The World’s First Heated Bicycle Handlebar

April 15, 2026

Just in time for summer…HotBars is introducing the world’s first heated bicycle handlebar. Designed for discerning riders seeking an optimal level of comfort and control through the coldest, wettest days of winter. HotBars’ unique design features heating elements that conduct heat through the carbon fiber handlebar and radiate it through your favorite grips, straight into your hands. That’s right, no special grips required.

Gone are the days of bulky winter gloves that create a vague bar feel and reduce a rider’s grip on the bars, resulting in decreased braking and shifting control. HotBars are designed, tested, and assembled in Bellingham, Washington, and engineered for real-world riding conditions ranging from balmy to blustery and everything in between. While HotBars were initially designed to improve the trail riding experience, they also meet the needs of urban commuters and those pedaling through snow in subzero temperatures. While pogies may be suitable for certain applications, HotBars are less bulky and provide a safer alternative for technically trail riding. That said, if you live in a frigid climate…pair your HotBars with a set of pogies to create toasty little hand ovens.

HotBars offer three warmth levels and deliver 2–3 hours of runtime depending on ambient temperature and selected heat output. Low is intended to take the edge off on chilly fall rides, while High keeps your digits happy and dexterous through the most frigid winter days. HotBars feature USB-C fast charging, which fully recharges a depleted battery in less than three hours.

“Simply put, cold hands end rides,” says Clayton Wangbichler, founder of HotBars. “We designed HotBars for cyclists of all disciplines who want to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to year-round riding…cold hands. What started as a product to overcome an inconvenience, quickly became a staple in our winter riding setups. Some of our testers with Raynaud’s or chronic wrist pain have experienced a drastic reduction in symptoms, or even a complete absence of discomfort while using their HotBars. The phrase ‘game-changing’ may be painfully overused, but we’re confident that’s exactly what HotBars is for riders who refuse to let winter slow them down.”

While integrated heating is what makes HotBars unique, we also needed to ensure they delivered the performance you’ve come to expect of a modern carbon bar. Constructed from premium unidirectional carbon fiber with strategically placed glass fibers, HotBars are engineered to improve vibration damping, and reduce rider fatigue, while still ensuring they provide a responsive, lively feel.

Both the 31.8mm and 35mm handlebars feature 8° of backsweep and 5° of upsweep, and are impact tested to the same rigorous standards as other enduro-ready handlebars on the market. HotBars cannot be cut due to the integrated heaters, but they’re available in incremental widths ranging from 700mm to 800mm. The narrower widths of the 31.8mm bar are designed with smaller riders and urban commuters in mind, while the wider 35mm bar covers the range most commonly preferred by mountain bikers.

The position of the battery pack makes it nearly unnoticeable while riding due to it being in the same plane as the handlebar itself. This positioning also provides room for many industry-leading lights and GPS units that mount to the center of the handlebar.

HotBars are IP65 water-resistant and have been thoroughly tested through two Pacific Northwest winters to ensure they’re built to withstand the wet, sloppy conditions in which HotBars thrive. Once summer hits, it only takes a few minutes for riders to remove the battery pack and install our Summer Plugs, which capture the heater cables within the bar and seals the handlebar in absence of the battery. HotBars even feature a Storage mode to ensure the battery pack spends its summer break at an optimal level of charge, resulting in a healthier battery when winter returns.

Initially available only to US customers, orders placed this spring will ship in the fall. Preorders are currently available at www.hotbars.com, but don’t sleep on it, because the first round is expected to sell out quickly. HotBars retail for $395 USD.

Preorder customers are guaranteed to receive their HotBars this coming fall and the first 100 customers will receive an early-adopter discount of $50 off their purchase. Preorders are only available through the website, but keep your eyes peeled for HotBars in your favorite local bike shops.

HotBars will be on display at Sea Otter booth B42, where attendees can experience the system firsthand and enter to win a free set of HotBars!

For more information, visit: www.hotbars.com