CyclistBest gravel bike handlebars 2026Gravel bike handlebars have developed a unique style of their own that differs from other drop handlebars. The best road bike handlebars have typically had drops that are close to vertical. More recently a slight flare has become fashionable as it places the hands closer together when riding on the hoods and so may improve the riders aerodynamics. But gravel bike handlebars often include a much wider flare. They tend to be wider overall than road bike handlebars too, although that is starting to change, with the best gravel race bikes increasingly following the narrower bar trend of road race bikes.If you want to replace your gravel bikes handlebars, there are plenty of options. Read on for our picks or head further down for a guide to what to look for in the best gravel bike handlebars.Our pick of the gravel bike handlebarsBontrager GR Elite IsoZone: RRP 60Deda Gera Alloy: RRP 130Deda Superzero Gravel Carbon: RRP 308FSA K-Wing AGX Carbon: RRP 340 Giant Contact SL D Fuse: RRP 120Pro Discover Alloy: RRP 60Profile Design DRV/GMR: RRP 80Redshift Kitchen Sink: RRP From 160Roval Terra: RRP 225Zipp Service Course SL 70 XPLR: RRP 120Why trust Cyclists advice?Lizzie CrabbWere into gravel here at Cyclist, regularly featuring gravel bike reviews in our magazine and online. Over time, weve ridden many of the best gravel bikes with a variety of bars, so we know what works for us and what doesn;t quite hit the mark for comfort and usability when riding off-road.Were not paid for our reviews or for product placement, so you can trust our advice to be unbiased. Related Posts Best gravel adventure bikes 2026 reviewed Best gravel bike upgrades for every budget The best gravel bikes 2026 reviewed Best bar tape 2026 reviewed: Recommended tape for wrapping your handlebars Best gravel bike handlebarsBontrager GR Elite IsoZone60 |Buy hereWidths available: 400mm, 420mm, 440mm, 460mmClaimed weight: 300gReach: 70mmDrop: 120mmFlare: 15Bontragers gravel bars are available in this alloy version and a similar, lighter but much more expensive carbon one. The flare is less extreme than many gravel bars and both alloy and carbon bars come with replaceable EVA pads for the tops that sit in depressions to avoid over-widening the bar diameter. You can add on clip-on aerobars too.Deda Gera Alloy130 |Buy hereWidths available: 420mm, 440mm, 460mm, 480mmClaimed weight: 310g (420mm width)Reach: 55mmDrop: 100mmFlare: 24Dedas gravel bars have a complex shape with a short reach, shallow drop and wide flare angle, that Deda claims improve comfort and make for quick switches from the tops to the drops. The alloy version is on the heavy side at a claimed 310g, but theres also a Gera carbon bar with a 220g claimed weight. Both are extension-compatible. Deda Superzero Gravel Carbon308 |Buy hereWidths available: 420mm, 440mm, 460mmClaimed weight: 235g (420mm width)Reach: 60mmDrop: 110mmFlare: 16As with the Gera, Deda sells both a carbon and an alloy version of its Superzero Gravel bars; the alloy bars offer an additional 400mm width. The Superzero bars have less flare than the Geras and a less complex shape, although they have a wider top section and are compatible Dedas internal routing as well as external cabling. Theyre clip-on bar-compatible.FSA K-Wing AGX Carbon340 |Buy hereWidths available: 400mm, 420mm, 440mm, 460mm, 480mmClaimed weight: 205gReach: 76mmDrop: 115mmFlare: 8FSAs carbon gravel bars (AGX signifies adventure, gravel, cyclocross) come with a complex geometry that includes a 25mm per side outward flare, 5mm downslope and 10 forward angle from the centre and 12 inward cant to the drops. The result, says FSA, is ideal ergonomics for gravel riding. The bars include internal cable grooves and are compatible with FSAs integrated routing. Theres a decent range of widths, including narrower options and the small flare ensures a comfortable position on the hoods.Giant Contact SL D Fuse120 |Buy hereWidths available: 380mm, 400mm, 420mm, 440mmClaimed weight: 264gReach: 72mmDrop: 125mmFlare: 8Giants D Fuse gravel bars have the brands D-Fuse shape to their tops, which is aimed at improving compliance. Giant says that the latest model has increased compliance by 38% as well as shedding 16 grams. Although compatible with standard stems, they can also be used with Giants Contact stems for internal cable routing into Giant bike frames. Pro Discover Alloy60 |Buy hereWidths available: 380mm, 400mm, 420mm, 440mmClaimed weight: From 286gReach: 70mmDrop: 110mmFlare: 12 (20 and 30 available) Pro sells its Discover gravel handlebars in alloy with three different flare angles: 12, 20 and 30, although the geometry and available widths differ between them. Theres also a carbon version of the 20 flare bars. The tops are wider for claimed aero gains and also provide a wider hand rest and theres a cable groove in the underside. The bars are compatible with Pros clip-on extensions for those wanting a setup for gravel racing.Profile Design DRV/GMR80 |Buy hereWidths available: 380mm, 400mm, 420mm, 440mmClaimed weight: From 285gReach: 105mmDrop: 105mmFlare: 78mm Profile Designs alloy bars have a complex shape