter what kind of bicycle  you ride, handlebars  are needed to steer you in the right direction. They give cyclists control over the front wheel as well as support for the hands and body. Handlebars also provide a place to mount various cycling accessories such as brakes,  shifters,  and bells.  

Types Of Handlebars

• Drop is used for road and track bikes. The drop can be either shallow or deep. In order to hide the brake and shift cables, the drop bars will have indentations. The top is also more flattened for more comfortable hand support. Examples are Deda 215 Shallow Drop Round Road Bar  and FSA Omega Compact Drop Bar.  
• Flat/Riseris used for mountain bikes and fixed gear bikes. It is mostly straight except for a very slight bend towards the rider. Examples are Dimension Flat Top TT Bar  and Azonic Doublewall Riser Bar. 
• Upright/North Road is used on comfort, three speed, and single speed bikes. The handlebars are swept up towards the rider and the bar ends are nearly parallel to each other for easy grip. Examples are Nitto Aluminum North Road Bar  and Pyramid Aluminum North Road Bar.  
• Tour/Trekking is also known as the "Butterfly" and is most common in continental Europe. It has a figure-eight shape which offers riders a wide range of hand positions, but also the ability to ride upright. It is best for long journeys. Examples are Nashbar Trekking ATB/Hybrid Handlebar  and Satellite Elite Carbon Trekking.  
• Triathlon/Aero are narrow extensions that force the body to tuck in close to the bike. They also make riders feel unstable because the hands are drawn away from the brakes. Examples are BBB AeroBar Clip-On Triathlon Handlebars  and Easton Bicycle Road Specialty/Triathlon Handlebars.  
• Pursuit is used with dedicated triathlon bars, track, single-speed and fixed-gear bikes. They curve upwards and forwards, allowing a place for the hands to rest. Examples are Nitto RB-018 Pursuit  and Soma Urban Pursuit.  
• BMX is used for BMX bikes. They have more rise and include a crossbar for extra rigidity. Examples are Animal Bikes BMX Piff 2.0  and S&M Slam BMX. 
• Cruiser is used for Cruiser bikes where the rider sits upward, therefore the handlebars are long and slope towards the rider. Examples are JB Handlebar SunIt Cruiser  and Wald Cruiser 8038. 
• Moustache curve from the stem and back to the rider. They are a variation of semi-drop handlebars. Examples are Nashbar Moustache Handlebar  and Nitto RM-016 Moustache Handlebar.  
• Ape Hangers rise very high above the stem so the rider has to reach up to grab on. They imitate drag-racing motorbikes. Examples are Krome Werks Ape Hanger Handlebar  and Flanders Mini-Ape Hanger Handlebars. 

Materials

• Steel was the material all handlebars used to be made from because it made handlebars very strong. However, over the years it has proved to be much too heavy. 
• Alloy is light and run cheap. The lighter the material, the more expensive the handlebars will be. 
• Carbon is light and strong but runs the risk of unraveling when damage occurs. 

Sizes

• The bar should be the width of the rider's shoulders so that the arms can remain parallel. The handlebars may be measured from outside edge to outside edge, or from center to center. 
• The clamp diameter determines how well matched the bike stem will be to the handlebars. 

Handlebar Covering

• Tapes  are used on handlebars that provide versatile positioning. They are usually seen on road bikes. 
• Grips  are used on handlebars that offer one position. Usually made from soft plastic, foam, gel, rubber, or leather, they provide more traction and protection from vibrations.
• Plugs  cover up the hollow ends of handlebars. They are made from metal or plastic. Without them, handlebars can cause great injury.

Top Manufacturers

• Answer 
• Azonic 
• Compagnolo 
• Deda 
• Dimension 
• Easton 
• Edge 
• Ergon 
• FSA 
• Funn 
• Gravity 
• Oval 
• Race Face 
• Ritchey 
• Supercross 
• Titec 
• Visiontech 

Popular Handlebars

Low Rise Handlebars	Flat Handle Bars	Bike Drop Bars

Quick Picks

Answer Protaper Carbon  Carbon fiber. 8 degree bend by 25.5" wide.	Easton Monkeylite SL  Reinforced stem and brake lever clamping zones. 135 grams (25.4mm) 145 grams (31.8mm). Features 8 degree backsweep and 4 degree upsweep.	Easton EA70 Wing Ergo  Grooves for hidden cable routing. Anatomical Ergo bend. EA70 TaperWall aluminum construction with superior fatigue life and impact strength. 225 grams (26.0mm size).	Funn Full Bore  8 degree bend. 50mm bar rise.	Race Face Deus XC  Air alloy aluminum. Shot peened. 1" rise.

Related Guides

Road Bikes	Bike Saddles	Bike Shorts	Bike Pumps	Derailleurs

 Related Products

Garmin Bicycle Training Device	Bike Socks	Bike Reflectors

 External Links

• BicycleParts.us: Guide to handlebar grips. 
• BikeCyclingReviews.com: A review of round and anatomic handlebars.