MTB Handlebar Buyers Guide (Everything You Need to Know!)[Video]

Updated November 6, 2026: We have refreshed the fit guidance, corrected the Crockett Alloy specifications and added current buying links. The video and individual product reviews include older generations; their ride impressions refer to those versions.

 

What Do You Need To Know When Upgrading Your Mountain Bike Handlebar?

In this MTB Handlebar Buyers Guide we are going to break down everything you should consider before buying a new set of handlebars for your mountain bike. Handlebars are arguably the most important contact point on your bike. With so many different handlebars available from a variety of different brands, mounting up two different handlebars on the same bike can drastically change your experience on the trail. We are here to unpack some of the details that play into those different handlebars so you can find the right set of bars for your bike!

Materials 

Most mountain bike handlebars are aluminum alloy or carbon. Alloy often costs less; carbon can save weight and gives designers another way to tune flex. The actual feel depends on the bar's shape, layup or wall thickness, width and intended use, so material alone does not tell you how comfortable or durable it will be. Both materials can be damaged. Inspect the bar after a crash and follow the manufacturer's replacement guidance rather than assuming an alloy bar will bend safely or a carbon bar is automatically fragile.

For our riding impressions, read Carbon vs. Aluminum: Which Bars Should You Ride? and watch our original OneUp carbon-bar compliance test.

Left: Alloy handlebars Right: Carbon handlebars

Handlebar Rise and Sweep

The handlebar rise and sweep are what define the shape of your handlebars. There is a sea of different handlebar options with way too many different rise and sweep configurations to count. For starters, the rise of the handlebars is the vertical rise measured from the center of the bar to the bar end. Some different mountain bike handlebars will range from a 0mm rise to around a 40mm rise and even taller. The more the handlebar rise, the taller the handlebar will feel. If you are someone constantly riding extremely steep terrain, you might benefit from a handlebar with a higher rise. What higher rise does is it allows you to get more of your weight over the back of the bike, something that is crucial when the trail gets steep. On the other side of the spectrum, if you are riding a purebred XC bike, having a lower rise bar will help keep weight over the front of the bike on those steep climbs. We have a full video going over handlebar rise, Should You Run High Rise Handlebars on your MTB?

Left: Flat Bars Right: High Riser Bars

On the other hand, sweep is effectively the bend of the handlebar and is broken down between up sweep and back sweep. Check out the two illustrations below of a front view and a top view to help understand the difference between up sweep and back sweep. Up sweep, which can be seen from the front view, is the angle measured from an imaginary line drawn parallel to the clamping surface and perpendicular to the direction of rise up to the handlebar. Back sweep, which can be seen from the top down view, is the angle measured from an imaginary line drawn from the clamping surface back to the handlebar.  Typically the up sweep for a mountain bike handlebar is about 5°. The back sweep for mountain bike handlebars usually ranges from 7° to 10°, with 8° being the most common. The different handlebar sweeps available is very much a comfort thing. With more back sweep, naturally your upper body is in a bit different position than with a flatter bar. Finding what is comfortable for you is what's most important here, and you might get used to a specific up and back sweep, and changing that might feel weird. So when upgrading your handlebar it might help to check what you currently have on your bike.

Width

Handlebar width is another personal measurement, and is a little different for everyone. Because of that, we have a video going into detail, How Wide Should Your MTB Handlebars Be? It normally comes down to a combination of body dimensions, riding style and local terrain. A rider that is 5 foot 5 inches will probably not want to run the same bar width as someone who is 6 foot 3 inches. Typically a shorter rider or a stalky rider will ride a slightly narrower handlebar than someone who might be tall or lanky. Then there is also riding style. An XC rider often runs a more narrow handlebar than a DH or freerider. As bars get wider, they often become more stable to a certain point. A narrow bar is not as stable but could put you in a better position on the bike for endurance and long miles. The last factor to consider is terrain. If you live in an area with tight trails and trees you might opt for a more narrow handlebar, whereas if you are in the desert with few obstacles that are handlebar height, a wider bar might not be an issue. 

