Ritchey WCS Beacon XL Handlebar

Ritchey pulled inspiration from the randonneur world and pushed it toward the drop-bar mountain biker crowd with the WCS Beacon XL Handlebar. Its 520mm width from hood to hood and 36° flare equate to a massive 667mm width from end to end, which is a genuine departure from what most drop bars offer and puts this bar squarely in the conversation for anyone building a bikepacking rig or a drop-bar hardtail.

Triple-butted 7050 aluminum construction keeps the claimed weight at approximately 295 grams, and the shape carries a short 65mm reach paired with a shallow 80mm drop. That combination matters when you're spending hours in the drops on rough terrain — the shallow drop keeps you from getting stretched out on descents, and the short reach means the hoods sit closer to your body than a traditional road bar would place them. A 4.5° backsweep on the tops helps create a more natural hand position when you're grinding out flat sections with your hands on the flats.

The bar uses Ritchey's anatomical drop profile with two distinct hand positions — an angled section further up and a straight section toward the end of the bar, so you can shift between climbing posture and full descent grip without repositioning your hands dramatically. The ergonomic round top section gives you plenty of real estate for a third hand position when the terrain mellows out.