UCI set to clamp down on “extreme” turned-in brake levers

The UCI’s decision to outlaw the aerodynamic ‘puppy paws’ position in 2021 has had some far reaching and unforeseen implications for world cycling’s governing body and its lawmakers, constantly kept on their toes by loophole-seeking, marginal gain hunting pros and their teams.

After banning riders from resting their forearms on the tops of their handlebars – the aero position de rigueur of the aero-hungry road racing rouleur – the UCI then, a year later, clamped down on the use of extremely narrow handlebars, the popularity of which had soared following the demise of the puppy paws position. And now, another year on, the governing body has stated its intention to restrict the use of another offshoot of that 2021 decision – the aggressively inward-facing brake lever.

In a statement released today as part of the UCI’s annual seminar in Lausanne for stakeholders of the men’s and women’s WorldTours, the governing body said it is currently working with the cycling industry to “create a clear regulation concerning the extreme inward inclination of brake levers”.

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The sight of aggressively inverted brake levers – pioneered at the professional level by the ultra-narrow and boundary-pushing Dutchman Jan Willem Van Schip – has become an increasingly common one in the peloton in recent years, adopted by even Tadej Pogačar.

While the set-up has long been a controversial one, with some riders citing the safety implications of excessively turned-in levers, at the Tour Down Under in January the trend reached its aesthetically divisive zenith (or nadir, depending on your viewpoint), when Pello Bilbao rocked up in Australia with a handlebar set-up described by one viewer as “pre-crashed”.

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Of course, the adoption of the inward brake lever look has little to do with style – according to most sources, for every 2cm closer together you bring your hands there’s a 25W advantage when travelling at 40km/h, a more than marginal gain for a rider like Pogačar trying to win the Tour de France.

However, the UCI says it will now clamp down on the peloton’s latest aero trend, which it believes could have serious safety implications for riders, with “restrictions” on handlebar set-up due to come into play as early as next season, before new regulations are formally introduced in 2025, when commissaires will be given a measuring tool to ensure that brake levers are in keeping with the manufacturer’s guidelines.

(A.S.O./Charly Lopez)

“Positioning the levers with an extreme inclination limits the braking capacity of the riders and constitutes a modification of the product beyond its intended use,” the UCI said today.

“Such positioning will be restricted in 2024. In 2025, new regulations will come into force requiring compliance with the installation guidelines established by brake lever manufacturers.”

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As noted above, the latest restrictions come a year after the UCI’s initial attempt to halt the seemingly relentless march of super narrow road racing aero set-ups.

While Article 1.3.012 of the UCI’s technical regulations only previously stipulated that the maximum width of a bike, and therefore its handlebars, must not exceed 500mm, the updated rule, which came into force on 1 January 2023, now also states that “the minimum overall width (outside – outside) of traditional handlebars (road events) and base bars (road and track events) is limited to 350mm.”

While that particular rule change, due to the measurements stipulated, did not affect any existing set-ups, the UCI at least set out its stall when it comes to any further advancements in narrow bar technology, a position underlined by today’s brake lever announcement.

However, with the term “extreme” open to interpretation, it will be interesting to observe over the coming season how far cycling’s governing body is willing to go to clamp down on what it says is a serious safety concern in the peloton.