Pros: The bend, sweep and rise of these bars make for easy ups and ultra sick downhills. They are wide enough that leverage is never an issue while unlike some bars I don't find myself bashing fingers on foreign objects while tearing down the trail. The bars are ridiculously light, so much so in fact that it took me a while trust them. However once i took my first big turn with these guys I realized just how stiff they are. After bashing them into rocks, trees, and assorted wildlife I can tell you, they can take a beating.

Cons: This sounds petty... but i'm not a huge fan of the gold, the carbon weave is pretty sick looking though.

Recommendation: I loved the old Protapers on my old bike... and love the new Protaper Carbons on my new ride.

Cons: Does any one make a 3 degree sweep low rise bar any more??? I prefer less sweap, everything seems to be 5, 8 degrees or more.

Pros: Lightweight and super comfortable shape. Love the control the wide bars offer. Easy to install and maintain.

Cons: Wide bars make it tougher to navigate tight, tree-lined singletrack.

Recommendation: Although these bars are marketed as AM bars, I love 'em for XC riding. Carbon takes some of the sting out of the trail yet they're still stiff enough for efficient climbing. I have the 25.4mm rise version but the 12.7mm version is even better suited to XC riding.