Bar Ends at SIS

[Huck will tell you]

Glad to see the rules are being enforced more strictly for first time racers than at the Olympics.

http://www.google.com/search?q=mount...78%3B510%3B339


If FORC wants more first time racers to come out I would recommend you specifically request to USA Cycling that a select official does not come back.

-Jeremiah

[jJohnson]

The Olympics aren't governed by USAC.

[sirbranderson]

There were rules?!?

[jJohnson]

Yes. USAC and UCI have ridiculously stupid ones, too, but I support the bar ends one. However, I didn't see it enforced last year at all and there was at least one person in sport class that was allowed to ride with them (whether the official saw them or not is unknown). I suspect that it may have been interpreted incorrectly, too, as I know that you must have bar end plugs.

If not allowing bar ends keeps you away from a race, then whatever.

[Huck will tell you]

The Olympics are over seen by the UCI and as a general rule most USAC rules default to UCI rules.

Having raced dozens of mountain bike races including two national championships I have never been questioned by an official for my barends. I think today was the case of an insecure local official. He could have given the guy a warning to take them off next time, there is room in the rule book for this-

USA Cycling and any Race Director or sponsor, and their
respective agents, officials, employees and volunteers, shall
not be liable for any damages or injuries arising from or
connected in any way with the condition or adequacy of any
rider's competition equipment or uniform, regardless of
whether or not such competition equipment or uniform was
examined or was not determined to be in violation of the
rules

And to, "If not allowing bar ends keeps you away from a race, then whatever." The guy had Ergon grips that the bar ends are an integral part of the grip. He told me he trained hard and it was his first race. If an official belittled me and was a **** after I paid money to race, I wouldn't come back. Is this what we want?

[jJohnson]

I see your point 100%. Definitely isn't what we want. Seems like a power trip by an assistant official. It wasn't enforced last year at all and Amy officiated all of the races I was at.

[sirbranderson]

If you're gonna train hard for a race you better read the rules just as hard.

[Westy_3]

(d) The handlebar ends shall be solidly plugged and
attachments thereto shall be fashioned in such a way as to
minimize danger without impairing steering. Handlebars used
for steering with ends, features, or attachments that extend
forward or upward or that provide support for other than the
rider's hands are permitted only in time trial and pursuit
events (not in Team Sprint); however, attachments that point
upward on the brakehoods of road bicycles are allowed if the
distance between them is greater than 25 cm (9.8 inches).

https://s3.amazonaws.com/USACWeb/for...k-Chapter1.pdf

[scoro3]

I have no idea what went on today. I heard the announcer say no bar ends or tree busters (breakers) and thought WOW really? Is this a safety issue? I don't think bar ends make you faster by any stretch of the imagination.

[scoro3]

I guess I should have read the post above mine.

[Gunchie]

(d) The handlebar ends shall be solidly plugged and
attachments thereto shall be fashioned in such a way as to
minimize danger without impairing steering. Handlebars used
for steering with ends, features, or attachments that extend
forward or upward or that provide support for other than the
rider's hands are permitted only in time trial and pursuit
events (not in Team Sprint); however, attachments that point
upward on the brakehoods of road bicycles are allowed if the
distance between them is greater than 25 cm (9.8 inches).

I've been racing for long time, and I've never came across this rule. I use Ergon barends myself, but I race unsanctioned endurance races. If anyone felt this was in error, someone should have asked to see where it says this in the rules book. From what the rule says, it appears that he was supposed to check to see if barends were secure, but instead banned them. I'm not an official though so who knows. That' s just how I interpreted the rule. Could contact USAC and ask them: http://www.usacycling.org/usa-cyclin...-directory.htm. If barends are allowed, you could ask them to correct this official so it doesn't happen again. Could just be an innocent mistake.

[jimithng23]

to me, it seems as though the official misinterpreted the rule.

that said, the actions and decisions of the official do not represent FORC in any way, shape, or form. to come on here and say otherwise is highly disrespectful to everyone involved.

that also being said, a record number of racers participated in the 9th annual Stampede. I'll hold off from posting what I've heard as an unofficial "official" number but I'm pretty darn certain the official's actions had zero effect on the success of the day.

it was a superb day. let's not lose sight of that... and the incredibly hard work put in by a handful of amazing individuals to pull this race off.

bar ends or no bar ends, officials or no officials, the amazing people that make up FORC were on full display yesterday... and it was incredible.

