WHY HEATED HANDLEBARS?
Over the past few winters, we noticed a recurring problem: cold hands ending rides early. No dexterity, no control, no fun. We knew there had to be a solution for people who want to ride year-round, no matter the temperature. Having cold, numb fingers isn't just annoying; it's also unsafe. Lack of feeling makes braking and shifting challenging. We saw our friends try heated gloves, hand warmers, and even pour cayenne on their fingers (yep), but nothing fully solved the problem and each had its downsides.
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Bulky gloves were never the answer. We wanted a way to enjoy winter riding with a natural, summertime connection to the bike. Heated handlebars solve the problem by delivering warmth directly where your hands make contact, providing you comfort and control without compromise. Plus, with HotBars, you can still run your favorite grips and ensure your setup feels just the way you like it.
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Abi Ruksznis
"HotBars have changed my winter riding experience! Even on days when it's damp and in the 50s, I turn them on for the descent and it makes my riding way less rigid. When my hands are warm I feel loose, flexible and confident. With warm fingers I can modulte my brakes and don't feel like I'm riding with wooden sticks for fingers."
Tom Place
"I used these for a few weeks and didn't think I needed them, until I did one ride without them and my hands were screaming. Essential winter ride gear going forward"
Gretchen Leggitt
"Living with Raynaud’s used to make me dread winter rides, bracing for numb, painful fingers and terrible dexterity. HotBars have completely changed my outlook on cold rides. They’re a true functional luxury and have made my frozen fingers a thing of the past."
THEY GIVE US CONFIDENCE EVEN WHEN THE CONDITIONS DON'T.
We asked ourselves the same question early on. Heated grips may sound like a simple solution, but they fall short in practice:
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High-cost wear item - Grips wear out quickly and need regular replacement, making them expensive to maintain if the heating system is built in.
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Duplicated electronics - Two mirrored sets of electronics and wiring would be required, doubling cost and complexity.
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Shorter battery runtime - More components with less space for battery storage, thereby reducing runtime.
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Loss of choice – Riders are passionate about their grip preferences. We didn’t want to lock cyclists into one style.
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So we integrated the heating into the handlebars themselves: efficient, durable, and compatible with any grips.
WHY NOT HEATED GRIPS?
WHY NOT POGIES?
Pogies (those neoprene sleeves/pockets that slide over the ends of handlebars) do help block wind and increase comfort in extreme winter conditions, but they come with trade-offs we couldn’t ignore:
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Safety risks – Your hands are partially trapped, making it difficult to quickly remove your hands when falling. This makes riders hesitant on technical terrain.
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Bulky setup – They’re large, awkward, and not designed for the variety of riding styles many cyclists enjoy.
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Limited versatility – Suited for deep winter fat biking, but less practical for trail mountain biking or commuting in urban environments.
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We designed heated handlebars to be a safer and less bulky solution. Just your bike, your grips, and warmth at your fingertips whenever you need it.
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If you're truly one with your pogies, well, great news. They're compatible with HotBars, so you can create your own little hand ovens!