Main types of bike handlebars

Without the handlebars, you wouldn't be able to steer your bike. The handlebars are one of the three points where your body comes in contact with the bike, so you need to find handlebars that fit you well. The best fit handlebars can give you a great ride and even make up for a frame that doesn't fit you perfectly. Poorly chosen handlebars can force you into an awkward position when you ride, making you uncomfortable, giving you numb hands and a stiff back, or worse.

If you're shopping for handlebars, we recommend that you find ones that are designed to fit the type of bike you have, match the style of riding you plan on doing, and work well with the proportions of your body.

Here are the three main types of handlebars:

Drop bars: Drop bars are popular on road bikes. Because of their design, they offer more hand positions, which is a luxury on long rides. They also provide a more aerodynamic position when you put your hands on the drops, or the curved part of the bars, which is helpful if you're facing a headwind and want to get as low as possible.One drawback of drop bars is that, if you rest your hands close together on the tops (the flat part on either side of the clamp), your hands won't be close to the brakes if you need to brake suddenly — although they do make a second set of brake levers that are accessible for your hands on the flat part of the bars. There are many different styles, shapes, and sizes of drop bars. Some have a flattened area in the curve of the drop section for greater support of your hands. Others have an expanded flat platform section on the upper flat part for more surface contact area for your palms.

Flat bars: Flat bars are popular on mountain and hybrid bikes. Their design provides more control and leverage in low-speed maneuvering, which is helpful if you're maneuvering around obstacles on an off-road trail. Flat bars are nice for the recreational rider, because you're sitting more upright and able to look around and enjoy the scenery. The downside of flat bars is that they offer fewer positions in which to rest your hands. However, this isn't usually a problem, because most riders are seated in a more upright position with less pressure on the arms and hands in the first place. If you feel numbness in your hands, which can happen with any type of handlebar, check to make sure that you aren't leaning too far over the handlebars. If you are, you may need to adjust your saddle forward, install a shorter stem, or consider buying a riser bar (on which both ends of the handlebar rise up slightly). Another option is to buy cycling gloves, which help reduce the impact and vibration of the ride.

Riser bars: On mountain bikes you sometimes need lift (the ability to raise your front wheel over obstacles). For road bikes, this isn't an issue because your center of gravity is normally low and you're riding on flat surfaces. Handlebars designed with a rise improve the lift of a bike. Rise is the amount that the ends of the bars are higher than the clamp. With greater rise, the rider can move her weight back over the rear tire and increase lift, which is important for downhill biking competitions. This also allows the bars to be rolled or moved closer or farther away from you for your comfort and control.