Left: 800mm Right: 760mm, a slightly difference but noticeable

Finding your width takes a little trial and error. Personally, at about 5ft 10/11, I ride 760mm bars and like the extra room between trees. That is my preference, not a measurement everyone should copy. Start with a width you can control comfortably and, if trimming is needed, remove small, equal amounts from each end. Only cut a bar that the manufacturer allows you to trim, stay within its marked cut range and minimum width, and leave enough space for your grips and controls. You can cut more off later, but you cannot put it back.

Something you might find interesting is how wide most EWS (enduro) and World Cup (downhill) pros ride, and it's probably more narrow than you think. Often it's rare to find a pro running a full 800mm wide handlebar and even 790mm is rare. I would say 770-780mm wide is the average. But there are plenty of pros who ride 760mm, and some even 750mm wide, and they are much faster than I could ever dream to be. So experiment a bit, take those factors into account and find what works best for you as it will very well be different from your buddy. 

35 vs 31.8mm Clamp Diameter

The handlebar and stem clamp must match. Check 31.8mm versus 35mm before ordering. Also check the usable center-clamp area, control mounting space and the manufacturer's torque instructions. A larger clamp diameter is not, by itself, a guarantee of more comfort or a better bar.

Over the last couple of years, we have seen the industry pushing more 35mm clamp diameter handlebars and stems over the classic 31.8mm option. The two different standards certainly have tradeoffs. 35mm clamp diameter handlebars and stems can potentially increase overall stiffness and durability. Keep in mind that more stiffness isn't always the right answer! Having a handlebar and stem combination that is also compliant to the vibration of the trail is important. The 35mm diameter handlebars, when done correctly, can actually be lighter than their 31.8mm counterpart while maintaining the same strength. On the contrary, it is possible that the two handlebars could be the same weight, one being stiffer than the other. In the end there are a lot of variables that come into play with new mountain bike "standards" and everyone has their own preference as to what works and what doesn't. OneUp Components have taken a different approach to 35mm handlebars. We did a video comparing some different 35mm handlebars to see if we can really feel the difference in what OneUp has tried to do by adding in a patented shape to allow for more wanted flex but none of the unwanted flex. Check out OneUp Carbon Bars | Is The "Compliance" Legit?

 

35mm clamp diameter on the left and 31.8mm clamp diameter on the right

Worldwide's Preferences

While there is no cut and dry handbook on which handlebars you should run on which bike, here are some guidelines that will hopefully steer you in the right direction. Everyone has their own bar width preference as well, but a good rule of thumb is the more aggressive the bike, the wider the handlebars should be. Keep in mind your personal factors that were mentioned above. For myself, all of my handlebars are cut to 760mm wide and I also make sure the back sweep and up sweep are the same at 5° up and 8° back. But then between my light trail bike and enduro bike I run different rise bars. On the trail bike I run a 15-25mm rise bar, depending on the brand I choose to run. For the enduro bike I run a 35mm handlebar, reason being that I like to try and get my correct handlebar height from the rise in the bar and not the stack under the stem. I typically ride Trail One Components Crockett Carbon bars on all my bikes. 

• Cross Country Bikes: XC bikes are usually most happy when mounted with a lower rise handlebar. The lower rise bar allows you to keep your weight over the front wheel of the bike more easily on steep and technical climbs. A lower rise bar in combination with a longer stem will help you put out good power when you hit those big climbs. Most all handlebars on XC bikes are made from carbon fiber because having a lightweight setup is crucial. 
• Trail/Enduro Bikes: On trail/enduro bikes, you will find a large variety of different handlebar setups. If you are spending long days in the saddle, having a carbon handlebar that absorbs vibrations well will certainly keep your hands feeling more fresh. Your preferred rise and sweep is what is most important, and anywhere from 10mm to 35mm rise could suit your trail or enduro bike nicely. 
• Downhill Bikes: On downhill bikes, you will generally find the highest rise bars, that way it is easier to get your weight back over the rear wheel when descending on steep terrain. You could go back and forth between either carbon or aluminum handlebars here, but at the end of the day, the downhill bike is the bike that sees the most abuse. A set of aluminum handlebars are generally a bit more durable than the same carbon offering and won't hurt your back pocket as much either.

