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The Gear Index

Handlebars, by name.

Handlebars mostly decide how upright or how low you sit, and how many places your hands can rest. Some are straight and keep you sitting up; some curl under for a lower, faster reach with several hand positions; some sweep back toward you for a relaxed town posture. This page names each kind and says plainly what it is for. Choosing between the two most common, flat and drop, is the subject of the drop-bar-versus-flat-bar guide.

Last updated · 2026-07 See something off? Tell us →
Find it by what you saw

What kind of handlebar is that?

Start from where the thing lives on the bike. Each line is the giveaway — follow it to the name, then read the full entry below.

Built into the bike
The glossary

Every kind, named

Flat handlebar

Also called · flat bar · straight bar

A straight or nearly straight bar giving a fairly upright position and one main hand placement, with the brake levers and shifters mounted inboard of the grips. It is standard on hybrids, mountain bikes, and many city bikes.

How to spot it
A single straight tube across the front with grips at each end, and the controls sitting just inside them.
Best for
Everyday, city, and off-road riding where easy control, an upright view of traffic, and simplicity matter most.
Watch out
One hand position can get tiring over long distances; ergonomic grips or bar ends add somewhere else to put your hands.
You might say
“the straight handlebar”“the plain bar on a hybrid or mountain bike”“the flat bars you sit fairly upright behind”“the simple bar with one main hand position”
Compare it in the buying guide → Related · Riser handlebar · Swept-back (North Road) handlebar
Source · Bicycle handlebar manufacturer category documentation (Nitto, Ritchey); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — handlebars · 2026-07

Riser handlebar

Also called · riser bar · risers

A flat-type bar whose ends rise up and sweep back toward the rider for a taller, more relaxed position. It is common on mountain bikes and comfort-oriented city bikes.

How to spot it
A bar that steps up from the stem clamp and angles back to the grips, sitting noticeably higher than a plain flat bar.
Best for
Riders who want a more upright, relaxed posture and a bit more leverage and control on rough ground.
Watch out
Lifting the hands shifts weight back and can lighten the front wheel, and like any flat bar it offers one main hand position.
You might say
“the bar that sweeps up and back”“the raised handlebar on a mountain or city bike”“the bar that lifts your hands up a little”“the swept-up version of a flat bar”
Compare it in the buying guide → Related · Flat handlebar · Swept-back (North Road) handlebar
Source · Bicycle handlebar manufacturer category documentation (Nitto, Ritchey); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — handlebars · 2026-07

Drop handlebar

Also called · drops · road bars

The curved bar of road and gravel bikes, offering several hand positions, the flat tops, the brake hoods, and the lower drops, and a lower, more aerodynamic reach.

How to spot it
Bars that curve forward then down and back into hooks, with the brake levers on the forward bends where the hands rest on the hoods.
Best for
Longer distances, faster riding, and anyone who wants varied hand positions and a lower wind profile.
Watch out
The low position takes some flexibility and habit and puts you more head-down, so it suits forward riding more than upright pottering.
You might say
“the curled-under handlebars on a road bike”“the bars that curve down and back into hooks”“the racing handlebars with several hand positions”“the ram's-horn shaped bars”
Compare it in the buying guide → Related · Bullhorn handlebar · Flat handlebar
Source · Bicycle handlebar manufacturer category documentation (Nitto, Deda); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — handlebars · 2026-07

Bullhorn handlebar

Also called · bullhorns · pursuit bars

Bars that sweep up and forward into forward-pointing ends, giving a forward, hands-out position without the full curl of drops. They turn up on fixed-gear, commuter, and some touring bikes.

How to spot it
Bars ending in horns that point forward and slightly up, gripped out front, often with the brake levers on the very ends.
Best for
Riders who want a forward, semi-aero position and a couple of hand spots without committing to full drops.
Watch out
There are fewer hand positions than on drops, the reach can be long, and where the brake levers sit changes how easily you can stop from the horns.
You might say
“the bars that sweep forward into horns”“the flat-ish bars with forward ends you grip”“the handlebars that point forward with no drops”“the forward-swept bars on a fixie or commuter”
Compare it in the buying guide → Related · Drop handlebar · Flat handlebar
Source · Bicycle handlebar manufacturer category documentation (Nitto, Soma); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — handlebars · 2026-07

Swept-back (North Road) handlebar

Also called · North Road bar · city bar · cruiser bar

Bars that curve back toward the rider so the hands fall close and low, giving a very upright, relaxed posture. They are a hallmark of Dutch city bikes, roadsters, and cruisers.

How to spot it
Bars that sweep rearward in a shallow curve so the grips sit close to the body, with the rider sitting tall behind them.
Best for
Relaxed, upright town riding and short trips, where comfort and an easy view of the road beat outright speed.
Watch out
The upright posture catches more wind and is slower into a headwind, and it puts more weight on the saddle, so saddle choice matters more.
You might say
“the bars that curve back toward you”“the upright handlebars on a Dutch or cruiser bike”“the swept-back bars you sit up straight behind”“the comfy bars that come back to your hands”
Compare it in the buying guide → Related · Flat handlebar · Riser handlebar
Source · Bicycle handlebar manufacturer category documentation (Nitto, Velo Orange); Sheldon Brown bicycle glossary — handlebars and the North Road pattern · 2026-07

This page names things; it doesn't sell them. Picks and prices live in the buying guides, where they're disclosed.