Originally Posted by montydad
Maybe this is a dumb question...but what are 'barends'?
Flat bars only provide a single hand position which may put strain on the wrists. Bar ends are perpendicular extensions that fit on the end of flat bars to create additional hand positions so the stresses can be shifted on longer rides. They come in a number of shapes and styles. (Don't confuse them with bar end shifters or plugs, those are something completely different.) Google images is your friend:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...h+Images&gbv=2