 

From Left to Right: Cross Country flat bars, Trail mid riser bars, Downhill riser bars

Current Buying Options

Browse current MTB handlebars and match width, rise and clamp diameter to your setup. Some of the bars reviewed below have been replaced by newer generations. Here are current options to compare:

• OneUp V2 Carbon uses a 35mm clamp. It is the V2 listing, not the original OneUp bar pictured below.
• Renthal Fatbar Carbon V3, 31.8mm clamp / 40mm rise and Fatbar Alloy V3, 35mm clamp / 30mm rise are separate configurations. The original Renthal reviews below cover V2 bars.
• PNW Range Gen 4, 31.8mm clamp is a newer generation than the Gen 3 bar reviewed below. Check its available rise options before choosing.
• Trail One Crockett Alloy, 35mm clamp comes in 35mm and 45mm rise configurations. The separate 31.8mm Crockett Alloy listing has a 25mm rise.

These links are current buying options, not a claim that we have repeated the original comparison with every newer model.

Carbon MTB Handlebars

1. OneUp Components Carbon Handlebar

The goal for the new OneUp Carbon Handlebars was to make the best feeling bar possible, something which would let you ride harder for longer. The solution is OneUp's patent pending oval shape which combines the best ride characteristics of 31.8mm and 35mm bar standards into one package. This is the most comfortable bar we’ve ever ridden, period. It's strong, lightweight, minimizes arm pump and vibration, and maximizes steering response. 35 done right.

The OneUp bar profile minimizes the length of the 35 diameter clamping area as this is the stiffest portion of any 35 diameter bar. The 35mm clamp diameter quickly changes to a flattened, oval shape in the transition zone and then to a standard 22.2mm clamp diameter towards the bar ends.

Specs:

• Material: Unidirectional carbon fiber
• Intended Use: Trail / Enduro
• 35mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 20mm and 35mm rise options available
• 8° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 220g (20mm rise), 225g (35mm rise)
• Clear coat over raw carbon with red, green, blue, orange, purple & white decal kits

2. Trail One Components Crockett Carbon

The Trail One Components Crockett Carbon Handlebar is designed for riders who value comfort and control on every ride. With a familiar ergonomic shape, it allows you to focus on the trail instead of your hands. Available in two options—35mm diameter with either a 20mm or 35mm rise—it features a classic 8-degree backsweep and 5-degree upsweep for optimal comfort and performance. At 800mm wide, the bars provide plenty of leverage but can be trimmed down to 740mm to suit your style. Trail One Components spent a lot of time tuning the bar to have the best balance of stiffness and ride compliance, making it one of our favorite bars, that is also one of the best selling. Plus, for every Crockett Handlebar sold, $1 is donated to Crockett Hills Regional Park, supporting trails and the communities that maintain them.

To See the official Trail One website Click Here!

See this product on the Trail One Site Here!

Specs:

• Material: Unidirectional carbon fiber
• Intended Use: Trail/Enduro
• 35.0mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 20mm & 35mm rise options available
• 8° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 200g
• One color with optional decal kit to add colors

3. ENVE M6 Mountain Handlebar

 

Enve designed the M6 handlebar to be a lightweight and expertly tuned carbon fiber bar for trail riding. Enve claims that the M6 handlebar is a dream combination of responsiveness, compliance and high strength. The M6 uses a 31.8mm clamp diameter, a modern mountain bike handlebar width of 780mm, and a proven 9 by 5 degree geometry. The unidirectional carbon layup gives the M6 excellent vibration and damping. Enve is known for their top notch quality with a no compromise mentality when it comes to material, layup processes, and performance. 

