UCI confirms new handlebar and gear rules, despite criticism

The UCI maintains its position on recent regulatory changes relating to equipment in professional cycling, despite growing criticism from the cycling world.

The new rules, announced on June 12, require handlebars to be a minimum width of 400mm at the outer edge and 320mm between the inner edges of the brake levers from next year. A further memo on June 17 confirmed that the UCI will also test gear ratio limitations later this year, with the aim of reducing top speeds in the peloton.

Criticism has been particularly strong in women's cycling, where smaller riders traditionally ride narrower handlebars. The Cyclists' Alliance, the independent women's cyclists' union, issued a statement Friday opposing the rule, adding to concerns already voiced by the International Bike Fitting Institute (IBFI).

The cycling body responded with a statement aimed at 'providing further clarification on the recent changes', essentially reiterating its position without addressing the specific criticisms. The UCI stresses that these changes are part of a global approach aimed at ensuring safer and fairer racing conditions, in a context characterised by rapid technological advances and a significant increase in racing speeds.

As for gear ratios, a test will be carried out in the second half of the 2025 season, with a maximum allowed ratio of 54x11, equivalent to 10.46 meters per crank revolution. The UCI claims that the very high speeds reached by riders today represent a risk factor for their safety.

Despite its firm stance on the latest amendments, the governing body concluded by noting that all rules are subject to continuous review, always placing safety and fairness at the heart of the regulations across all cycling disciplines.