Narrow is Aero: how to go narrow for free speed

The UCI has recently announced new rules coming into effect on January 1, 2023, among them a rule that puts a lower limit to handlebar width. Art 1.3.012 of the Clarification Guide Of The UCI Technical Regulation states that “the minimum overall width (outside-outside) of traditional handlebars (road events) and base bars (road and track events) is limited to 350mm.” Why did they feel they need to add this restriction? Read about the background here and find a list of all options for adding narrow drop bars to your bike.

Background

Recently, several pro cyclists have been pushing the boundaries of going narrow with their bars, most notably Jan Wilhelm van Schip, first in 2019 with ultra-narrow round drop bars, measuring only 32 cm at the hoods, then in 2021 with the more purposefully designed ABB handlebars from SPEECO. These bars were not only narrow but also shaped so that you could rest your underarms on the bar. UCI quickly banned those bars, not for their width, but because of their underarm rest design. Now they ban all ultra-narrow bars.

The UCI state that the limitation on width is to ensure that bikes remain safe to handle, under the assumption that narrower bars lead to less stable steering. Critics of the UCI might make the point that the UCI bans everything that makes you faster.

Is narrow more aero?

Narrower bars help decrease your frontal area. This is important, considering that most of the air resistance, or aerodynamic drag, is caused by your body, not your bike. Look at the above picture of a typical time trial position, a discipline where aerodynamics matter most and handling characteristics of the bike are less critical. Hands are close together, elbows are tucked in, and the frontal area of the body is minimized. Narrower drop bars aim at reducing frontal area, and you likely will be able to achieve this – if you remember not to flare out your elbows. Most estimates put the watt savings at 25 watts per 2cm of reduced handlebar width (at 40km/h), which is quite substantial.

What about drawbacks, such as bike handling and the ability to breathe?

Narrower bars affect handling and make the bike more twitchy. They also reduce the space on your bars to affix lights and computer mounts while still keeping enough room to place your hands on the tops. The verdict is out whether they negatively impact your ability to breathe freely. Some suggest that the chest gets compressed, whereas others point out that it just takes a short while to get used to narrower bars, and then you forget that you are on a different width bar. Considering that all timetrialists ride in a position that is ultra narrow and compact (gain see picture above) and they certainly do need to breathe well, I argue that it is possible to find a comfortable position on narrow bars. The case can be made for giving it a try, and experimenting with different stem lengths (most people recommend paring a narrower bar with a longer stem).

Available options on the market

Below you will find a list of narrow drop bars of different types. To qualify as narrow, the needed to be less than 28cm in width. I distinguish between 7 types of narrow drop bars:

1. Aero drop bars that come in narrower widths. Regular bars that are offered in 36 cm width.
2. Round drop bars that come in narrower widths. Regular bars that are offered in 36 cm width.
3. Bars intended for kids/youth racing. These are often the cheapest options and typically are aluminum bars with a round shape. reach and drop might also be reduced, so check the full specs before buying.
4. Purposely designed narrow road bars. These bars are designed from the start to be narrow and fast. As they are usually made from carbon and are serving a small market (thus far), they tend to be quite expensive.
5. Track Bars. Since they are not intended to be used on the road and with shifters, attention needs to be paid to the shape and the possibility to add shifters.
6. Gravel / Touring flared bars. These are bars that flare at the ends to provide more stability. Several bars measure comparatively narrow at the hood position.

Aero drop bars that come in narrower widths

These are aero bars that come in many widths, including a 36cm option.

FARSPORTS F1 Handlebar: This is an integrated bar/stem combo: Material: Carbon Fibre. Smallest width: 36cm. Reach: 73mm. Available stem lengths: 90mm – 120mm, Drop: 129mm Weight: around 300g. Includes Computer mount. Price: USD 399 Link: https://www.farsports.com/

PRO Vibe Aero Pursuit Handlebar: Material: Aluminium. Smallest width: 36cm Reach: 101mm, Drop: 130mm Weight: around 330g. Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: EUR 71. 42 Link: https://www.bike24.com

Round drop bars that come in narrower widths

These are traditional round bars that come in many widths, including a 36cm option.

ZIPP Service Course SL80: Material: Aluminium. Smallest width: 36cm Reach: 80mm, Drop: 125mm Weight: 255g (at 42cm). Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: USD 118. Link: https://www.sram.com

Control tech ONE FL0 Round Handlebar: Material: Aluminium. Smallest width: 36cm Reach: 70mm, Drop: 125mm Weight: around 290g. Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: USD 39.99. Link: https://www.controltechbikes.com

Fouriers NANKO – T: Material: Aluminium. Smallest width: 32cm Reach: 75mm, Drop: 125mm Weight: 244g (at 32cm). Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: EUR 135.95 Link: https://www.velobike.co.nz. These are track and road handlebars in a traditional round shape, so they come very narrow while still being great to attach shifters to. The price quoted is from Velobike.co.nz, but other retailers specialized on track might carry them as well

ROSE Race Attack Compact Drop Handlebar: Material: Aluminium. Smallest width: 36cm Reach: 70mm, Drop: 120mm Weight: around 380g. Clamp: 26.0mm. Price: EUR 19.95. Link: www.rosebikes.com Their Race Attack GF Aero drop bar is similar, but with drops that flare (for 36cm width, they flare to 40cm), and the campl diameter is a more modern 31,8mm.