Specs:

• Material: Unidirectional carbon fiber
• Intended Use: Trail / Enduro
• 31.8mm clamp diameter 
• 780mm width
• 7mm and 25mm rise options available
• 9° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 200g
• Clearcoat over raw carbon with 7 different color decal kits

4. Race Face Next R 35

Race Face claims that their Next R 35 handlebar meets the same dh strength standards you will find with the Race Face SixC handlebar but delivered at a weight competitive with other trail/enduro handlebars. The 35mm clamp diameter is what allows Race Face to achieve this strength to weight ratio. The R in Next R stands for Rally and that is exactly what the full lineup of Next R components are designed to do. The Race Face Next R handlebars are a strong and powerful set of handlebars ready for anything you throw at it. 

Specs: 

• Material: Unidirectional carbon fiber
• Intended Use: Enduro
• 35mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 10mm, 20mm, and 35mm rise options available
• 8° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 215g (20mm rise)
• Matte clear coat over raw carbon with 4 different color options in 20mm rise

5. Renthal FatBar Carbon V2 Handlebar

The Renthal FatBar Carbon V2 handlebar is designed for anything from all mountain to downhill. One thing Renthal does better than most other handlebar manufactures is the variety of offering they have. The Fatbar Carbon handlebar is offered in either a 35mm or 31.8mm clamp diameter, both with 10mm, 20mm, 30mm, and 40mm rise options. Each of those 8 different combinations use a 7° back sweep and 5° up sweep, the bend you will see across the board from Renthal. The Fatbar Carbon is the handlebar you will find on the front of Aaron Gwin and Gee Atherton's race winning bikes. 

Specs: 

• Material: Unidirectional carbon fiber
• Intended Use: Enduro / Downhill
• 35mm and 31.8mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 10mm, 20mm, 30mm, and 40mm rise options available
• 7° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 305g 
• Matte black with Renthal's famous gold accent

6. Deity Skywire 35 Handlebar

When Deity jumped in to the 35mm clamp diameter game, the Skywire handlebar has been their centerpiece for the trail and enduro category. The Skywire is Deity's approach to a handlebar that balance both strength and bump compliance. This is a no compromise handlebar with a focus on performance and long days in the saddle. The fact the Skywire is number 5 on this list doesn't mean it can't hang with any of the other handlebars we have mentioned above. 

Specs: 

• Material: Unidirectional carbon fiber
• Intended Use: Trail / Enduro
• 35mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 15mm and 25mm rise options available
• 9° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 226g 
• Matte Unidirectional Black Carbon with Stealth, Chrome, White, Red, Green, Blue, Orange, Turquoise and Bronze Graphics

Alloy MTB Handlebars

1. Trail One Components Crockett Alloy Bar

 

The Trail One Components Crockett Alloy Handlebar has prioritized the ergonomic shape for their alloy bars, with 8 degree backsweep and 5 degree upsweep, Trail One feels this is the best feel for trail and enduro riding. With a familiar ergonomic shape, it allows you to focus on the trail instead of your hands. Available in three options— a 31.8mm clamp with 25mm rise, or 35.0mm clamp with 35mm rise and 45mm rise options. At 800mm wide, the bars provide plenty of leverage but can be trimmed down to 740mm to suit your style. Utilizing 6061-T6 aluminium, the bar is comfortable for alloy and decently lightweight. Plus, for every Crockett Handlebar sold, $1 is donated to Crockett Hills Regional Park, supporting trails and the communities that maintain them.

To See the official Trail One website Click Here!

See this product on the Trail One Site Here!

Specs:

• Material: 6061-T6 aluminum
• Width: 800mm; minimum trimmed width: 740mm
• 35mm clamp: 35mm or 45mm rise; listed weight 420g
• Separate 31.8mm clamp model: 25mm rise; listed weight 353g
• Sweep: 8 degrees back, 5 degrees up
• Black finish; color decal kits are sold separately

 

2. PNW Range Handlebar

 

The PNW Range Kyle Warner signature handlebar takes a unique approach to the ongoing evolution of modern bike geometry. The Range handlebar features a unique 10 degrees of backsweep in an attempt to keeping a more ideal body position with how long bikes have gotten these days. The 2014 aluminum alloy is lighter than 6061 and more supple than 7075 series alloys. In an effort to get more kids stoked on bikes, PNW has pledged to give 5% of its Range handlebar sales to NICA, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. How cool is that?

