Originally Posted by
Jiggle
They catch trees. You'll be riding along fine for years, then one moment of inattention and you're on the ground.
i've never snagged my bar ends on a tree. but i have had them hit a tree and protect my hand.
it seems like if you had no bar ends, but rode in such a fashion as you WOULD catch them on a tree, you're still gonna smack your bar and fingers on a tree and end up crashing.