| Handlebars come in all shapes and sizes. This is a | | | | are designed for offroad and touring applications. With |
| good thing, as there will be one that will work for you. | | | | used on a mountain bike the stem must be positioned |
| The bad thing is that with so many options, it's hard to | | | | 10-15 cm higher than usual as the drop position is |
| figure out what the right one without wasting a ton of | | | | designed to be the default position. |
| money trying them. I've used just about every shape | | | | Mountain and Hybrid Bars |
| of bar for both road and mountain biking. Whether for | | | | For mountain bike use we look at rise, width and angle. |
| comfort or performance I'll give you tips on where to | | | | You have the option of riser bars, flat bars and |
| start in your quest. | | | | radically angled bars such as the H-Bar from Jeff |
| Road Bars | | | | Jones. Flatbars have no rise but are now available in |
| These are the drop bars with multiple hand positions | | | | various back sweep angles. Riser bars have varying |
| for road racing and touring. There used to be just the | | | | heights to help adjust bar height. Riser bars have both |
| classic round bend but now there are a myriad of | | | | backsweep and upsweep. I like my bars with |
| anatomical shapes. When looking at choosing a road | | | | backsweep but no upsweep. I find the upsweep turns |
| bar you need to look at the width, reach, drop and | | | | my wrists too far for comfort but some people swear |
| shape. The width should be the same span as your | | | | by a 3-5 degree upsweep. The back sweep angle |
| shoulder bones from outside to outside. For a little | | | | varies from 3 to 17 degrees on flat and riser bars. You |
| more leverage and comfort you can go up one size | | | | can get the same height with a flat bar if you raise |
| which is recommended for touring and distance riding. | | | | your stem. If you ride a 26" wheel bike then riser bars |
| The reach is far forward the bar goes from where | | | | will probably be the bar of choice as the front end sits |
| the bar mounts in the stem. This will dictate the reach | | | | lower. On 29" wheel bikes the flat bar with the |
| to your brake levers. I find a reach of 70-85 mm is | | | | appropriate sweep will fit the bill as the front end sits |
| best for most people. A reach longer than this will | | | | higher on a 29"er. As far as width is concerned, part |
| make the top of the bar too close if the brake hoods | | | | of this is personal preference. A wide bar give you |
| are a good reach. Drop is how far down the lower | | | | more leverage which helps on technical terrain and out |
| hand of the bar drops from the center of the bar that | | | | of the saddle hill climbing like you'll do on a single speed. |
| mounts in the stem. For shorter riders or people who | | | | Wide bars can catch on trees in tight technical |
| are less flexible (my generation of riders over 35) do | | | | sections of single track so the type of trails you ride |
| well with a drop of 120-130 mm. Much more than this | | | | will influence your decision about width. There are a lot |
| puts the bar too low to comfortably ride for any length | | | | of new options of bars around 700 mm wide in both |
| of time. Bar shape is the hardest one to describe but | | | | riser and flat options. With super wide bars like this, you |
| the most important. The shape should be such that | | | | can try them and chop them down if you want a little |
| there is a level transition to the brake hoods and the | | | | narrower. |
| drops should sit such that it puts the wrist at a natural | | | | I use a radically angled bar on my mountain bike, On |
| angle. My favorite bar is the FSA Compact shape. | | | | One Mary Bar, with an angle around 40 degrees of |
| They are available in a number of quality levels | | | | back sweep. I find the angle give me a more |
| including full carbon models so just about any price | | | | comfortable wrist angle and lets me pull harder on the |
| range can be accommodated. | | | | bar. I ride a single speed so I need all the leverage I can |
| There are alternative drop bars such as the WTB Dirt | | | | get. If you suffer from wrist issues, then a bar like this |
| Drop, Soma Junebug and Salsa Woodchipper. These | | | | may be the answer. |
| bars flare out in the drops for more leverage. They | | | | |