Re: new bipod
s.i.t.,
There is nothing in the rules, or philosophy against the new "landing-gear" style adjustable bipods in F-T/R. I would guess that I'm in the minority in still running a folding "military-style" bipod (at this point in time, an LRA, but I've used GG&G, Harris, and others before), but that's just my preference.
Having used one of the adjustable style, it really is just a coarse adjustment to counter "settling" from shot to shot as your string progresses. The front adjust is in lieu of making larger rear bag adjustments every shot... in general, it's a wash. The real (read precision) adjustment is still made at the rear bag.
No one is requiring the use of the newer style adjustable pods, heck you certainly don't have to have one in order to be competitive, it just allows flexibility in how shooters approach the challenge of putting 15-20 shots in a 1/2 MOA target at 2/3 of a mile! Flexibility = more comfortable shooters = more participation!
Best,
Darrell
BTW: "cheating" is a strong word, it'll probably get a reaction.