They are usually found on single-speed bikes with a rear coaster brake, so they often have only one front brake lever with no gear shifters. The style is noticeable by the large U-shape center with the handles sticking off the sides. The high rise handlebar places the riders hands in a high up, hanging position – hence the nicknames ‘monkey bar’ or ‘ape hanger’.Īpe hanger bicycle handlebars are typically seen on BMX bikes and stylized cruiser bikes, made popular by classic Harley Davidson motorbikes. While comfortable, this design reduces control at high speed, which is why these handlebars are only found on slow cruiser bikes 5. The handlebar is bent back at either end to create a ‘mustache-like’ appearance, putting the rider’s hands at a comfortable, 45-degree angle. It’s also known as a beach cruiser handlebar, typically found on low-slung, laid-back bikes seen cruising boardwalks around the world. The Mustache bar is a type of cruiser handlebars, designed for upright seating and slow, comfortable riding. Mustache handlebar on a cruiser bike with a basket These days, modern mountain bikes have started using expensive flat bars made from strong, lightweight materials. They are usually the most affordable style but can be hard on the wrists. The Orbea Gain series eBikes is a rare example of a road bike with a flat bar.įlat bar handlebars are designed for recreational riding and city commuting. They have grips at either end with brake levers at your fingertips and thumb-operated gears, although some fixie bikes have no brakes or gear levers. Brakes & gears are under the same leversīrakes work by pull, gears by sideways pull.įlat bar is the most basic style of straight handlebars, commonly found on mountain bikes, hybrids or fixies.Many different positions from relaxed to race where the back is parallel to the ground.Some top-level professional road bikes even come with carbon handlebars to help reduce weight.ĭrop bars come in three different sizes – compact, traditional, race. There are two road bike handlebar positions – hands on top of the bars for cruising along comfortably and hands on the lower drop bars when you need extra speed.ĭrop bars use specific road bike handlebar tape that wraps around the entire bars for a comfortable, sweat-free grip. This allows riders to change gears by pushing the levers sideways and brake by squeezing on the levers. Many touring bikes also have drop bars for the comfort of multiple hand positions.Ī modern drop bar bike has a unique style of brake levers that are integrated with the gear levers. As such, they are almost exclusively found on bikes designed for racing like road, gravel and cyclocross. They are designed to put the rider in an aerodynamic position to reduce wind resistance and increase speed. Drop barĭrop bars are the second most common style of handlebars. Some MTB handlebars also come in the riser style, although more recently the flat bar style is getting popular. These are bicycle handlebars for sitting upright and are commonly found on hybrid bikes and city commuters. The brake levers are placed in front of the fingers for easy reach, while the gear levers are controlled with the thumbs. They are characterized by a bar that has a dip in the middle and rises up on both ends, placing your hands in a position higher than the saddle. In this situation, it's best to reposition the hoods on the bar, even if that means un-taping and then re-taping your bars to get the positioning correct.Riser bars, also known as upright bars, are probably the most common and simplistic style of bicycle handlebars. In this case, many riders try rotating the bar upward to shorten the reach to the hoods, but you're also moving the drops farther away into what could be an unusable position. You may have your bar rolled too high because your hoods are positioned too low on the bar. If, for example, you rarely use your drops, it's likely a sign that something is not right. It’s a trial-and-error process that can take some time, but it’s definitely worth the effort.”Īlso, remember that you're striving for a setup that provides comfortable use of all three hand positions. You can then reorient your hoods to minimize that pressure. This will help you get a sense of where the pressure points are. "Once you've found a setup that feels good, get out for a ride and look for hot spots on your palms. “This can include rotating the hoods inward toward the mid-line of bike or changing its elevation on the bar itself rather than just rotating the bar,” explains Jacobson.
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