Cyclocross - Salsa Bell Lap position?? Bontragers?

I'm just ordering the parts to complete a semi-cyclocross bike - not a bike to race, but a drop handle with lots of range and speed that I can ride a good distance out to some singletrack, ride the track on, and then come home - no car involved. I'm split between Bontrager Race and Salsa Bell Laps - probably the cheaper Moto Ace version, both in 46. (I'd have bought 48 Noodles - I'm wide up top - but the entire bloody UK is sold out of them.) What I can't work out from reading about them is

1. Whether I the Bell Laps are meant to be used in the standard drop position, riding most of the time on the hoods on road, and then descending to drops offroad for times when better braking and cornering are required, or set high so that the drops are the default position, like Midges?

2. Does the flare on the Bell Laps alter hand position when you're on the hoods? I'm worried it might make me bend my wrists, pinching the carpal tunnel.

Obviously I'd be glad of any comments on either set of bars.

1. I'd say either. I have the Bell Laps on a La Cruz and ride it in both the hoods and the drops, similar to my road bike. On my Fargo, with the more upright geometry, I ride in the drops the majority of the time. Either way the Bell Lap is my favorite bar.

2. Not significantly enough for me to notice. I originally had the WTB Mountain Drops on my La Cruz and never cared for how much it flared which resulted in an uncomfortable hood position (for me). I was very pleased with the comfort on both the hoods and the drops once I switched to the Bell Lap.

Disclaimer: I've never used Bontrager Race bars, so I have no idea how they compare.

The hoods position on my Bell Laps feels the same as any other drop bar I've used, save the Midge. I don't even notice the flare in the drops that much, especially compared to the Midge.

I spend most of the time in the hoods, but that's a function of the short head tube on my bike, and the resultant challenge in getting the bars high enough to make the drops functional for anything other than a road racing-like position.

I've used bontrager... vr race? Something VR? Maybe they're the same as the race, anyway, I liked them. Then I got bell laps and I like them too.

The bell laps aren't freakishly flared so nothing bad will come of the flare, they'll ride up top just like any other bar. You'll maybe notice a difference in the drops, but it's pretty subtle. If I remember correctly the bell laps actually felt similar to the bontragers because both were fairly shallow drop/reach bars.

So don't worry about the flare and by whatever alchemy just pick one.

Those are very useful replies - thanks. (You don't realize until you're trying to make a buy decision how sloppy most "professional" reviews are - none of the stuff I read on the Bell Laps addressed this.) As a result I've bought Bell Laps in 26mm and a Nitto Techmatic stem (which I think is the same as the fabled Nitto Birt Drop). This should give me lots of positioning options and if the stem is too long I can always cut it down (it's threaded - this is an 80's bike.)

As said the flare on the bell laps isn't very extreme. The only extreme difference I notice between my bell laps and previous road bars I've used is the width. But that's not really a function of the shape. And wide is good off road, IMO.

The flare is nice I guess, but it's even less noticeable when you consider that the most extreme portion of the flare is the ends of the drops, which I never use, especially off road (very low/far from the brakes).

If you don't want any flare, it's worth looking into the ritchey biomax. It's a very shallow ergo drop. I liked my set a lot, except that I found them too narrow. They may come in wider sizes, though. I got a good deal on some bell laps and haven't looked back since

Personally, I'd go with a set of On-One Midge

You may have a few issues with your stem and bars working together. There are so many bends on those Salsa bars that a Nitto stem may NOT actually fit over...just be warned. You may want to spread the clamp area open...a LOT.

Thanks steward - I ended up with a NOS Modolo stem, btw. It just arrived. I think it should be ok...