Nowadays you can build your own bike exactly the way you want it.  You can customize each and every aspect of your bike so that it looks and rides just the way you like it.  One of the first and easiest things to change is your bike handlebar.  Often times, the riding position isn't quite right for the rider, and you possibly may have too much or too little weight over the handlebars, leaving you with too little control over the bike.  Some people upgrade to carbon handlebars because they want to make their bike look sexier and unique.  These are one of the easiest and least expensive things to change, which is great for both experienced and novice riders.

3T Ergosum Team Carbon Handlebars 44    US $179.00

Carbon Handlebars 42cm    US $100.00

FSA K Wing Carbon Handlebars 44 cm    US $137.50

Shimano PRO Vibe Carbon Road Bike Handlebars 44cm    US $150.00

Drop handlebars are the typical type of bars that you'll see on track bikes or road bikes.  They have a short tube which bends away from you, then drops into a deep curved shape.  This lets you switch up your positions quite a bit, ranging from upright casual riding, to hunched over low profile positions for racing and sprinting.

Flat handlebars are the type that you'll typically see on a mountain bike. These usually are straight and flat.

Riser handlebars are somewhat like flat handlebars, only they rise up from the middle clamp area.  This gives the rider a shorter distance to reach, and lets them ride more upright.

Pursuit handlebars, aka bull horn handlebars, come from track bike racing.  They are good for pursuit riding.  You can even DIY your own bullhorn handlebars by cutting your drop handlebars and mounting them upside down.

There are many other types of handlebars available for different positions and it is worth taking a good look at what's available, in case something suits you better than the types we listed above.  There are many different types of handlebars on the market, like pursuit bars that can help you resolve a problem with your riding position or carbon handlebars that can make your bike look better and ride lighter.  Best of luck in your search and happy riding!

I have to admit that it can be hard to decide on a set of carbon handlebars. I've tried virtually every type of bar for road, touring and off road riding. Whether you're looking more for performance, style or comfort, here I will share some tips on how to start your search.

New Ritchey WCS Road Carbon Classic Handlebars 440mm    US $126.63

NEW FSA K Force XC Carbon MTB Riser Handlebars 318mm    US $99.00

New BlackOps Wing Carbon Handlebars 318 x 42 or 44 cm    US $119.00

New Easton EC90 Eliptical Carbon Handlebars 318 x 42cm    US $110.99

Classic drop handlebars offer you with multiple positions for racing and touring. This used to be the only style available, but now there are many more choices and shapes to choose from.  If choosing a road bar, you should compare their width, reach and shape. The width should be the same as your shoulders' outside edges. For additional comfort and leverage you can step up one size, which many distance riders and tourers do.

Handlebar reach is the distance from where the bar mounts to the stem, to the front.  This is critical because it determines how far you have to reach to hit the brakes.  For most riders, a reach of 65-80 millimeters is fine.  Handlebar drop is how far the hand of the bar drops from the middle of the bar that mounts to the stem. For smaller people with less flexibility, a drop of 110-135 millimeters works great. Anything more than this puts the bar too low to ride comfortably for long periods.  Bar shape is a bit tough to put into writing, but it is very important.  The handlebar's shape should be such that there is a smooth transition from your shoulders to the brake hoods.  Additionally, the drops should put the wrist at a comfortable and natural angle.

There are also drop bars too that flare out at the bottom for extra leverage.  They are especially designed for offroad and touring riders.

For mountain bikers, you have the option of flat bars, riser bars, carbon handlebars, and uniquely angled bars.  Flatbars have no rise but come in different back sweep angles. Riser bars have different heights to match your reach, and have both backsweep and upsweep. The back sweep angle ranges from 4 to 18 degrees on flat and riser bars. If you raise your bike stem, you can get the same height with a flat bar.

As far as width is concerned, personal preference plays a big part.  A wide bar will offer you more leverage, which is great on steep climbing and rough terrain.  However, they can catch on brush and bushes in tight spaces.  So you need to take all of this into consideration when choosing a width.  But you can always chop your bars down if you want them to be more narrow.

The easiest and first thing to adjust on your bike should be your seat height.  To do this, simply put on your shoes and lean the bike on a table.  Get on the bike and balance yourself so that you are sitting up straight with the bike.  Extend your leg so that it is in its lowest position.  Your leg should be able to fully extend here.  When you are pedaling, your leg should be able to do most of the work without injuring your knee.

3TTT Curva 2x2 Palm Carbon Road Handlebars 318 44cm    US $38.49

Race Face SIXC 3 4 Riser Carbon Handlebars    US $45.00

FSA KForce Carbon DH Handlebars    US $20.00

Easton EC90 SLX Carbon Handlebars 260 42cm    US $.99

If you experience any knee when riding, or leaning from side to side to pedal fully, then your seat is positioned too tall.  On the other hand, if your legs are always burning, your seat might be positioned too low.  Do some test rides, and adjust your seat little by little until your ride is comfortable.  Some seats come with quick release adjusters, while others force you to use an allen wrench to do the adjusting.

After adjusting the height of your seat, your handlebars are the next easiest thing you can adjust.  On a typical bicycle, the handlebar height should be at most 4" below the height of the seat. Adjusting your handlebars to be higher than your seat will put more strain on your body, as the higher they are, the more weight is put on your hips and bottom.  This will definitely make you feel more vibrations and bumps from the road.

For the people who want to go as fast as possible, the best riding position is low and flat.  This makes your body and bike aerodynamic.  Having your carbon handlebars very low may seem strange at first, but as you go faster and faster, you'll feel yourself sitting more forward and riding harder.

For more casual rides, higher handlebars are better.  Higher bars give you more comfort but a less powerful position, and vice versa.  Remember that upright positions are harder on your hips and butt, though, so be sure to buy a comfortable seat if you will be putting your handlebars up high.

You may find that your bike's stock handlebars don't suit your riding style, and that you may either need longer or shorter stems, in order to bring the bars closer to your body, or to raise them up.  Either way, it's important to know how to adjust your bike's handlebar height.

Carbon Handlebars 42cm    US $100.00

Race Face SIXC 3 4 Riser Carbon Handlebars    US $45.00

FSA K Force Compact Carbon Fiber Handlebars 42    US $72.59

FSA KForce Carbon DH Handlebars    US $20.00

Some bicycle riders shoot for flat backs when racing to get the smoothest aerodynamics on their rides.  More casual riders don't lean so far forward, and sit more upright.  Long distance riders that spend many hours on the bike but don't travel so fast, usually keep their handlebars up higher than racers.

If you loosen the bolt on top of your bike stem, you should be able to slide the stem up or down, which changes your handlebar height.  Make sure that you do not raise your handlbars too high.  If you feel that you still need to raise your carbon handlebars a bit, find a longer stem online or at your local bike shop, and make sure it has the same diameter.  If you don't insert your stem far enough, it can slip out or break off.  This would be VERY bad.  Typically, bikes come with the handlebars already set to their max height, so if you still feel like they are too low for you, go find a new stem.

Hopefully this helped you out a bit.  Best of luck in finding the right handlebar height for you and happy riding!

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