Accessories	Bicycles	Parts	Specials	Tools	View Cart

Visit our harriscyclery.net catalog for a more Contemporary Shopping Experience.

Handlebars from Harris Cyclery

Drop Handlebars	Upright Handlebars	Cow Horn Handlebars

Upright Handlebars

Butterfly "Trekking" handlebars HB003 $22.95 These upright multi-position handlebars are very popular with European touring cyclists. They fit standard ISO stems with a 1" (25.4 mm) clamp. Working diameter of the bars is 7/8" (22.2 mm) so they work with "mountain bike" type brake and shift levers. Width: 56cm Material: Aluminum See Tom Deakins's article on these.
Butterfly "Trekking" handlebars in Black HB005 $22.95 These are made by a different manufacturer than the above silver bars, but are basically the same. Width: 59cm Material: Aluminum
Nitto Aluminum North Road Bars $54.95 Japanese version of the classic handlebar used on English 3-speeds. The standard 1" diameter clamp area is compatible with most stems, and is heavily knurled to prevent slippage. Reach is 50 mm, Drop is -85 mm, the ends of the bars are 125 mm behind the center of the stem. 70 degree grip area, 50 cm width (center-to-center.)
Sunlite Aluminium North Road Bars HB1095 $24.95 Economy version of the classic handlebar used on English 3-speeds. These have a longer straight section (185 mm), making them more compatible with modern brake levers and grips. The standard 1" diameter clamp area is compatible with most stems, and is knurled to prevent slippage.
Nitto Albatross Bars HB1008 Heat-Treated Alloy $115.95  HB1010 Cro-Moly Steel         $79.95  Japanese upright handlebar. Accepts bar-end shifters. Clamp diamter: 25.4mm Bar diameter: 22.2mm (fits MTB/Flatbar shifters & brake levers) Sweep: 170mm Width: 550mm Rise: 60mm
Compare North Road style bars:

Drop ("Road") Handlebars

Types of drop handlebars:

Clamp Diameter

All bars shown here use the ISO standard 1 inch/25.4 mm stem clamp diameter unless marked otherwise.

There are six clamp diameters for drop handlebars, where they fit into the stem, but only 3 are common:

• 25.4 mm (1 inch) is the ISO international standard for all types of handlebars, and is the most common size for drop bars as well. Most of the bars we sell use this clamp size. If you want to use a 25.4 mm bar in a 26.0 stem, we sell special shims for the purpose.
• 26.0 mm is the Italian national standard. Because Italian handlebar and stem brands are so popular, even many bars from other countries have adopted this size, and many people consider it to be a de facto "road" standard.

  Most expensive drop bars and stems are this size, or the slightly smaller 25.8 mm variant (those are interchangeable.)

• 31.8 mm (1 1/8 inch) is a relatively new "oversized" standard increasingly seen on high-end bars and stems.
• 26.4 mm is the obsolete Cinelli proprietary size, used by Cinelli until sometime in the late 1990s.
• 25 mm is the obsolete French size. We have a limited selection in our French Parts Section.
• 15/16" is the obsolete English size for steel handlebars.

Grooves

• Traditional handlebars have no grooves, providing a nice round grip area. They work with all types of drop bar brake levers and shifters.
• Single-groove handlebars have a groove in the front of the bar to receive the brake cable with modern "æro" brake levers. These grooves are not at all necessary, since you don't rest any weight on the front side of the handlebar.
• Double-groove handlebars have a second groove in the upper-rear of the top section. This is intended to receive the shift cable if you use Campagnolo Ergo brifters. The second groove is a nice feature if you use Ergos, but if you don't, it just makes the bars less comfortable. Unfortunately, a shockingly large number of new bikes come with double-groove handlebars but not with Ergo shifters. This is a really bogus arrangement, in my opinion.

"Anatomic" vs Traditional Bends

Traditional drop bars are gracefully curved, and work quite well for most riders. The Italian company Modolo staged a bit of a marketing coup in the late 1980s with their so-called "Anatomic bend" handlebars. These have sharpish angles instead of gentle curves. Some people like the resulting positions, but many of us prefer the more versatile traditional curved designs.  

Search Our Special Order Catalog for Drop Handlebars

 

Sunlite HB403 "Cow Horn" Handlebars Handlebars 25.4 mm clamp $24.95 Economy version of "Cow horn" handlebars for time trial bikes, also popular for urban fixed gear use. 42 mm width. Flat, non-polished finish.
Nitto Handlebar Shims $13.95 These beautifully made stainless-steel shims let you use a standard 25.4 mm (1 inch) diameter handlebar in an Italian size (26.0 mm) stem.

This site also features many
useful articles by Sheldon Brown
and others.

Articles by Sheldon Brown and others
Harris Home	Beginners	Brakes	Commuting Lights	Cycle- Computers	Do-It- Yourself	Essays
Family Cycling	Fixed Gear Singlespeed	Frames	Gears & Drivetrain	Bicycle Humor	Bicycle Glossary	Bicycle Links
Old Bikes	Repair Tips	Tandems	Touring	What's New	Wheels	Sheldon Brown

Copyright © 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Harris Cyclery