Took my first ride with the new setup yesterday. I rode about 2 hours and couldn't be happier. The bars were very comfortable in all positions. I rode most of the time in the drops but I did ride on the hoods for a while as well. I didn't have any problem reaching the brakes when in the hoods and I actually liked riding in that position. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the setup. The bike is now a great all around bike that is much more comfortable for me than the flat bars ever were.