to the drop that flares below the levers to offer a wide hand position when riding in the drops, without too much flare or a wide angle at the levers. Theres a 9mm rise to the tops too to promote a higher ride position. Theres a tool online to help you choose the correct bars for your sizing.Redshift Kitchen SinkFrom 160 |Buy hereWidths available: 410mm, 440mm, 470mm, 500mm, 530mmClaimed weight: From 286gReach: 62-72mmDrop: 110mmFlare: 25 Redshifts gravel-specific bars include the option to choose a front extension if you want to carry extra luggage. Theres a range of extra-wide sizes, all with a 25 flare to the drops, adding even more width. The bars also offer a 20mm rise to the tops and a 7 backsweep. There are more choices of spec including ergo grips to fit and a series of bag and computer mounts, making the Kitchen Sink bars a one-stop shop for gravel riding options.Roval Terra225 |Buy hereWidths available: 380mm, 400mm, 420mm, 440mmClaimed weight: 200g (420mm width)Reach: 70mmDrop: 103mmFlare: 12 Rovals gravel bars have a fairly traditional shape without a great flare and a shallow drop typical of gravel bars. Theyre low in weight with ergonomic tops and Specialized claims their strength is class-leading for carbon bars.Zipp Service Course SL 70 XPLR120 |Buy hereWidths available: 400mm, 420mm, 440mm, 460mmClaimed weight: 260g (420mm width)Reach: 70mmDrop: 115mmFlare: 11 Part of SRAMs XPLR range of components, the alloy Zipp Service Course SL 70 XPLR bars offer a 3 backsweep to their ergo tops. The outward flare is below the levers, so that these are less angled than on some bars. Theres plenty of width to the broader part of the tops, allowing you to clamp extra gear to the bars and theyre extension-compatible. Theres a 20g lighter carbon version available too.How to choose the best gravel bike handlebars for meHere are the factors we think you should consider when choosing gravel bike handlebars.GeometryGravel bike bars are often a little wider than road bike handlebars, which is aimed at providing extra control off-road. Bars also tend to have a shallower drop for easier transition between the tops and the drops and more comfortable riding in the drops. Reach is often shorter than road bars too. The extra width offers more space to fit a larger bar bag for bikepacking without getting in the way of the levers and so is still preferred for many gravel adventure bikes. Some bars, such as those on the Canyon Grizl Escape and the Redshift bars above, include a second central element to increase load space.Thats changing for gravel race bikes though. Although some bars are fairly generic, the BMC Kaius, for example, has a one-piece aero profile bar/stem that wouldnt look out of place on a road race bike. At 360mm across the tops and 420mm between the drops, its as narrow as road race handlebars too.FlareAlmost all gravel bike handlebars have a significant flare to the drops. In some cases its extreme, leading to bars that are in the region of 500mm between the bar ends and a flare angle thats close to 45. The width of the bars is designed to improve steering precision when descending in the drops, mirroring the wide bars now typical on mountain bikes.Were not such fans of highly flared bars though. As Cyclist editor in chief Pete Muir discussed in his review of the Enigma Esker, they result in awkward ergonomics when using the brakes from the drops. They can place the levers at an uncomfortable angle when riding on the hoods too, so that youre gripping the edge of the lever rather than its top. While MTB riders are sitting behind their bars, on a gravel bike you place greater weight on them. This can make it more difficult to steer when in extra-wide drops, which is great for stability on straight runs but may make manoeuvring on trickier trails harder.MaterialWhile its tempting to buy a fancy carbon gravel bar and save a few grams, alloy bars are less likely to be damaged in a crash and will bend rather than break if they are. However, one-piece gravel cockpits and some more elaborate gravel handlebars with extra mounting points may only be available made from carbon, so if you want these features you may not have a choice.Gravel handlebars are more likely to be ridden somewhere damp than road bike bars too, so try to keep them clean and sweat-free to avoid galvanic corrosion, whether theyre alloy or carbon.CompatibilityWhile the trend to front-end integration and fully enclosed cabling isnt as developed for gravel as for road bikes, its coming. If your bike has internal routing through the headset, make sure that your replacement gravel bike bars are compatible. Almost all modern bars will allow you to route hoses internally through the bars or via a groove in their underside though.ExtensionsBar extensions are a popular choice for more extreme gravel rides and races. If you plan to fit extensions, make sure your bars are compatible. Most are designed for clip-ons, even carbon bars which tend to be strengthened around their centres to support extensions, Not all bars work with all available extensions though.The post Best gravel bike handlebars 2026 appeared first on Cyclist.