Bar Width: Why Narrow May Be a Fad

Available widths: 38cm | 40cm | 42cm | 44cm

Right now, the most popular trend is going as narrow as possible to chase aero gains, but, despite what the pros are doing, that may not be the best direction for most riders.

Some of the most common issues people experience on a new bike are shoulder, wrist, and elbow pain in the form of numbness or tendonitis. This can be exacerbated by incorrect bar width and stem length and lead to muscle imbalances and discomfort.

The rule of thumb: Your handlebar width should match your shoulder width when your hands are in the hoods. Avoid hunching your shoulders into your chest, as this effectively closes off your lung capacity—which is kind of important. Narrower bars may look cool and technically help you hide from the wind, but they can affect not only your lung capacity but also your posture, creating imbalances in your traps, lats, and neck. Your body is an entire ecosystem, and when you mess with one muscle, it can affect an entirely different area.

Quick test: Hold your hands straight out in front of you and have someone measure the space between them. Find the bar closest to that measurement. Still unsure? Ask us—we can recommend the size that might fit you best.

"Handlebar flare is the outward angle of the drops"

The CR-2 Road Bar vs. The CR-5 Gravel Bar

Available widths: 38cm | 40cm | 42cm | 44cm

CR-2 Road Bar: The CR-2 offers minimal flare because road riding typically doesn't require extra control when dropping into the drops. Most riders prefer a small amount of flare so their wrists and arms don't hit the bars during long efforts.

CR-5 Gravel Bar: The CR-5's increased flare becomes crucial when you're racing full gas down technical descents. More flare means better control and multiple hand positions, contributing to comfort during long events like Unbound where you're suffering in the saddle for ten-plus hours.

The CR-5's increased flare becomes crucial when you're racing full gas down technical descents. More flare means better control and multiple hand positions, contributing to comfort during long events like Unbound where you're suffering in the saddle for ten-plus hours.

"We wanted to create a handlebar ecosystem that would offer enough compliance and confidence for our athletes racing Unbound." —Barrett Brandon, Co-CEO, discussing the CR-5 Gravel Bars

Stem Length (Reach)

"Stem length is more than a small detail—it shapes how the bike feels beneath you and is one of the most critical pieces of the puzzle when it comes to fitment."

Your bike's stem length is essentially its "reach"—the crucial component connecting your handlebars to the steerer tube of the fork. While it might seem like simple hardware, changing stem length fundamentally shifts your entire riding position and transforms how your bike handles.

Road vs. Gravel Considerations

For road bikes, longer stems stretch you into a lower, more aerodynamic position while slowing steering response by lowering your center of gravity. This works great on smooth tarmac where reaction times can be longer. However, excessive reach can close off your hip angle, limiting blood flow to your lower extremities. It can also displace more weight onto your hands and shoulders, forcing you to bend your upper thoracic spine, leading to poor posture and muscle imbalances.

Conversely, a shorter stem creates a more upright, comfortable position while making the bike steer quicker and more agile. On road bikes, this can feel almost twitchy to riders accustomed to longer setups.

For gravel bikes, the equation changes completely. Loose, unpredictable terrain shifts the priorities. Most gravel riders gravitate toward shorter stems because they provide the quick, responsive handling needed to navigate rough ground and sudden obstacles. Since gravel bars are typically wider and flared (like our CR-5), a shorter stem balances that extra width to prevent sluggish steering.

Rule of thumb: Go with a 10-20mm shorter stem on your gravel bike compared to your road bike. This puts you slightly more upright without dramatically affecting your riding position. We recommend seeing a professional fitter to find your optimal position—this can be done even before purchasing a Ventum. If you have your measurements, our customer service team can provide professional advice on which frame size, bars, stem, and cranks you'll need.

In short:

• Shorter stem = sharper, more responsive handling
• Longer stem = stability and stretched-out position

Finding the right balance between comfort, control, and aerodynamics is key. We stock each frame size with the most common stem length while offering alternatives to help riders dial in their ideal position.

Crank Length

The Move Toward Shorter Cranks

Crank length has been trending shorter in recent years, and for good reason. Traditionally, 172.5–175mm cranks were the default, but we've watched athletes increasingly gravitate toward shorter options over the past five years. Many riders now prefer 165mm or even shorter cranks, driven by biomechanical advantages that improve both performance and comfort.

Why Shorter Cranks?

The benefits are compelling:

• Open hip angles in aggressive aero positions, improving breathing efficiency and reducing discomfort during long efforts
• Reduce knee strain by decreasing range of motion at the top of the pedal stroke, lowering injury risk and reducing fatigue over extended rides
• Enable smoother, higher cadence pedaling that many athletes find more efficient, especially during endurance efforts where maintaining consistent power output is crucial
• Provide extra clearance on gravel so you're not knocking pedals on rocks

Recognizing this shift, we've introduced shorter crank lengths as standard on our stock GS1, NS1, and Tempus builds. Rather than defaulting to traditional longer options, we spec cranks that align with modern biomechanical understanding and athlete preferences.

However, fit is highly individual. We offer full customization with 165mm, 170mm, 172.5mm, and 175mm options available on all Force-level builds and higher for just a $75 upcharge. This ensures your bike arrives as close as possible to your ideal setup while giving you flexibility to fine-tune based on your specific biomechanics and riding goals.