Tag: handlebars
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Rookie Guide: How to Transition from Flats to Drop Bars Like a Pro
I remember the first time I hopped onto a bike with drop bars. It was as if someone strapped my soul to a rocket and shoved me down a hill. I wasn’t prepared. The feeling of leaning into the bike like a greasy fist in a velvet glove? Intimidating, yes. But damn, exhilarating. The first…
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10 Reasons Why Flat Bar Road Bikes Suck
I’ll say it straight: Flat bar road bikes suck. You might think I’m just another bitter old man, but hear me out. I’ve ridden my fair share of bikes, from ancient steel-framed death traps to overpriced carbon fiber featherweights. I’ve seen trends come and go—some good, some awful. Flat bar road bikes? They fall in…
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How to Perfectly Align Your Bike’s Stem, Wheel, and Handlebars
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent more time than you’d like staring at your bike, trying to figure out why the handlebars look like they’ve had one too many whiskey shots. The wheel’s a little too far to the right, the stem seems crooked, and you’ve had enough of eyeballing it, hoping the…
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Tips On Adjusting Your Handlebar Angle
You ever see a guy riding his bike like he’s wrestling a bear? Arms all stiff, face twisted in discomfort, like he’s reconsidering every life choice that led to this moment? Yeah, that guy didn’t adjust his handlebars right. And if you don’t want to end up looking like him—or worse, feeling like him—pay attention.…
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Mastering the Drops: When and Why to Ride in the Lower Hand Position
You Bought a Road Bike. Now Bend Over and Suffer. So you got yourself a road bike. You spent a stupid amount of money on carbon, gears, and shoes that make you walk like a confused duck. You’re out there, riding, thinking you look like a Tour de France legend. But here’s the thing—you’re gripping…
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Handlebar Tape and Sweat: How Salt Buildup Affects Grip and Longevity
You ride. You sweat. You grip those bars like they owe you money. And all the while, your salty, electrolyte-laced human juice is soaking into the tape, creeping under it, and slowly turning your beloved handlebars into a crusty, corroded relic. It starts with those little white salt crystals. Harmless, right? Just wipe ‘em down.…
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From the 70s and 80s to Today: Why Road Bike Handlebars Are Getting Narrower
Handlebars. Once wide and comfortable, now narrow and optimized for performance. After decades of favoring wide grips, we are now opting for 38cm bars. Why? In short, we traded comfort for aero gains. In long….keep reading. 1. The Wide Bar Era: Deep Breaths + Leverage Back in the 70s and 80s, handlebars were way longer.…
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Fixed-gear Essential Knowledge: Pista Drops
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends In this short piece, I will discuss the so-called pista drop handlebars. Many rookies might mistake them for standard road drops. I know because I was one of those rookies once upon a time. The Differences Pista drop bars (PDBs) are built specifically for track bicycles ridden on a velodrome. They are…
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On Cyclocross Traditions (handlebar talk)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Today, I am introducing a new segment to this site – cyclocross/gravel talk. (I think that’s my fist post on the topic.) In this post, I will discuss a cyclocross tradition than many rookies may not be aware of, namely the adoption of drop bars (a handlebar type normally reserved…
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Bike Theory For Dummies: Aggressive Handlebars Battle (part 1)
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends What’s up? In this episode of Bike Theory For Dummies (BTFD), I will compare the two most common handlebars from the “agressive category”, namely bullhorns (BHs) and drop bars (DBs). Upfront, I’ll tell you that I prefer BHs for “aggressive commuters” and DBs for racing. Let’s go. Hand Positions Standard…