fat bar - total newbe question

Hi,

fat bar - what is it good for?

I know the aluminum aftermarket bars are less prone to bending when subjected to "misguided perception of one's talent" but whats the advantage of the 1 1/8 bar over the 7/8?

I bought mine for the looks, doesn't look nearly as dinky.

When these first came out, and the Pro Taper bar from around 1990 is the first one I remember, the idea was to combine greater strength and resistance to being bent in a crash with still being able to flex some while riding over rough terrain and help absorb some of the impacts.

Beyond lookes. Its stiffer and stronger and doesn't require a crossbar. That is an advantage and a disadvantage. If you have a stiff frame (aluminum) and stiff suspension, the bar isn't going to flex as much and will transfer all that roughness to your body. The flex doesn't necessarily mean they are that much weaker since the crossbar adds stability. A good quality 7/8 handles stress differently from oversized bars.