[jJohnson]

https://s3.amazonaws.com/USACWeb/for...k-Chapter1.pdf

I have no idea what that actually means.

[SUPERFLYGUY]

So I suppose since I was the cause of this whole mess I should at least comment (although I did see a lot of later class racers also scrambling to pull bar ends and change grips). First and foremost, I want to sincerely thank Healthy Habits and their crew for making a special trip back to their shop in Bettendorf to pick up grips! What a great shop and great guys! I was pulled from the Novice Race 4 minutes before the start. I bought my bike about a week before observing SIS 8 last year so this was my first year of riding and my first race and not knowing the rule was completely my fault. That being said, I was able to nervously make the 10:30am jump up to the Maverick Class and much to my surprise I finished 8th!!

[jimithng23]

So I suppose since I was the cause of this whole mess I should at least comment (although I did see a lot of later class racers also scrambling to pull bar ends and change grips). First and foremost, I want to sincerely thank Healthy Habits and their crew for making a special trip back to their shop in Bettendorf to pick up grips! What a great shop and great guys! I was pulled from the Novice Race 4 minutes before the start. I bought my bike about a week before observing SIS 8 last year so this was my first year of riding and my first race and not knowing the rule was completely my fault. That being said, I was able to nervously make the 10:30am jump up to the Maverick Class and much to my surprise I finished 8th!!

So much awesome in this post.

"...Healthy Habits and their crew for making a special trip back to their shop in Bettendorf to pick up grips!"
^^ that's incredible. LOVE to hear when shops go above and beyond to take care of peeps.

"...I was able to nervously make the 10:30am jump up to the Maverick Class and much to my surprise I finished 8th!!"
^^ you kicked A$$ Gus!

[Huck will tell you]

I spoke with USA Cycling today.....Bar ends are "allowed for all domestic MTB races on dirt"

[Rcook]

I spoke with USA Cycling today.....Bar ends are "allowed for all domestic MTB races on dirt"

I was caught out by this rule as well, big thanks to the FORC guy (bushy beard) that helped me out with the orange Oury grips, that was so nice to do!

I'd really like to see confirmation of this clarification in an official PDF or similar just to feel better.

[SweetSVT99]

I have to admit, I was pretty frustrated when I heard about this "rule" being enforced. 50% of my frustration was for those racers that were pulled and had to deal with the stress and drama, and 50% of it was because I'm one of those riders that toss the end caps from my grips in the trash. I think they're useless, and eventually fall out or fall apart anyway. Thanks to Huck for hooking me up with a set of plugs right before the start!

[Rcook]

This was just posted to the IMBCS Facebook Group. A local USAC official (I think please dont quote me but I'm 99% sure he is) just said:

Bar Ends Update: From the Technical Director of USA Cycling. “The official was correct in his interpretation of the printed rules. The intent of that rule was always a road thing and as we have combined all disciplines into one rulebook now, we find certain places where it does not work, and we fix it as we find it.” Bar ends are allowed in MTB events.

The USAC official was technically correct to ban bar ends (based on the combined rulebook) but this is now clarified and bar ends are legal and allowed in MTB races.

[Kings]

I also received clarification on this rule from USA Cycling...

From Shawn Farrell (Technical Director of USA Cycling) on the bar ends rule:
“I just changed chapter 1 of the rulebook to make the rule about bar ends refer to road, track, and CX events, not MTB events. The official was correct in his interpretation of the printed rules. The intent of that rule was always a road thing and as we have combined all disciplines into one rulebook now, we find certain places where it does not work, and we fix it as we find it.”

---

I apologize to all the racers this affected. I wish we would of had the correct information on Sunday to avoid this scenario.

I hope that everyone still had a great time and will continue to come race in both the Illinois and Iowa Mountain Bike races and events!

[Rcook]

Kings

[Rcook]

Need 2 more posts to...

[Rcook]

Send a PM.