Mountain Bike Handlebars Explained! | What's Right For You?

Finding the prime MTB handlebar for you is a tough job! This is the ultimate guide/explainer to the world of mountain bike bars! Join Anna as she takes you through the essential information you need to make informed decisions on the perfect bar. From handlebar rise, width, upsweep and backsweep, this video has everything!
⏰ Timestamps ⏰
0:00 - Intro
0:21 - Rise
4:40 - Upsweep
6:12 - Backsweep
7:29 - Width
9:56 - Materials
10:56 - Diameter
11:36 - Outro
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[@TheOneAndOnlyTed]

I changed out the bars on my bike for ones with a 60mm rise because my back was hurting, and it made a huge difference. Immediately the pain was gone and it feels great going downhill, which is what I prefer anyways. Still not bad up hill either. Only when it get's really steep is hard to to keep the front down, but it's rarely an issue and well worth getting rid of the back pain.

[@JackMott]

yeah you can bend elbows when you need to be lower, anyone reading this get comfortable! you can still shred fine

[@ilanpi]

There are actually many -40 degree stems on the market. In fact, they're cheap +40 degree stems meant for beginners, but you just flip them upside down.

[@busterbeast999]

This sounds like one of those counter life hacks. Like they try to bend the bars to make it negative and you just walk up and flip it over.

[@sepg5084]

@@busterbeast999 installing a stem upside down is not really a "hack", it is basic.

[@ancogbernard]

the heck. thats written -+40 that means its on you how you used it. what she talking about is the one piece carbon negative 40° handle bar.

[@pwiles1968]

I run a 60mm Rise on my bar but i have relatively short legs/arms versus body length its the only way i have found to get comfortable on my bike, i think body geometry is often ignored when considering rise.

[@4nanke129]

Finally I understand the difference between all the numbers of flat bars. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.

[@madtownangler]

If your old like me you use downhill bars on a xc bike because it's better for your back. I can't remember the last time I used a straight bar probably 30 years ago with Onza bar ends

[@uldi1s]

It's surprising to see how bar width has developed. Back when I was racing in the 90's, expert were adamant that no wider than 650mm should be used. And my push up width is 950mm! 😄 I had to make my own bar extensions in a lathe 🙄

[@willienillie6337]

Thank you for the information and sharing your knowledge.

[@SrSacaninha]

Really thorough. Thanks!

[@plainuser48596]

I'd say handlebar rise is just as much about overall bike fit as it is about "more vertical position". The latter is usually built into bikes by design anyway, so the rise is there more to match preferences of reach, rider angle and so on

[@jcd9456]

This video is packed with information. Thanks for the timestamps, I appreciate it very much!

[@believe8263]

Check out Pro Taper 78mm riser bars. So much more comfortable and feels more like my 450 motocross bike.

[@edteach3r]

Very helpful, thank you.

[@christopherjones4914]

I use the "armpit to middle finger tip" measurement for my bar width, and its worked wonderfully for me thus far! Im personally a 770mm bar and it feels like the perfect width while cornering and jumping.

[@mray8519]

Good clear explanation of bar configuration. Thanks.

[@tomassanesson902]

Awesome video ❤❤❤

[@frankharradence5546]

Great, clear video, useful & timely for me as about to choose a Rethnal alloy bar for my new bike. Good tips re calculating width, I’ve been wondering where/how to start calculating this.

[@karlosxzy]

Great video. Thanks Anna.

[@owenjones7620]

Absolutely brilliant, well explained, totally understandable and so glad I found this information, even for a novice like me, thank you so much for the video ❤ love it..

[@AgentMTB]

I just ordered the X-Track Carb Ti. Cant wait 😉!! Want that high power to weight performance...shaving weight is also a big plus! Great vid as always!! Keep🚴‍♂️

[@charlie9ine]

I rolled my bars just a couple of millimeters backwards and it made a significant difference in the comfort and handling of my trail bike. You have to adjust the rest of your cockpit accordingly but it’s something very easy to do that isn’t talked about much

[@erikl10001]

Love this explainer! Definitely clarified some things for me and taught me some new ones like the rolling back for hard tails. Also, what is that stem on the white bike? Looks cool!

