Can I have the bar end extension on my mountain bike in an xterra race?
yes–bar ends, not aerobars
or at least i have, and nobody said it was a problem.
i find them very, very helpful when climbing.
Yup, seen them but don’t use them. I find the more technical the course the less value bar ends have.
another question: is there a single-speed category like in xc races? or will i be an age-grouper with a single-speed? i know i’m gonna suffer, but, well, see the signature:
not sure about there being a special SS category. i would guess not.
check with the xterra folks? xterra.com?
No single speed category. Just age groups like any triathlon.
As for bar ends, I can’t think of a single pro that uses them, not that I have seen every pro that races Xterra. The races tend to be less of a test of technical skills and more a test of climbing skills. Not that you don’t need to have some technical riding skills, but you will lose more time if you are not trained for climbing than for the real tricky stuff. Sooooo…having said that, you may find some benefit from the bar-ends for those grinding climbs.