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Handlebars |
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A rider steers a bicycle primarily by shifting his or her body weight; a rider may also steer the bicycle by pivoting the front wheel with the handlebars. (The handlebars, although colloquially referred to in the plural, are usually a single piece of tubing.) Handlebars come in various shapes and are most commonly made of light steel or aluminum alloys. Many racing, recreational, and touring bicycles are equipped with some design of dropped handlebars, which curl down at the ends to allow the rider several alternate riding positions for aerodynamic streamlining or for the relief of muscle tension. Racing, mountain, and some recreational bicycles may also be equipped with an aerobar, a curved, V-shaped piece of tubing on which a rider may rest his or her forearms while crouching forward in an aerodynamic position. Mountain, hybrid, and commuter bicycles are commonly equipped with upright or flat handlebars to allow the rider to sit nearly vertically for visibility and comfort. Some flat handlebars have adjustable perpendicular ends to give the cyclist greater leverage on climbs. In recumbents, depending on design, the handlebars may be positioned in front of the cyclist’s body or below the cyclist’s hips. BMX and freestyle bicycles have high-rise handlebars reminiscent of the old banana-seat bicycles that were popular with children in the 1960s and 1970s. |
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