Drop bar MTBs dominated Leadville in 2025. This year, they're banned.

Drop bar MTBs dominated Leadville in 2025. This year, they’re banned.

Lifetime Grand Prix bans drop-bar handlebars from the Leadville 100 mountain bike race, citing rider safety and course compatibility concerns.

By Jeff Barber
January 18, 2026 Last Updated: January 18, 2026

5 comments

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A panel discussion featuring three individuals seated at a table with branding from Mazda and Life Time. The participants include a man in a black cap (Lachlan Morton) and a man in a blue shirt speaking into a microphone, alongside a woman in a yellow and white outfit. In the foreground, the back of an audience member can be seen, focusing on the panelists. The backdrop displays promotional logos for Mazda and Life Time Grand Prix. — File photo: Jeff Barber

Last year’s Leadville 100 mountain bike race saw two out of three of the top finishers in the men’s and women’s races on drop-bar mountain bikes. This year, drop bars are banned. On Friday, Lifetime announced the 2026 Grand Prix race calendar, and along with it a rule change banning drop bars from the high-profile Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race.

“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,” according to the rules.

Dedicated gravel races within the series — Sea Otter Classic Gravel, UNBOUND Gravel, and Big Sugar Gravel — will obviously still allow drop bars in 2026.

The rule change comes on the heels of new drop-bar mountain bike releases from Pinarello and Pivot. With professional riders like Keegan Swenson dominating the Leadville 100 on drop bars, interest in drop-bar mountain bikes has been building over the past season or two. The move by Lifetime could dampen that enthusiasm.

At first glance, it would seem Lifetime is setting a clear line between their mountain bike and gravel events. However, a sixth event in the Grand Prix series — the Chequamegon MTB Festival — will allow drop-bar bikes in 2026.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) already bans drop bars from World Cup and World Championship cross-country mountain bike racing.

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5 Comments

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Andy Holak Minnesota // 2023
Jan 19, 2026

I think it's a good call honestly. For an average MTB rider like myself, I would not feel comfortable riding drop bars at Leadville. Unfortunately, some average MTB riders might see the pros on drop bars and think that's their ticket to more speed and a faster time. For those that have never ridden Leadville, don't poo poo the terrain. It might not be singletrack or traditional MTB terrain that you think of, but the speed and the rough spots can get you in BIG trouble fast if you're not prepared or skilled enough to handle it. When people ask me about Leadville, I say that it's not the most technical terrain overall, but where it gets tricky it can get you in BIG trouble fast due to the speeds you can hit in those tricky spots. Drop bars could be deadly, literally, for those not skilled enough or prepared. Good call and why not follow the UCI rules? And, good for Keegan to support the change!

3 reply

Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
Jan 19, 2026

I've seen social media comments from both of the 2025 winners - Keegan Swenson and Kate Courtney - that they're in favor of this change. Swenson rode drop bars in the race, and Courtney did not, but even Swenson said that racing Leadville with drop bars is super sketchy.

Keegan's comment in response to somebody saying that they're not worried about Keegan, but the lesser riders trying to keep up with him: "I worry about myself going 40mph down Columbine on my 37cm drop bars tho. Flat bars=better for everyone"

2 reply

Brad Lee 2025
Jan 23, 2026

The actual problem is: The rule should have been a minimum handlebar width.
Then the bike industry could have designed legal drop bars and made some money.

1 reply

m.krupp Kentucky // 2018
2 weeks ago

Did anyone get hurt with drop bars or because the rode drop bars?

Brad Lee and El Gancho make interesting valid points.

Leadville as a race lies somewhere in a hybrid trail category. I tend to lean towards freedom of choice as long as it is does not endanger or infringe on others. We all know the sport and the race carry certain risks. It is up to the individual to weigh the risks they take with their ability and equipment. Personal responsibility.

0 reply

El Gancho Colorado // 2024
Jan 19, 2026

Why not just make it actually mountain bike terrain instead of road/gravel terrain? Mountain bikes are faster on the terrain they were designed for. It is why I have no interest in Leadville beyond any other gravel race, lifetime should remember that it the terrain, not the machinery, that makes it a mountain bike race

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