A buyer's guide to handlebars

Let's start with the basics – do you need a straight handlebar or a drop handlebar? The simplest guide is to figure out what is already fitted to your bike and replace it like for like.

It's also possible to change the type of handlebar your bike uses, but there are two big considerations to make before attempting it. Bikes are designed holistically so that most drop-bar bikes will work best with drop handlebars. Most flat-bar bikes will work best with flat bars.

But the even bigger hurdle is that if you change the type of handlebar your bike uses, you will also need to replace the controls with new, compatible ones (such as specific flat or drop-bar gear shifters and brake levers). This means you'll also have to fit new cables or hoses, which becomes quite a big job. So while changing the handlebar type can be done, it's the first step of a long process.

Assuming you’re just looking to tweak your handlebar choice rather than fundamentally alter it, the easiest way is to replace your old bar with a matching tube diameter. This means you can clamp it into your existing stem without buying a new one.

Most modern handlebars – whether flat or drop – come in one of two sizes of diameter: either 25.4mm(non-oversize), such as our 25.4mm Workshop drop bar, or 31.8mm (oversize), such as our 31.8mm Workshop drop bar.

Some other less common handlebar tube diameters, most notably 22.2mm found on BMX bikes. We also have replacement bars in that format, such as the Workshop BMX bar.

Before we look at the specific virtues of drops or flat bars, universal qualities need to be considered. The first is product material, with handlebars available in either steel or aluminium.

Steel handlebars, such as our B’Twin Leisure bar, are commonly used as replacement options. For enhanced performance and weight saving, upgrade bars are often made of aluminium, such as our Workshop 25.4 560mm City Riser.

You’ll notice that the product features two measurements in its name: 25.4, which we know is the diameter needed for the stem clap, and 560mm. That second figure leads us to our second universal consideration: bar width.

Generally speaking, mountain, leisure, and flat-bar commuting bikes use wider bars to enhance bike control, while drop bars tend to be narrower for more efficient riding at higher speeds.

As a rule of thumb, road bike drop bars should be about as wide as your shoulders, with many products, like the Deda 31.8mm bar, coming widths to achieve this.

Flat bars are also available in various sizes, although you should choose depending on your preference. Take your time to find what works best for you - this is one area of your mountain or leisure bike where you can improve the ride experience.

For ease of reference, we’ve called all non-drop handlebars ‘flat’ or ‘straight’ bars. It’s possible to find almost perfectly flat or straight bars, such as our Workshop Road 560mm bar. However, in most cases, the terms ‘flat’ or ‘straight’ are far from technically true for two reasons.

• ‘Rise’ indicates how far the handlebar moves back towards the rider. A kink usually provides this on either side of the bar’s central section, such as on our Rockrider 760mm handlebar with a 30mm rise, which brings the other parts of the bar 30mm closer to the rider.
• Straight bars can also have backsweep and upsweep. This is where the bars have been angled to bring them closer to the rider as they move further back along their length.

City or traditional cruisers commonly boast swept bars, such as our Workshop City Handlebar. It’s also common to find mountain or leisure bikes with bars with both rise and a modest backsweep and upsweep, such as our Rockrider 620mm bar.

As you might expect, drop handlebars' real area of interest lies in the drop itself. The three main things to consider are

1. The depth of the drop or the distance from the flat top part of the bar to the bottom of the drop
2. The length of the reach or how far the drop extends in front of the straight top section
3. The shape of the drop

If we take one specific product, our B'Twin Ergo Road Handlebar has a 130mm drop, an 82mm reach and features a particularly ergonomic shape, with a tighter bend at the top that opens up as it comes round and down. Take time to determine what drop, reach and shape works best for you.

The 'flare' is another consideration that comes to the fore, particularly on a gravel bike. This is where, rather than dropping perfectly vertically down, the drops are angled slightly outwards, such as on our Workshop Gravel Handlebar.

If you are a road rider looking for extra performance and comfort, remember that you don't have to face the trouble of fitting in a new bar. Accessories such as our B'Twin Multiposition Handlebar Extender are simple ways to transform your positioning on the bike and upgrade without too much fiddling about.