Meanings
plural handlebars
- in pluralThe bar used to steer a bicycle, motorbike, or similar vehicle using the hands.
I'd like to ride my bicycle with you / On the handlebars
1976, “Oh Lori”, in Alessi, performed by Alessi Brothers3 more examples
The bikelike steering handlebars are bent and welded from pipe or conduit.
1963 November 28, Popular Science, volume 183, number 5, page 185Briefly, in the invention, the shift mechanism is incorporated into the handlebar stem, a positive push-pull type cam mechanism is provided for actuating the rear derailleur, undershift and overshift is prevented to eliminate chain "jump off", and the device can be shifted with the bicycle standing still.
1981, H Ross, Single lever 10-speed bicycle shifter - US Patent 4,279,174A pleasant, dapperly dressed man with a handlebar moustache that he regularly twists and tugs...
2003, Christopher Phillips, Socrates café: a fresh taste of philosophy, page 103 - in pluralslangXanax.
I want a big double R, no, I don't pop handlebars
2022 June 27, “Swing Ya Pole” (track 7, 2:05 from the start), in Summrs (lyrics), FALLEN RAVEN1 more example
Got a stick in the passenger in my car She ride on the dick with no handlebars Came a long way from poppin' them Xanax bars
2023 May 5, “superstar” (track 11, 0:04 from the start), in Destroy Lonely (lyrics), If Looks Could Kill
Origin
- Englishhandle
- Vulgar Latin*barra
- Old Frenchbarre
- Middle Englishbarre
- Englishbar
- Englishhandlebar
Translations
Afrikaans stuur
- stuurbar for steering
Arabic مِقْوَد
- مِقْوَد (miqwad)bar for steering
Bulgarian велосипедно кормило
- велосипедно кормило (velosipedno kormilo)bar for steering
Catalan manillar, guiador
- manillarbar for steering
- guiadorbar for steering
- manubribar for steering
Chinese Mandarin 車把 /车把
- 車把 /车把 (chēbǎ)bar for steering
Danish styr, cykelstyr
- styrbar for steering
- cykelstyrbar for steering
Dutch stuur, fietsstuur
- stuurbar for steering
- fietsstuurbar for steering
- motorstuur (of a motorbike)bar for steering
Estonian lenkstang
- lenkstangbar for steering
Finnish ohjaustanko
- ohjaustankobar for steering
French guidon
- guidonbar for steering
German Lenker, Lenkstange
- Lenkerbar for steering
- Lenkstangebar for steering
Greek τιμόνι
- τιμόνι (timóni)bar for steering
Hebrew הגה
- הגה (hége)bar for steering
Indonesian setang
- setangbar for steering
Irish hanlaí, lámha
- hanlaíbar for steering
- lámhabar for steering
Italian manubrio
- manubriobar for steering
Japanese ハンドル, ハンドルバー
- ハンドル (handoru)bar for steering
- ハンドルバー (handorubā)bar for steering
Korean 손잡이
- 손잡이 (sonjabi)bar for steering
Māori hānara
- hānarabar for steering
Polish kierownica
- kierownicabar for steering
Portuguese guidom, guidão
- guidombar for steering
- guidãobar for steering
- guiadorbar for steering
Romanian ghidon, mâner
- ghidonbar for steering
- mânerbar for steering
Russian руль
- руль (rulʹ)bar for steering
Spanish manillar, manubrio
- manillarbar for steering
- manubriobar for steering
Swedish styre
- styrebar for steering
Turkish gidon, yönelteç
- gidonbar for steering
- yönelteçbar for steering
Ukrainian кермо́, ру́ль
- кермо́ (kermó)bar for steering
- ру́ль (rúlʹ)bar for steering
- стерно́ (sternó)bar for steering
Vietnamese tay lái
- tay láibar for steering
Cite this entry
handlebar. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/handlebar
“handlebar.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/handlebar. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “handlebar,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/handlebar.
Source: handlebar on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.