The Debate is Over: Drop Handlebars Banned from Leadville Trail MTB

Life Time just shook up off-road racing by banning drop-handlebar bikes from Leadville Trail 100 and Little Sugar MTB.

Citing “rider safety and course compatibility,” the decision will transform these headlining U.S. mountain bike races.

Elites and amateurs have increasingly favored experimental dropped front-ends over traditional flat bars in the quest for improved aerodynamics in races that are developing road-like dynamics.

Multiple Leadville champion Keegan Swenson famously broke the internet and put the trend front-of-mind when he galloped through the Rockies for drop-bar victory in 2024.

The shock new regulation was confirmed on Friday when race organizers Life Time dropped updated rules for its premier off-road series, the Grand Prix.

“For rider safety and course compatibility, drop-style handlebars (road or gravel bars with drops) are no longer permitted for the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 MTB and Life Time Little Sugar MTB. All competitors must use flat or riser-style handlebars at these events. This rule will be enforced during pre-race inspections and on course; violations may result in disqualification,” reads the update.

The drop bar ban does not impact Life Time’s Chequamegon MTB Festival, nor its “standard” gravel races such as Unbound Gravel, Sea Otter, and Big Sugar.

The news does, however, put an end to the annual “drop vs. flat bars at Leadville” debate.

What will be the next marginal gain at Leadville?

Road-style drops have become increasingly popular at Leadville and Little Sugar. Elites chased every marginal gain possible in mountain bike races that were raced stupidly fast by far-tired pelotons.

The freshly launched Pinarello Grevil proves the burgeoning popularity of “frankenbikes” that combine the speed of road and gravel with the geometry of MTB.

But as we investigated, what worked so well for Swenson doesn’t suit everyone. Drop bars didn’t always deliver higher average speeds across Leadville’s gruelling trail.

And as our colleagues at PinkBike pointed out, Kate Courtney was able to bodge an aero position last year when she won Leadville. Courtney rode a flat-bar bike but grasped her RockShox Sid forks to achieve a low tuck.

Expect many similar wild and weird new innovations in 2026 – because from now on, drop bars will get you nowhere, fast.