[@tomquimby8669]

Good video, however you miss the point of body length to leg length, Reach is also a factor of the frame as is extended ride comfort. Ergotec handlebars are a good resource.

[@fairlyfunctional2236]

i like the top of my grips 1070mm above the floor on all my bikes, due to spinal issues.i'd like to try a bar with more backsweep, but the very few companies that offer them seem to charge alot. great show anna.

[@BicinViaggio]

Excellent and thorough explanation. Many thanks!

[@gmbntech]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@Dobrinja1921]

Love your videos, really do. Informative, simple and understandable for everyone, entertaining. The entire package....But what I´ve learned riding MTB for 20 years is that everyone is different, and the only right way is what fits you best - no measurements and guidelines can help you with that. Im 196 cm, long arms but I don´t have wide shoulders. Initially everyone tells me your handlebar should be at least 800mm, the reach at least 520mm etc. But that doesnt suit me at all, 750mm is what I ride currently - but even 720mm fits me extremly well. Also the reach of 480mm is more than enough, same goes for the handlebar rise - 15mm absolutely sufficient

[@mikeschulman8034]

Great video Anna. I went from a One Up with 20mm rise to 35mm rise, and the difference was pretty noticeable. While my riding position became more upright and comfortable, I did have to work harder when on tech climbs to keep the front wheel planted. Once I got used to the different climbing position, the trade off for increased comfort was worth it.

[@iannorris8891]

Hey Mike. I ride 20mm one up's on my e-mtb & hardtail but was thinking of getting the 35mm for my gravity (80% downhill) bike. How do you recommend one over the other on descent please ?

[@mikeschulman8034]

@@iannorris8891 I think it’s about how they fit you. For me, the higher rise put less strain on my back when pedaling hard on flatter sections. I’m 5’9, and ride a large (S4), with a 40mm stem, and to me, the 35mm feel really great descending.

[@gmbntech]

Thanks for sharing, Mike! Changing your handle bar rise can make a huge difference to your body position. We're glad you enjoyed this one!

[@1969Escobar]

Anna wow!!!! great video, you nail it!!!! cheers🤟

[@gmbntech]

Thanks so much!! Anna knows her stuff!

[@14TacomaDR]

My Specilized levo Turbo has the 35 mm clamp size and there are fewer choices of bars . As a older person I was looking for a higer rise to sit more upright.

[@_TheDeanMachine]

Just ordered a set yesterday, wish I'd seen this sooner 😂

[@kisilvan]

Very helpful thanks Anna

[@gmbntech]

Glad it was helpful! Cheers!

[@fegasegiawan3440]

Exactly what I needed. Rocking up 760mm uprise handle bar, but have not settle it and wanted to look for another. Thanks for the insight anna!

[@gmbntech]

Glad we could help! Hopefully this helps you find a more comfortable setup! 👍

[@armanclark2401]

banging info.. shes a keeper!

[@wiredblitzen]

Thank you for your video👍👌

[@gmbntech]

Thanks for watching!

[@adonikam1]

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT VIDEO! THANK YOU!!

[@shoeonhead]

The only thing I feel paralyzed by is how dope you are Anna! My job is literally to be a gear expert in the industry but I come here to refresh!

[@judasone83]

she is cool

[@Adam-vm8kp]

😂

[@andrewsonleitner9882]

Nice job you made it easy....

[@gmbntech]

Thanks! 👍

[@pjfcarlberg]

I like this topic, all because struggling with there own perfect position. Just now we still have under zero degrees Celsius, whit snow and ice for the last 2 months and one month more to come. And now back to the topic, a nice safe winterposition is not the same as in the summer. Pushing snowwalls with minimal grip is just one thing.

[@AndrogyneMichinaga]

Really good presenter, thanks.

[@iannorris8891]

One up bars, nuff said :-) !

[@galenkehler]

Look at the angle your wrists make. I found having a lot of backsweep helped a lot to keep wrist straighter. Kona Handplant bars are a nice sweep. Mounted upside down you don't even need a -30⁰ stem or anything. you will need a longer stem to compensate for the backsweep, I went with a 130mm stem to put the hands back in the same position as the flat bar.

