When the UCI announced it was banning the use of super-narrow handlebars last year, the plans were roundly criticised for being “hugely discriminatory" against women.
With the 2026 road season under way at the Santos Tour Down Under, we wanted to find out what the women’s WorldTour peloton thinks now the rules have come into effect.
Although the UCI relented on the most extreme aspects of its proposals, and agreed to allow both men and women a minimum distance of 280mm between the brake hoods (instead of 320mm), the minimum handlebar width is still set at 400mm outside-to-outside.
As a result, many predicted women and smaller men throughout the pro ranks would need to change their bike setups.
But did the predictions come true, or was it much ado about nothing?
Here’s what the riders had to say to BikeRadar’s globe-trotting reporter, Ashley Quinlan, ahead of the final stage of the women's race.
Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM Zondacrypto): “Any time people try to think outside the box and innovate, it always gets blocked”
AQ: What do you think of the new handlebar-width regulations that govern both men's and women's racing?
TC: I think it's not as bad as what we were first expecting, but still, I don't believe it should be the same width for men and women because we're smaller, we have smaller shoulders, and for steering and everything, you need a bar that's the same as your shoulders.
So I think it still should be thought about a little bit further.
AQ: How does it impact the handling of the bikes? Have you felt a change in the peloton?
TC: Since we've gone for small, for sure. When I started my career, I think the smallest was 40-42cm bars. Early on in my career, I was on 36cm bars and it was a big change.
When I've gone on gravel and we went back to the wide bars, it feels like you're still in the truck, so it's genuine.
And for so long, we push, push, push companies to make smaller bars, then it’s kind of like we finally got there and now…
I think the majority of teams are OK, but they're on the limit for the women’s side – I’ve noticed everyone seems to be running the same bars [now], so there’s no real innovation to be had there. It kind of stifles that.
But that’s sport in general – any time people try to think outside the box and innovate, it always gets blocked.
I just wish they [the UCI] would look outside of their little box that they're in sometimes and appreciate innovation to a certain degree, and listen to the riders and really do it together instead of just saying “this is what we're doing”.
If we work together, then things will be way more productive.
Mackenzie Coupland (Liv AlUla Jayco): "I definitely see it as a disadvantage – they're riding mountain bikes almost"
AQ: What’s your take on the UCI’s new handlebar regulations for 2026?
MC: Well, yeah, I definitely feel like it is unfair for smaller people.
I do have broad shoulders, but I believe that there are some women out there, and men, that have very narrow shoulders, and I don't think it's fair for them to ride with a disadvantage.
AQ: Do you feel it’s a disadvantage to those riders versus someone such as yourself who might not have had such a change?
MC: Yeah, definitely. We've got small people on our team and I definitely see it as a disadvantage – they're riding mountain bikes almost.
Marta Lach (Team SD Worx–Protime): “Some riders, they were really too close, too inside and that might be dangerous”
AQ: What's your opinion on handlebar widths and how has this affected you at the start of the season?
ML: For me, personally, it's OK to have this width of the handlebar.
Yeah, I think some riders, they were really too close, too inside and that might be dangerous.
Josie Nelson (Team Picnic–PostNL): “We've had to completely change all of the setups coming into this year”
AQ: How have the new handlebar width rules affected you, your team and the other riders in the peloton?
JN: Yeah, obviously we've had to completely change all of the setups coming into this year, but I don't really know why. But that's just the rules – you have to follow them, I guess.
AQ: And the UCI officials are checking handlebars quite stringently at the start of every stage?
JN: Yeah, they're serious about it.
AQ: Have you noticed that it changes the handling of the bike specifically for you or for any other riders?
JN: I mean, for me personally, not so much. I know there was a lot of talk about some of the smaller girls, but for me, I haven't really noticed too much.
Amelie Sanders (Australia): “It's a bit unfair that we've had to so quickly change to this”
AQ: Have the new handlebar-width restrictions affected you at all this year?
AS: Yeah, definitely. I had to go up one size on my handlebars from my old bike last year, which affected the dropouts.
They come out a bit wider and then usually I'd have my hoods a little bit turned in, and unfortunately, now they are dead straight. It definitely feels different and it's taken a bit to get used to.
I think a lot of us girls definitely need a narrower setup and it's a bit unfair that we've had to so quickly change to this, but it is what it is and that's the rules now.
Ally Wollaston (FDJ United–Suez): “There's plenty more things in cycling that we can do to improve safety”
AQ: What's your position on handlebar widths?
AW: Yeah, it was definitely a very controversial one when it came out, and I can't say that I agree with it.
There's plenty more things in cycling that we can do to improve safety, and bringing out the handlebar width is not really helpful for that.
It's really unfortunate as well that it's impacting women more than men – I think, naturally, women just have narrow shoulders.
I think it is a little bit unfair, the ruling of the UCI, but for me personally, it hasn't impacted me so much.
Alice Towers (Canyon–SRAM): “It's more to stop the problem in men's cycling”
AQ: What’s your opinion on the new handlebar-width regulations for this year and how they might have impacted you and the team?
AT: Personally, it didn't affect me too much as I am not a rider with extremely small shoulders, but I know quite a few girls who were impacted quite heavily – they've had to significantly change their on-bike positions.
Not because they're trying to gain an advantage for aerodynamics, but simply just because they're small riders and they have small shoulders.
It feels like an umbrella act from the UCI, but actually it's more to stop the problem in men's cycling.
AQ: Would you describe that as unfair?
AT: I didn’t say that, it’s just a tricky situation for some riders as they’ve had to change their positions in order to fit with the new regulations.
But it happens every year with everything, so it’s just something that you have to adapt to, season to season.
