High Rise MTB Bars? 35/40mm Pros & Cons Explained

00:00 Intro
0:38 Body Position
2:20 MTB geo, bar height, and suspension travel
5:04 Raising and lowering the front end
8:58 Spacers vs. high rise bars

Mountain bike handlebar rise. What is it and how does it impact your ride? In this video, Jeff covers everything you could ever want to know about handlebar rise which includes flat, medium-rise, and of course, high rise as well as how to find the right bar height for you. We also cover the relationship between the handlebar and the number of stem spacers which in turn, affect the overall stack height. Because handlebars are one of the main contact points between you and the bike, it’s crucial that you find a handlebar rise that is a good fit for your bike and riding style. If you are a rider more focused on climbing, then you may want a flat or relatively low riser bar. On the opposite end, if downhill is your forte, then a handlebar with a higher rise like 20mm, 30mm, or even 40mm rise would be for you. More importantly, it can help alleviate back pain and keep you on the bike for longer periods of time. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what we all want?

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#mtb #handlebar #rise

[deepPuddlesarefun]

I appreciate a corporate company that isn't afraid to have fun with it's video edits, awesome

[Serial-hobbyist]

I really liked the freeze frame comparison shots to demonstrate the affect different rise bars have on a riders body position. Great video!

[carltonwexler]

Dear Jeff,
I just joined NICA and I won my first race last weekend. I just wanted to say thank you because if I had dent seen your add on YouTube I wouldn’t have been interested in mtbing so thank you.

[royatkinson]

NICA: national inter-scholastic cycling association

NICA to Jeff: National intergalactic cycling association 8:37

[tommiesturkenboom]

Recently went to 35 mil rise from 10 in combination with a 35 mil stem instead of 50, jumping and rough downhill became much more stable!

[drewbarton]

Can I just say that from a purely OCD perspective, I was immediately VERY pleased that you were perfectly centered between the shelves

[alexanderwestphal]

Shredding the 80mm rise Deity Bars on my 2020 Nukeproof scout 290 expert. Brings my bike to life.

[BoiseG]

As an old dude, I can say I definitely prefer a more upright riding position! OWWW MY NECK AND MY BACK!!!

[jptothetree]

Love my 40mm bars on my Commencal. I'm doing hardly any climbing since it's my bike park / around town rig so I love the 40mm for control on the descents / jumps and for a more comfortable posture in general.

[ninjaxero]

This couldn't come at a better time. I'm setting up my cockpit better and I was just doing research on this topic. Good stuff, man.

[rinky_dinky]

I was running 20mm bars, then i went to a 35mm bars PLUS raising my stem 20mm.
I realised i could climb standing up without my rear wheel spinning out .
Also i could feel the bike under me so much more, as in i could feel my bike rotating around the BB and the rear suspension feels so much better 👍🏻

[SkateTutor]

It would have been good to also include changes in stem length in this overall discussion as it's an integral part that affects body position just like high rise bars and stem spacers...

[dallasdandigitalproduction]

1.Props to your editor. The comedy clips were gold. 2. Love this channel. I always learn something new. Thanks to everyone for your quality work here. Cheers

[Ethanh]

I never considered stem spacers affecting reach. Thanks for the insight.

[sumoneskid]

I got a bike fit this year, where they put me on a slammed stem. I also got some pointers from a coach, who preaches dropping your chin and chest closer to the bars when descending for better control. Both completely contradicted what I though I knew about bikes. Basically I've been told, if you are flexible enough to drop your front end, its a benefit for both climbing and descending.

I don't pretend to be in tune with my bike enough to know what works best, nor do I suggest I know what I'm talking about. But I just wanted to throw a wrench into the conversation and say there are different schools of thought on this! I always appreciate the videos Jeff! If I didn't get stung with duty buying products from the States, I'd be on your site all the time.

[jamieknight]

Super useful video. I have a spinal cord injury which has effected my core strength. Getting a levo and swapping bars and spacers has made it possible for me to ride again :)

[radorbad]

I ride with 50mm riser bars, one of the benefits not mentioned is comfort in the air on big hits. Much easier to throw whips too. Feels more like a bmx than a xc or road bike.

[lparker]

8:37 "National Intergalactic cycling organization"? riding on the moon!

[CoreySchmick]

Another thing that you can do, which is what I just did, is moving the position of my bars in regards to rotation. I got a Giant Trance 29 and it has Contact bars with 20mm rise which is pretty normal.

The handlebars felt a little weird compared to my hardtail setup. I noticed that the bars were slanted back and down, and I was going to get riser bars, then I decided just to rotate them "forward" in the stem. I don't know how it was supposed to be stock, but everything now lines up better, even the little stickers that tell you the specs about the bars.

My bars now flare up and don't feel as cramped in the cockpit. I don't know if this is "kosher" or there will be any negative effects, but it feels a lot better. This video sure does a better job than the others on Youtube as to the reasons why you would want to change your setup, kudos Jeff.

[anthony]

This video has helped me out massively.
When I bought my Sight A1 I was right in between size Medium and Large.
My instinct said get the Medium but only the Large was in stock.
I do trail riding, jumps, climbs and down hill but always get a sore back on steep climbs, struggle to lift the front and always feel I made a mistake on choosing a size Large.
This video has really solved my problems and helped me out heaps.

Thanks from 🇦🇺 ✌️