FSA Energy Super Compact Alloy: Material: Aluminium. Smallest width: 36cm Reach: 70mm, Drop: 120mm Weight: around 285g. Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: EUR 110. Link: https://shop.fullspeedahead.com

Bars intended for kids/youth racing

These are often the cheapest options and typically are aluminum bars with a round shape. reach and drop might also be reduced, so check the full specs before buying.

HUUPcc Compact Drop Bars: Material: Aluminium. Available widths: 32cm to 38cm. Reach: 65mm, Drop: 100mm Weight: 270-283g. Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: USD 37. Link: hupcc.com

FROG Handlebar Road and Track: Material: Aluminium. Available widths: 32cmto 36cm. Reach, Drop and Weight: n/a. Clamp: 25.4mm. Price: GBP 20. The UK and US version of their website shows the drop bars, if you are on their international website, only their full bikes show in the webshop. Link: frogbikes.co.uk

Purposely designed narrow road bars

These bars are designed from the start to be narrow and fast and are not just a narrower version of a regular drop bar. As they are usually made from carbon and are serving a small market (thus far), they tend to be quite expensive.

Lambda X-Wing Aero: Material: Carbon Fibre. Widths 33cm, 35cm. 36cm (40, 42, 43 at bar ends) Reach: 72mm, Drop: 105mm Weight: 230g (+-20g) Clamp: 31.8mm. The 42cm version has a broader round section in the middle to make it possible to clamp on aerobars. Price: EUR 209. Link: https://www.lambda-racing.de

AeroCoach Ornix road handlebars: Material: Carbon Fibre. Widths 32.5cm (37.5 at ends) Reach: 91mm, Drop: 130mm Weight: 355g (+-20g) Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: GBP 350. Link: https://www.aero-coach.co.uk

SPEECO ABB breakaway bar: Material: Carbon Fibre. Reach & Width: custom. Drop: different custom shapes are available. Weight: depending on specifications. Price: EUR 1500 Link: https://www.speeco.tech/abb-aero-break-away-handlebars/ Functional, attractive, but not UCI legal! (When I first introduced them two years ago, they were still legal!)

SPEECO RHB drop bar: Material: Carbon Fibre. Custom reach, width, stemlength, flare, rise and dropshape. Weight: depending on specifications. Price: EUR 1400. Link: https://www.speeco.tech/rhb/

Track Bars

Track bars often are narrow. their shape is optimized for track racing, which means that the curved sections are not optimized to give an ideal position and direction of the shift/brake levers, e.g., they might end up being angled outwards (but still fully functional, of course. Just make sure there is a proper clamp area available!). Track bars naturally don’t provide for internal cable routing, and they might not be comfortable for prolonged road riding. But if you are up for experiments, take a look at them!

ALPINA Carbon Sprint Track Handlebars: Material: Carbon Fibre. Widths: 28, 30, 33, 38cm Reach: 105mm, Drop: 160mm Weight: 330g (38cm) Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: GBP 199. Link: https://www.dolan-bikes.com

WORX WX-R Aluminium Track Bar: Material: Aluminium. Width: 24cm (33cm at ends) Reach: 70mm, Drop: 120mm Weight: 265g Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: GBP 99. Link: https://worxbikes.com. This one is traditionally shaped and the most suitable for road riding among the bars listed here.

Ainslieworks Maverick: Material: Carbon Fibre. Width: 18, 20 & 22cm. Reach: 115mm, Drop: 90mm (75mm, 60mm) Weight: n/a Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: USD 500. Link: https://www.ainslieworks.com Very narrow and long, these bars put you in a time trial position. Only the 22cm wide bar flares at the ends to over 35cm, so this is the only one that fulfills the UCI minimum width requirements.

Gravel / Touring flared bars

These are bars that flare at the ends to provide more stability. Several bars only measure 38cm at the top but flare to 50cm at the ends. The only bar I found that is narrower than 38cm is the below bar from SimWorks. If you are ok with the look of flared bars, it’s worth considering gravel bars. There is a good overview of flared bars over at bikepacking.com.

SimWorks by Nitto Wild Honey Bar: Material: Aluminium. Width: starting from 34cm (41cm at ends) Reach: 120mm, Drop: 105mm Weight: n/a Clamp: 31.8mm. Price: USD 109. Link: https://www.sim.works

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