A newly introduced rule by cycling’s global governing body, the UCI, has sparked controversy among professional women cyclists. The regulation, which will require all riders—regardless of gender—to use handlebars with a minimum width of 40 cm starting in 2026, is being criticized for failing to consider the physical differences between male and female athletes.
Developed in partnership with SafeR, an independent safety-focused group, the UCI rule mandates that from January 1, 2026, handlebars in mass start road and cyclo-cross events must have an overall width of 400 mm (measured outside to outside) and a minimum 320 mm spacing between brake levers. The regulation, aimed at improving safety, has instead raised concerns about comfort, control, and equality in the peloton.
Former pro rider and Belgian commentator Ine Beyen voiced her concern to Sporza, emphasizing that the decision overlooks the anatomical differences between men and women. “You can’t just compare men and women physically — most women have narrower shoulders. It still has to be comfortable,” she stated.
New Zealand rider Niamh Fisher-Black of Lidl–Trek brought visibility to the issue by posting a photo on Instagram, holding a measuring tape across her shoulders. At 1.60 meters tall, Fisher-Black typically uses 36 cm handlebars. The new rule would require her to ride with bars 10 cm wider than her shoulders, prompting Beyen to remark, “Then it’s like suddenly having to ride a tractor.”
The majority of elite women cyclists, especially those of smaller stature, currently use handlebars between 36 and 38 cm wide. Visma-Lease a Bike, one of the top teams in the women’s WorldTour, reports that 14 of its 18 riders use narrower bars than the new standard. Similarly, Karl Lima, director of Team Coop-Repsol, noted on X that all his riders fall below the mandated size.
While the rule was intended to address aggressive riding and crashes in tight packs, Beyen questions the “one-size-fits-all” approach. “If everyone keeps going narrower and tries to shoot through smaller and smaller gaps, that becomes dangerous. But this rule doesn’t acknowledge that women are built differently,” he said.
The controversy comes amid a broader trend in professional cycling, where narrower handlebars and angled brake levers have been favored for aerodynamic gains. In fact, in December 2023, the UCI limited brake lever angle adjustments to no more than 10 degrees inwards, another move that stirred debate among pros.
Whether the UCI will reconsider the handlebar mandate remains uncertain. “They should take another look,” said Beyen. “But I’m not sure they will. It’s become a habit — they just don’t take women into account.”
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