It’s more than commonplace and will never cease to surprise. The International Cycling Union (UCI) is in a constant race to improve safety and equality within professional cycling. For these reasons, there have been revolutions of all kinds. The most notable were those of very high socks, others, such as the positioning of downhill bikes, also opened periods of debate that perhaps haven’t been closed yet. But be that as it may, they don’t stop, and there’s more. Now it’s time for equipment, such as handlebars and gears.
In the first case, starting in 2026, according to BikeRadar, handlebars will be required to be 400 millimeters wide. Manufacturers and teams are given a few months to make the change, but it will be required. The least convincing part is that it will be in any case, and there are voices that point out that it discriminates against shorter cyclists and will pose a problem for the women’s peloton.
Very narrow handlebars have become commonplace. There are strong names in the peloton, like Taco van der Hoorn, who tend to prefer them. This would be a significant shift and even goes against some biomechanical approaches, as a range between 360 and 380 millimeters improves positioning and prevents injuries or physical problems.
Speed
The changes don’t stop there. According to the highly respected Daniel Benson, the SafeR Commission—for safety—will also revolutionize the speed of the sport itself. It would focus, essentially, on gearing and how far a cyclist can travel with each pedal stroke. It would only be implemented in road races and not in efforts like the time trial, but they want to limit it to 54×11 and a maximum of 10.46 meters per pedal stroke.
The main focus will be to limit dangerous situations, especially on descents, but it will have an impact. Some brands will have to update their products, and some cyclists, such as Danish rider Mads Pedersen—champion of the Gent and podium finisher in Flanders—are competing in many races with gears that would not be permitted. In this case, tests will begin in August to finalize their implementation.
Source: EUGENIO MUÑOZ, at www.marca.es