handlebar

On steel frame bikes, what material are
handlebars typically made of?

It seems lighter and more shiny than the frame,
but perhaps this is a property of the coating
and/or the steel itself rather than indicative
of another material altogether?

Is the handlebar the most safety-critical part
of the bike?

I have seen several brake but this never
happened to me nor did I ever sense any
inclination it would. Is this because of other
people's more aggressive riding style or do
they have thinner handlebar pipes, or pipes in
softer material?

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