Bicycle Accessories - Round And Anatomic Handlebars

Buying handlebars for your bicycle may not be as easy as you think. Just going to a bike shop and choosing just any pair of handlebars is not the way to go about it. A number of things like the shape, the drop, width, thickness of the bars, materials used etc. are important to ensure your ride is safe and smooth. Riding a bicycle in comfort is naturally a great experience. To reduce strain, ensure all the parts of the bicycle are in good condition, even the handlebars.

Comfortable riding with round handlebars:

As far as handlebars are concerned there are two choices, the normal and the anatomic. The initial cycle handlebars were always round. New ideas led to the application of flat sections on the lower section of the drop, exactly under the brake levers. These are the anatomic bicycle handlebars. With two variations you can place your hands at certain angles only. As far as round bars are concerned you can hole the bar anywhere for comfortable bicycle riding.

Thickness of the handlebars is another important factor. The middle section of bicycles initially was built to a standard size and all standardized handlebars would fit onto them. Nowadays you get the standard size as well as oversize middle section. The latter is bigger and comfortable to hang on to when you are climbing. The centre of the handlebar can hold the heart rate monitor as well as the cycle computer, since you rarely hold on to the centre of the handlebar.

Extra comfort with anatomic handlebars:

You can try out both types of handlebars. Anatomic bars are more commonly found as compared to the round handles. Depth and width of the handlebars is very important. Narrow bars will keep your hands close together constricting your breathing as well as the chest movement. You cannot control the bike if the handlebars are too wide. Small riders will find it even more inconvenient riding a bike with wide handlebars causing a lot of wobbling and struggling.

Initially steel was used to make stems and bars but nowadays alloys are used. Steel though heavy is still being used by some track sprinters. Different qualities of alloys are available which are comparatively cheap and light. The lighter the alloy the more expensive it can be. One feature of alloys is that they are more flexible. You have to decide on the stiffness as well as price during the purchase. You could also go in for the strong and light carbon bars. Crashing on the handlebars can cause the handlebars to unravel or just snap off the carbon weave. They come in different shapes and sizes and can have a flat top section, making it comfortable and easy to rest your hands on them.