Specs:

• Material: 2014-T73 heat treated alloy
• Intended Use: Trail / Enduro
• 31.8mm clamp diameter 
• 780mm width
• 30mm rise
• 10° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 334g 
• Anodized black with, Cement Gray, Safety Orange, Seafoam Teal, and Really Red color options

 

3. Race Face Chester Handlebar

 

The Race Face Chester handlebar is an extremely durable and fatigue resistant handlebar that can take any beating you throw at it. The Chester is made from a triple butted 6061 aluminum alloy and offers two different bend options. The Chester is a strong and robust handlebar that won't hurt your back pocket.

Specs:

 

• Material: 6061 aluminum alloy
• Intended Use: Trail / Enduro / Downhill
• 31.8mm and 35mm clamp diameter 
• 31.8mm clamp diameter offering, 740mm width, 1 inch rise, 9° back sweep and 6° up sweep
• 35mm clamp diameter offering, 780mm width, 10mm, 20mm, and 35mm rise options, 8° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 400g 
• Shot peened and black anodized durable finish

 

4. Renthal FatBar V2 Handlebar

 

The Renthal Fatbar has proven itself as a race tested and race winning handlebar. With 8 world championship gold medals under its belt, the Fatbar has certainly earned the great reputation it has. Renthal designed the Fatbar to be lightweight, durable, and strong. Just like the Fatbar Carbon, the aluminum Fatbar is offered in both 31.8mm and 35mm clamping diameters in 4 different rise options from 10mm t0 40mm. There is a Fatbar for every bike and rider combination out there!

Specs:

 

• Material: 7 series aluminum alloy
• Intended Use: Enduro / Downhill
• 35mm and 31.8mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 10mm, 20mm, 30mm, and 40mm rise options available
• 7° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 315g 
• Anodized Black or AluGold finish

 

5. Spank Spoon Handlebar

 

The Spank Spoon handlebar is a freeride inspired bar with geometry suited for trail and enduro bikes as well. The Spoon is a simple but still great upgrade for your bike. Just like the other aluminum handlebars on this list, the shot peened and anodized finish increases overall durability of the handlebar. With 4 different color options available, the Spoon handlebar might be a great your next handlebar.

Specs:

 

• Material: MGR 6 series aluminum alloy
• Intended Use: Enduro / Downhill
• 31.8mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 20mm and 40mm rise options available
• 8.5° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 350g (20mm rise) 
• Shot peened and anodized finish, available in black, green, red, and blue colors

 

6. Deity Blacklabel 800

 

The Blacklabel handlebar from Deity has been the centerpiece of their product lineup for years now. The Blacklabel features a 31.8mm clamp diameter and 800mm width. The Blacklabel is best suited for aggressive enduro and downhill bikes and is available in three different rise options. The Blacklabel is a handlebar that looks good and just flat out performs out on the trail. 

Specs:

 

• Material: Custom butted 7075 T73 aluminum utilizing Deity's proprietary Gradient Butting Technology
• Intended Use: Enduro / Downhill
• 31.8mm clamp diameter 
• 800mm width
• 15mm, 25mm, and 38mm rise options available
• 9° back sweep and 5° up sweep
• Weight: 333g (15mm rise), 342g (25mm rise), and 343g (38mm rise)
• Black ano finish with bronze, stealth, white, red, green, blue, turq, or orange graphics, and platinum ano finish with phantom graphics

 

 

Be sure to check out our MTB Stem Buying Guide to find your favorite handlebar and stem combination!

If you're one strange human and would like to read the transcript of the video above, continue reading below!

Transcript note: This is the original video wording. For current sizes, prices and availability, use the product listings above. Fit and trimming limits depend on the exact handlebar, not just its material or brand.