A big issue.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Eastons-35-millimeter-Handlebar-Standard-for-DH-800mm-Havoc-2012.html

Another "standard",you say?
You've heard me drone on and on about how all these new "standards" are just making bikes more complicated and making the general weekend warrior doofers confused.Well,this is a new "standard" that I actaully like and think is welcome.

Bars have gotten fucking huge over the past few years.A trend sprung by Sam Hill when he started making waves over here some moons ago.I remebmer being pumped on running a set of 720mm wide by 1'' rise Truvativ XR team bars on my bike back in '04.I thought they were the shit and that I looked just like the Iron Horse/Madcats guys.Hardshell vert-style skate knee pads and all.Comming back from an absence from the world of mountain bikes I noticed that bars had gotten a fair bit wider,which was too my liking seeing as I had just come off of a BMX kick in which I had a self-proclaimed part in making HUGE handlebars a trend.(Solid Roseanne bars,look them up.I came up with those bars and had them made for me and a few friends,they caught on like wildfire and became a production run product.My first,last,and only signature bike part ever.)So,naturally I was real excited to see Gravity producing an 800mm wide bar.A quick call direct to FSA and those bad larrys were in route to being bolted into my stem.Horrible bends and an overall shitty feel got them unbolted from my stem in a timely manner.I moved onto something a bit narrower since I felt the full 800mm width of the Gravity's to be a bit much for a 5'9'',28'' inseamed,portly little fuck.I looked at what all my friends were riding at the time and snatched up some grey,bendy goodness in the form of the Sunline V-1 bar.I rode those fuckers for years and a set was firmly clamped onto every one of my bikes.That is,untill I wanted some more width.I went super fashonable and put a pair of V-1 flat bars onto my DH bike.An awkward move,but I told myself I liked them.That's when I noticed shit got a bit noodly when you're giving your bike the beans.No bends,a 762mm width,and fat kid who cases shit can do that to a set of bars.I tried some others after that.Race Face,Truvativ,etc...Nothing really felt as right as those non-flat Sunline V-1's did,but the now tiny 745mm span kept me from going back.Now i'm all over the map.Slightly clipped and way too low Race Face Atlas FR's on my XC bike.Slightly clipped,bent to perfection,but dirt cheap 35mm rise Kore Torsion's on my hardtail.And the current object of my affection,full width,super spendy,make me feel like Vilipoto,Renthal Fatbars on my DH bike.

I can't help but wonder if a set of stupid stiff bars would enhance the ride of my bike,or send wayyyyy too much vibration and force to my hands.I've always wanted stiff bars,but being a gloveless,super thin grip guy, I ponder such things.My Renthal's feel great and show no signs of flex.Plus 780mm happens to be my perfect width and once you start working on everyone else's bike 5 days a week,8 hours a day the last thing you feel like doing is lopping 10mm off either side of your brand new set of bars.Is a $200 experement worth it?Is potentally getting rid of my beautiful,handmade in Northern California,Point 1 stem worth it?I sure as shit won't feel like Vilipoto with my hands around some Easton's.Does any of this matter for a mid-pack Cat. 2'er?

Maybe i'm a trend whore,maybe i'm a sucker,but you've got to admit.That big ass bar,and that wide ass stem look fucking good.