Four-Piece and a Biscuit

Don't look now, but four-piece bars are making a comeback. Again. Maybe. Only this time they're bigger and badder than ever. Well, except for when they were popular in the early '90s and again in the late '90s. (It's more or less impossible to find someone that rode in the late '80s/early '90s who didn't have a set of Haro Kneesavers or GT four-piece, or someone that rode in the late '90s and didn't have a set of Castillos or Mad Dogs or Moe's Bars.) I can hardly wait for the return of the six- and seven-piece bar. Are we headed back to this?

Anyway, when I saw a shot of the new Federal 20/20 Bars (whatever that name means):


on their blog the first thing I thought of was a post I made on my old blog back in January of '07. I happened to have two sets of uncut GT four-piece bars (the 3D blueprint for the original "Bob" bar), and since they were 28" wide and chrome, I decided to shoot them and present them as if they were a new Animal product. I then assured everyone that it was just a joke. Were I cleverer, I would have let it hang for a little longer before ruining all the fun.

Now, of course, it's come full circle—the 'new' Federal bars look an awful lot like old DK bars. I half expect Haro (or maybe Premium) to offer an updated version of the OG Kneesavers—or maybe some lightened-up Mirra and or Nyquist Bars. Redline could bring back the Forklifters, complete with number-plate mounting tabs.

Federal isn't the only one on this particular bandwagon. Sputnic is pushing their own 13-butted version, in three different rises and three different colors, complete with their exclusive pad-centering (and utterly disgusting) externally butted crossbar:


I also like that they mention the "street-inspired 4-piece design." Because you never see anyone riding a street bike with two-piece bars or a race bike with four-piece. How can handlebars be "street inspired" anyway?

Of course for those who don't need 28"x8" and could care less about weight, there's always old faithful, the Animal Bob Bars:


I love that people are complaining (anonymously, of course) that Federal is just copying the Bob Bar (even though they're obviously wider and have way more backsweep) when the Bob Bar itself is a BLATANT—and acknowledged—ripoff of the GT's design from the early '90s. They're probably the most popular four-piece bar on the market right now, because they don't have that much competition. They're SIX WHOLE OUNCES heavier than the Sputnics, but think of the street cred! Even Corey Martinez has a pair, although he runs them a bit differently than most:


Word is that United is also coming out with a four-piece bar, which is good news for Corey so he won't have to be unceremoniously dumped from yet another team.

It'll be interesting to see whether this bigger crop of four-piece bars catches on. I kind of hope they do, just so companies start making something other than 28"x8" two-piece bars. (Not that it will be any better if everyone starts making 28"x8" four-piece bars. And I don't think my stomach could even handle a 29"x8.5" four-piece bar.)

But before everyone starts rushing to be first, let's consider that this isn't the first time a company has tried to make a big four-piece bar. Remember the FBM Dinner Box Bars:

They didn't make much of an impact when they came out, and disappeared without a trace. If there's any left at the warehouse, Steve and JPR should consider having them chromed and re-named. Because perhaps their time has finally come.

Personally? I'm holding out for the return of three-piece bars. I'm so far ahead of my time I'm about to pass you twice.

Wild, With My Monochrome Style

It was inevitable, I suppose, the return of the monochrome BMX bike. Haven't seen any in NYC yet (besides the ubiquitous all-black versions, which have never gone out of style and represent more of a complete lack of obsession with color than an unhealthy one), but a quick spin around the web reveals a couple of freshly built examples:

The first one I saw was this all-white Kink. Quite the photo, huh? It reminded me of two things—ghost bikes, which are locked to signposts and light poles to memorialize cyclists who were killed (or injured) near the spot, and the all-white GT Pro Freestyle Tour that came out in the '80s during a Euro craze (if I'm not mistaken, BMX Plus! did an all-white "Project Euro" as well):


The only mystery about the Kink are the tires, which I expect are Primo Walls. Not the best choice for a current bike, but white tires are hard to come by these days. (If you're going to ride this bike, stock up.) I'm pretty sure the last time I had a set I also had white Z-Rims. Also, don't lock it up in a major city unless you want people to assume it's a tribute to the dead and get REALLY mad at you when you unlock it.


Then there was this all-red Fit Hawk, which was posted on the Fit site around the same time as they announced the availability of the red frame and parts. Like the white Kink, it was built by a shop (and I'd be curious to know whether either of them actually sell).

The Fit, like the Kink, appears to be all current with the exception of the tires, in this case Primo V-Monsters. They made V-Monsters in blue as well, so one would hope someone would make a Crip Hawk to go with the Blood version. (I'm surprised by how well the tones match, despite the use of both flat and gloss red, and paint and anodization and rubber.)


My favorite mostly monochrome bike was a Pro Performer that Eddie Fiola rode back in the mid-'80s, a recent semi-accurate reproduction which is shown here:


Given the black tires and the gold and chrome parts, it's more like one of Aaron Ross's neon monstrosities than the unicolors above. But it wouldn't surprise me one bit if colored tires made a comeback sometime soon. What goes around, comes around.