Review: Redshift Top Shelf Flat Handlebar
Known for their shock-absorbing components, Redshift have become a staple in the world of bikepacking and long-distance riding, especially on the ultra scene. In 2024, they introduced their Top Shelf drop handlebars, quickly gaining traction among gravel riders looking for added comfort and double the space for mounting bags and accessories. Now, two years on, following strong demand, they’ve expanded the lineup with the new Top Shelf flat handlebar. But is it worth your money?
Why I Chose the Top Shelf Handlebar
I’ve ended up with a few bikes that overlap more than I’d like, and with a penchant for both bikepacking and steel bikes, the further down the rabbit hole I’ve ventured the more cross over there’s been. So recently,
the goal has been to carve out a clearer purpose for each. That meant rebuilding my Surly Cross-Check into a flat bar utility bike — something I could use for commuting, messing about in the woods and getting the weekly shop with some chill bikepacking too. Something to fill the gap left between my road bike and hardtail.
At first, I threw on a set of second-hand Marin bars. They worked fine and made the bike feel lively, but maybe a bit too lively. I found myself riding fast and hard all the time, but with a low front end — exaggerated by a small frame — I wanted more rise. I’d maxed out the space in the fork steerer tube and didn’t fancy a steeper stem.
This latest offering from Redshift looked like it could be just the ticket. The wide, flat top section also promised plenty of room for mounting lights, a computer, and whatever else I might need, keeping it well clear of a handlebar bag, making it a solid bikepacking rig with a clean, spacious set up. I didn’t need a huge amount of rise and wanted to maintain the handling of the bike so with 50 or 70mm rise options, I opted for the 50mm variation.
On paper, it looked like exactly what I needed to turn the bike into something a bit more comfortable, increasing its versatility at the same time.
Out the Box
Immediately obvious from the size of the box in which they arrived, my first impression of the Top Shelf Flat Handlebar is just how broad they are.
At 800mm, they come up about 40mm wider than the bars on my mountain bike but they’re designed to be trimmed, with four clearly marked cut points on each side spaced at 10mm intervals taking out the guesswork of dialling in the width far.
And they feel like a properly solid bit of kit too. At 544g, they’re not light, but with an additional cross bar entirely, I don’t think anyone’s buying these as a weight-saving upgrade.
That distinctive top shelf section looks great but it does come with a small practical consideration. The crossbar uses a 22.2mm diameter, so not all standard mounts will fit out of the box. It’s easily solved though, as Redshift Sports offer a simple shim to adapt it for standard 31.8mm accessories, which they sent me too.
Big, thoughtfully designed and reassuringly robust, it’s pretty clear what these bars are about.
Put to the test
I’ve been running the Redshift Top Shelf Handlebar for about a month now, using them for everything from daily commutes to cruisy weekend rides and the occasional mess-around in the woods. And they feel really at home on that kind of mixed riding.
I ran them at full width for the first couple of weeks and they offered loads of control feeling super stable. But on the Surly they felt overkill and actually a little sluggish for a bike I’d be zipping around the tarmac on mostly.
With that in mind, I trimmed them down to about 700mm as part of the continued campaign to better separate my cycling quiver. For the Cross-Check that feels spot on. The bike regains a bit of its agility, while still keeping that stable, planted feel.
There’s loads of usable space across the tops, with that two-tier approach neatly separating any luggage from lights and a computer which for me is a really valuable upgrade.
While the 22.2mm top section limits what you can mount to it, but the accessory shim from Redshift Sports neatly solves that and I’ve been able to run my Garmin mount as normal without having to rethink my setup.
The combination of 50mm rise, 14° backsweep, and 5° upsweep creates a genuinely comfortable riding position, naturally settling into a more relaxed angle, taking pressure off the wrists, neck and back without losing control or precision through the front end.
One thing I’d definitely stress is to take your time when deciding on width. Even trimming 10mm off each side makes a noticeable difference to how the bike feels. You can always go narrower, but once it’s gone, it’s gone—so it’s worth living with them for a bit before making the cut.
Key Features
Top Shelf
The added crossbar creates a tiered mounting system for lights and computers etc, keeping them well out the way of any bags you may also want to mount. Sounds like a small thing but on a bikepacking trip, things can get pretty tight up front, so this is a great way to create valuable real estate up front. While the crossbar diameter is smaller at 22.2mm, shims are available for mounting 31.8mm accessories.
Materials
6061 is the most common form of aluminium used across the bike industry. It’s easy to work with, strong and relatively lightweight, all things that apply to the Top Shelf flat bars.
Range of Sizes
Available with 50 and 70mm of rise and a whopping 800mm wide designed to be trimmed for a custom fit, means you can really dial in the right feel for your setup.
Ergonomic design
The combination of 14 degrees backsweep, 5 degrees upsweep, and generous rise creates a natural hand position that relieves wrist pressure while maintaining confident steering and braking control when the trail gets rough.
Aesthetics
It won’t be for everyone, but then the best things in life aren’t. I wasn’t sure how much I’d like the look and feel of these once I fitted them on the Surly, but now having ridden them for a good few weeks, I’ve grown to really like the look of the BMX inspired additional cross bar.
Specs
Material: 6061 T6 Aluminum
Geometry: 800mm wide, 14° backsweep, 5° upsweep
Stem Clamp diameter: 31.8mm (standard)
Centre crossbar diameter: 22.2mm (shims available for mounting 31.8mm accessories)
Weight at 800mm: 544g for 50mm rise and 552g for 70mm rise
Rating
4.5/5
Cons
More expensive than most alternatives
22.2mm top shelf diameter might make mounting accessories tricky (shim available at extra cost)
Pros
50mm and 70mm rise options to suit wide range of riders
Well built and relatively light
Top shelf system creates valuable extra mounting space
A comfortable, more upright position without negatively affecting handling
Is the Top Shelf Flat Handlebar worth your money?
There’s no shortage of handlebars available, with an almost endless variety of shapes, rises, and materials to match every riding style, and as with most bike components, price spans just as widely.
The Top Shelf Flat Handlebar from Redshift sits at the premium end compared to typical alloy options, but it positions itself less as a simple upgrade and more as a thoughful solution, focused on comfort and freeing up additional cockpit space. That may sound like a niche concern, but if you’ve ever felt cramped on the front end or wished for a more upright, relaxed position without compromising control, the Top Shelf is well-worth a look and with two rise options and generous width designed to be trimmed, it also leaves plenty of room to fine-tune a perfect, personalised fit.