[@andrec.136]

I'm 6'2 with wide shoulders and it's 800 wide bars for me. I just look out for the trees if I need to, as I feel way more comfortable and confident with that size.

[@ryanmaloney2914]

I went from 0 to +18mm and wow. I was considering a new bike but not anymore.

[@eXaviar]

I am 1,63m and I tried dozens of grips. Also all angles of my bar rolling forward or backward. My previous grips were the Egon with the mini Wings. They made my outer wrist pain go away, but they caused numbness 😱 I switched to the Ergon GXR. They solved the numbness problem but the outer wrist pain came back. So I looked for something that is nice and squische and provide the angle of the Ergon mini wings. Then I found out that there are bars with way more backsweep. Tested the natural backsweep of my hands, like Anna discribed. Voila: A backsweep of at least 16° is needed. Went for one and on top I shortened the bar to 760mm. Boom: Nice comfy position for a lot of hours of riding to come. Well, I admit they look funny and some friends called me out for using a trekking bar on my trail bike and I may break, but it is certified for downhill riding 💪🏾 Dmn, that was journey to find a good position 🤪 At least it made my way to a comfy position on my gravel bike way shorter 🤫

[@j.albertogratacos2076]

Thanks! Much needed insight on one of the dark arts of mtb.

[@gmbntech]

Glad it was helpful! Bike setup is an infinite and never ending thing! 😂

[@dannnyw111]

gmbn tech tool tour of the shed!

[@David-mu5rv]

Do these handlebar principles apply to fat tire bikes? I'm very new to this and considering a new handlebar. Thanks

[@loft4me]

Can any of these variables in the handlebar reduce the sense of twitchiness, when I went from a suspended fork to a rigid one? When I went to the rigid fork, I lost a wee bit in fork length, and also lost an offset that I had with the Fox 34 fork.

[@calvinpgetzke5720]

How often should you replace carbon bars? I know my hockey sticks break without warning what about carbon bars?

[@rodwilson391]

I can see riser bars coming next 😮

[@Maffpalmer]

Really great and very informed video. Thank you! I am in that exact place right now, trying to choose a bar for my 29er hardtail.

[@petererbse6253]

Rolling the bars slightly backwards on a hardtail makes sense. Thanks! I didn't think about that so far. I don't know if the more agressive the riding the wider the bars is a right approach i have relatively wide shoulders compared to my size and I feel like I have more control with a 740mm bar than a 780 or even 800mm bar because there's more room for the bike to move in a controlled manner underneath me in technical terrain, when the front for example deflects going higher speeds when descending

[@sepg5084]

If the bars are wider than what your body could naturally "fit", you will start getting shoulder aches. If you want better stability without relying on bar width too much, you can strengthen your arms and shoulders.

[@aldrinclementina4297]

Help me out GMBN Tech. I'm not a full mountain biker. I do like it and ride it when we have rainy season where I live. We don't have snow etc. That's why I'm still using my 26 Giant XTC1. I do have flat bars but narrow. I'm going to replace them with a slight wider one. I do have a 100mm stem on it. What do you recommend me about the stem and raise? It's a Medium frame

[@robertbransby]

The term bottom of the barrel comes to mind. Are bars really that much of a minefield?

[@ctodag9829]

You know, ... for a channel as big as yours i think it should be fairly easy to instead of just explaining what "handlebar rise", "upsweep" etc. is with words, have some overlaying graphics of it on the handlebar in the video. Like you hold the handlebar, and then a line gets animated from the middle of the grips to the center of the grips ... Still, thanks for the detailed video.

[@mikeburgh3956]

I think she did great at explaining it🤷

[@Canigetanawwwwyyyyeeeah]

Wind yer neck in…..

[@Canigetanawwwwyyyyeeeah]

Wind yer neck in…..

[@strongerthanyouallday]

Talk about the Spank Vibrocore!

