Bar Fight!

A small sample of the various city handlebars we stock.

Ah, the lowly handlebar, how we often overlook thee.  Too often we forget about you and under estimate the power you wield over our comfort.  An afterthought for many - not surprising when so many people are always proselytizing about this gearing system, that frame material, or what brand of bike you are attached too.  Pfft! - how important is that stuff anyway (kidding of course but trying to make a small point)!

All of which is a shame because you - the unheralded handlebar - can enable both a blissful or heinous cycling experience depending on your shape, sweep, and rise.

K - enough of that :)

Seriously now, the choice of handlebar is critical for a comfortable bike ride and a pleasant cycling experience.  Unfortunately, most MTB type bikes and traditional hybrid bikes come with traditional riser style MTB bars or worse yet, straight bars.  While these styles of handlebars are great for the demands of offroad or aggressive riding, they leave much to be desired  in the realm of comfort.  Sure, they'll work just fine for many people but if you are not comfortable on your current bicycle, changing your handlebar can be a quick, easy, and inexpensive fix. 

If you are experiencing shoulder pain, neck pain, or wrist pains, you might be a candidate for a different style of handlebar - the traditional swept back city handlebar.  There are multitudes of options in city bars with various sweep angles, rise heights, and grip area lengths - too many to get deep into here, but all helpful in offering more relaxed shoulder, neck, and wrist angles which can help reduce the pain associated with the more aggressive positions on most MTB and hybrid bikes.

There is no perfect city handlebar that will work for everyone so, if you are considering changing it up, the best thing to do is to bring your bike to the shop and we'll have a look at you on your bike and help you decide on the right handlebar upgrade.  Also, make sure you click through to EcoVelo's assorted articles on city handlebars as they get quite in depth into the various designs on the market - most of which we stock.

Only 6 more weeks till spring!