Choosing the right MTB handlebar, stem and grips that fit you best.
Getting your bike fit dialed isn’t just about comfort, it’s about feeling in control every time you drop in. The right setup helps you ride smoother, climb stronger, and limits fatigue whether you’re hitting your local loop or heading out for a full-day mission. It’s kind of like adjusting your seat and mirrors before a drive; it’s a personal preference and once it feels right, everything just flows. Plus, dialing in your cockpit fit gives you the opportunity to personalize your bike with matching or contrasting colours.
What components make up an MTB cockpit?
Handlebars. Stem. Grips. Controls. Saddle.
Cockpit components are the parts that you interact with to control your bike. The grips and controls are a direct interface, whereas handlebars and stems are a secondary interface, but no less important in how they fit. Saddle position plays a role when you are climbing and can affect overall reach. More on that later.
Note: This guide assumes you have a suitably sized bike frame and does not cover frame sizing. That information is best found on your bike manufacturers’ website.
Choosing the right MTB Handlebar
What Do You Ride?
Choosing the right handlebar comes down to the type of riding you do, and what fits your personal preference. Bar material, width and rise all play a part in the decision. Gravity riders tend to like higher bars for more confidence on the steeps, XC riders tend to like low bars for more efficient climbing. Trail riders are somewhere in between.
 XC - Downcountry - Light Trail
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 Trail - All-Mountain - Enduro
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 DH - Gravity
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Bar Material
The choice between carbon or aluminum bars comes down to weight considerations and cost. Carbon offers the ultimate strength-to-weight ratio but comes at a premium price. Aluminum bars are slightly heavier, but also have excellent compliance and responsiveness. The choice between a carbon and aluminum bar is down to the rider.
 Era carbon handlebar with a 40mm rise. |
 Turbine aluminum handlebar with a 20mm rise. |
Bar Width
A great starting point is for bar width is to consider your height and shoulder width. Taller riders or those with wider shoulders tend to prefer wider bars closer to 800mm. Shorter and less broad shouldered riders often opt for widths in the 760-780mm range or even narrower. That said, the width of bars you choose also comes down to how you want your bike to handle. Narrower bars feel more snappy and responsive, and can be helpful in tight terrain. Wider bars are less responsive in steering, which lets you make small adjustments to your line easier and can feel more stable at speed. That’s why wide bars are often found on downhill bikes.
Bar Rise
Choosing the right rise comes down to the type of riding you do, and your personal preference. For example, Downhill and Enduro racers tend to prefer higher rise bars for a more upright riding position, which gives more confidence on the steeps. An XC or Trail rider may want an aggressive position over their front wheel with flat or even negative rise bar for more efficient pedaling and greater front tire traction.
For example if you run a 20mm rise bar but want a more comfortable pedaling position a bit more confidence in steeps, try sizing up to a 40mm rise bar. If you hopped on the high-rise trend early and run a 40mm rise bar, you may find your front wheel lifts off the ground more than you want it to while climbing. Try swapping to a 20mm bar.
Everyone’s needs are different, so if you’re still not sure, reach out to our customer service team and we’ll guide you along the way.
Choosing the right MTB Stem
What’s in a stem?
The stem connects your handlebar to the rest of your bike. Your choice in length and how you position your stem vertically (using headset spacers) affects your riding position, weight distribution and steering sensitivity. The stem is a quick, easy and relatively inexpensive change to adjust how you fit on your bike, which is key for riders who fall in between frame sizes.
Note that you can also fine tune your bike fit by adjusting the fore-aft position of your saddle, though that adjustment is better suited to optimizing your pedaling ergonomics than your riding position.
Stem Length, Rise and Clamp Dimensions
Stem length is the distance between the centrepoint of the steerer tube to the centre point of the handlebar’s cross section. While stem length adjusts your effective reach, it can also tweak handling based on the type of riding you do. An XC or Trail rider may go longer to maintain front wheel traction on climbs, whereas an Enduro rider may go longer (but not as long) for greater cornering traction on fast descents.
Most riders choose to modify their effective cockpit height with handlebar rise, and in turn will choose a stem with zero rise. But for XC and Trail riders looking for either a more aggressive forward position, or a more confidence-inspiring upright position, our Turbine SL stem is flippable between -6mm and +6mm of rise.
Clamp diameter for your stem is determined by your handlebar diameter, which is a standard 35mm in most cases, with an older style 31.8mm still preferred by some riders.
Turbine stem shown in all 3 lengths.
Turbine SL stem shown in both a -6 and +6mm rise.
Turbine SL stems with 35mm clamp diameter and Atlas stem with a 31.8mm clamp diameter.
Choosing Your MTB Grips
Grip Diameter, Durometer and Pattern Preference
Grips are your primary contact point on your bike, and while they may all seem very similar, there are subtle differences for you to choose from.
Diameter varies on some grips, with higher diameter usually fitting larger hands, or riders who simply prefer more rubber between their hands and their bars.
Durometer is the softness of the rubber and determines how “tacky” the grip feels. A lower durometer may feel nice on your hands, but will also wear out quicker depending on how much you ride.
Finally, the pattern of the grip can be designed for traction, moisture wicking, comfort, or a combination of the three.
Race Face Cockpit Builds
XC/Light Trail - SL
Going for an XC riding position but want the versatility to make your little bike more versatile in steep terrain? Era SL bars and Turbine SL stem are both flippable to allow for a total of +/-12mm rise. Built ultra light with signature Race Face toughness, this cockpit is as high performance as it gets in XC and Light Trail riding.
All-Mountain/Enduro - Turbine/Era
Our most popular handlebars, GL tune launched in this category with our Era (carbon) and Turbine (aluminum). Paired with the sleek-yet strong Turbine stem and comfy Chester Grips, this cockpit will be the envy of your riding buds.
DH/Park - Atlas
Downhill riders are fans of high rise bars and double crown forks, which is why we incorporated the GL tune into our Gravity-specific Atlas bars. Compatible with Direct Mount stems with legendary Atlas strength and durability. Running a regular single crown fork, perhaps on your full-power eMTB? The Atlas 35 stem is built for all-day punishment, lap after laptop, season after season. Round things out with a pair of Chester Grips, in 34mm if you prefer a bit more cushion on those chunky descents.
Handlebar Controls
Brake/Shifter & Dropper Lever Position
The position and angle of your brake levers is crucial in making your cockpit ergonomic. Your brakes should be positioned laterally on the bar so your index finger falls naturally over the end of the lever blade. The angle of brake levers comes down to personal preference, but a great starting point is matching lever angle with your forearms (imagine a straight line running down your forearms and through your wrists, when seated with your dropper fully extended). From there, fine-tune as needed.
The shifter and dropper lever should be positioned so they are easily accessed without rotating your hand forward or back from your comfortable braking position. They should also not collide with your thumb knuckle. Integrated brake lever and shifter mounts (like I-SPEC and Matchmaker) generally get you pretty close to this. Upgrading your dropper lever (even if you don’t change your post) can be a great way to improve the ergonomics of your cockpit, and customize your bike’s style with colour-anodized options.
Safety Considerations
Before you drop in, dial it in.
Before hitting the trails, here are a few quick checks to ensure your bike functions safely and optimally:
Torque your bolts to spec.
Line up your stem’s centreline with your front wheel.
Make sure your brakes are tight and biting.
Lock in your saddle so it’s level and secure.
Check that your grips aren’t going anywhere.
Bike fit is personal. Your setup should work with you, not against you. That might mean tweaking things as you go based on your body, your riding style, and the trails you ride the most. Looking for more help? Hit up our Customer Service team members and we’ll help take the guesswork out of it.