[@TheDustyShredder]

I'm running 720mm carbon bars on my trail bike, but I can't figure out why I can't seem to keep my front wheel planted on the climbs. Idk if the bike is too long or too short, if I need bar drop (I'm running flat bars), or if maybe the stack is too tall, but the bike always pops wheelies if I'm in the saddle and not deliberately shifting my weight forward. That being said, it descends like an absolute champ just keeping my body central on my bike. Any advice would be helpful.

[@gazzas28]

Longer stem, it will naturally bring body weight over the front wheel.

[@bosrey7807]

What about Ti bars?

[@RadoslawAdamStachnik]

OneUp❤❤❤ Rise 35

[@iannorris8891]

How is one up 35 for gravity riding (I have one up 20mm on my other bikes, best bar ) !

[@DarkstarDarth]

Some manufacturers explain that carbon bars absorb vibration and provide more comfort than aluminium as you said it does the opposite..?

[@Freakyfamous_hh]

So, I 'm still curious, how do I find out the diamaters of the grips. Quite wierd that this diameter is not shown in any technical description of a handlebar

[@Adam-vm8kp]

The diameter of the part of the bar they go onto or the thickness of the grip itself?

[@TheButlerNZ]

Woo Hoo... So 1st out of the way... What we need is a Retro Girvin Fork system on the bars, giving some non twist suspension and allowing a quick shift bar height for up then down hill... A simple twist or flip lever on the side of the stem changing the rise from high to low on the climb, then back again on the DH... with some rubber buffer for vibration above/beyond the front forks... also means you could lock the front on the climbs but still dampen the vibrations. Bob keeps an eye on my handlebars for me... That's him in my User Icon... He's up front on all my rides (and mediocre videos.. but hey I'm getting a little wimpy in my middle (cough) age...

[@bobothericefarmer1878]

Makes more sense now

[@AlexeyPapoi]

Hello! Does anybody know a company that makes custom bars? I cant find the ones I really need!!!

[@believe8263]

What are you looking for?

[@vilimiryordanov8502]

Regardless of wheel size, fork travel and frame stack, I always prefer 40-50mm rise. With anything lower I feel I can't manoeuvre the bike the way I like, especially on jumps, doing bunny hops and in general just pulling the front wheel up (whether do to a bunny hop or just a wheelie). Looking at getting some 50mm Spank Vibrocore bars. I've been hearing a lot of positive feedback on those!

[@ianmangham4570]

50mm riser 720

[@dystopiaisutopia]

I like my Spank Vibrocore

[@gerardvandijk1173]

Love the bike design kzbin.infoUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L and functionality. It is hard to align the front tired to center the disk brakes. The brake wheel touches the stationery side of the brake caliper and pad. I aired the tire up to 40 psi as the markings say 40-60psi. Left the house for a few hours and came back to an exploded innertube.All in all it seems to be a good bike. Have not ridden it yet though so that's the max of my knowledge. Update, put a new innertube made sure the tire was set properly and it did the same thing in under 20 minutes as second pic shows.

[@ridesouls2830]

I run 200mm fork with 60mm bars

[@adlar2005]

My homie has a 500mm rise on his lowrider.

[@Indicasativa55]

800 mm is to wide !!! That’s what my torn up right knee leg and arm and the damaged tree I clipped are telling me

[@mikebirkett010]

Also, when sat slightly more upright on your saddle, yer arse don't hurt so much.

[@daskrahennest2856]

Came here to educate myself on something I know nothing about, ended up falling in love. God damn man fuck me.

[@janeblogs324]

7:48 680 to 640? Really?

[@gmbntech]

Ooops! Good spot, we meant to say 680 - 740 there!

[@David-qx8jm]

Real bikers use drag bars. Lol Keepemcoming

[@uberfu]

Wouldn't "negatrive rise" (WTF) simply be DROP or LOWER or DOWN or DECLINE. Stop trying to make weird terminology up to be a double negative. Please discuss in future videos about the "Negative Up Tube" (downtube) or the "Reverse Up Post" (drop post) or how you flipped the bike upside down to raise the suspension to a lower position setting. WTF Negative Rise !!!!!