Road and gravel bikes have undoubtedly become significantly faster in the last few years. Aerodynamic and enhancements in comfort have contributed to this, along with improvements in wheels and tires. For PRO’s product development team, the focus has been to enable you to ride faster by creating cockpits that empower efficient positions on the bike, because there is nothing that captures the liberating joy of cycling like going fast.
Aerodynamics, Ergonomics, Flare, and Reach all impact your comfort on the bike. Drop-bar road and gravel riding has evolved in recent years, and PRO’s cockpit offerings have changed accordingly as bike design has shifted to meet the needs of riders. Road racing bikes have become longer and more aerodynamic, while endurance bikes have become more capable, blending technology from elite racing with proven comfort-improving designs. Gravel has matured as a segment with increased differentiation between racers, endurance riders, and gravel touring. To meet these divergent needs, PRO has created a range of road and gravel handlebars and stems, and invested in education to help you find the right combination to create the cockpit that empowers your performance.
Road Aero Handlebars
Though aerodynamic profiles do offer an advantage, the most significant gains are achieved by getting your body into the most efficient position possible. The PRO product design team has shown that the Pursuit position is the most aerodynamic and efficient, reducing your frontal area while still enabling flexible riders to produce power for long periods of time. Allowing you to hold the hoods while supporting your forearms with a broader top, the Pursuit position creates a horizontal arm position. This has been shown to be the fastest position in both wind tunnel and track testing.
It is, however, not possible for everyone to hold that position for a long period of time. The longer reach of PRO’s aero handlebars, like the PRO Vibe Aero Carbon Handlebar, which also includes a 10 degree forward sweep, enables more people to hold a Pursuit position more comfortably, empowering you to put more power through the pedals. A larger support area, like the PRO Vibe Aero Carbon Handlebar offers, also provides support closer to your elbow, reducing the energy required to balance yourself in the Pursuit position.
Weight or Endurance Optimization
Aerodynamic handlebars, like aero frames, typically feature flattened tubes, which by their very nature require more materials to create. Material technology makes it possible to create lighter aero components, but they are still not as light as products designed from the ground up to prioritize lightweight. The PRO Vibe Superlight Handlebar, for example, is as light as possible. Rounded tops are, by their nature, lighter, but also offer greater comfort for riders who like to ride with their hands on the tops.
Endurance road bikes are often optimized for ergonomics. Ergonomics are highly personal, however, and you might well have to update the factory-fitted components on your bike to perfect your bike fit. PRO’s ergonomic components are ideal for enhancing the comfort of your endurance road bike. The shorter, more upright style of the frame means that you may need a longer stem to complete this build. You could also benefit from a bar like the PRO PLT Ergo Carbon Handlebar. The tops are shaped to match the natural curvature of your hand and feature a slight down and backsweep to allow for a neutral wrist position.
Flared and Compact Drops
Handlebars have become narrower in recent years, and though regulatory changes will impact racing, many riders will continue to choose narrower bars. To provide an aerodynamic frontal area without sacrificing safety on descents, PRO offers drops with flare. The broader flare usually ties in with gravel bikes being set up to conquer rough terrain. Different flare angles are available depending on whether your focus is racing or adventure riding.
Road handlebars now offer flare too. For handlebars with compact bends, flare has the added benefit of allowing for a natural hand position. Gravel handlebars feature a shallow drop to ensure that the riding position remains consistent, improving comfort and control. A compact drop also helps keep weight off your front wheel when descending, particularly on loose gravel surfaces.
Stem Length and Angles
With race bikes getting longer stems have naturally become shorter, to help you achieve the perfect bike fit. Endurance bikes can be made more aggressive with longer stems, while gravel bikes typically require shorter stems to match their geometry and improve handling stability.
PRO’s stems are designed to cover a wide range of fit needs, offering multiple lengths and angles, including flippable designs for precise customization. Gravel-specific stems prioritize durability while road stems focus on lightweight performance and aerodynamic efficiency.
PRO Design
PRO’s design philosophy is driven by cyclists. Product development is based on real-world riding experience, industry insights, and collaboration with Shimano. Products are developed using computational fluid dynamics and tested extensively, from 3D printed prototypes to in-house and industry-standard validation.
This process ensures that you can ride with confidence knowing that your choice of PRO cockpit has been optimized to allow you to experience the liberating joy of cycling.
