Originally Posted by
cooker
A commuter bike should have the handlebars at about the same height as the seat, so your back is slanted forward at about 45 degrees.
For you.
Respectfully, I disagree with all blanket statements such as that. It's all about personal choice and preference.
There are many, here and in the real world, who prefer something bolt-upright--witness the Dutch bike. There are others, like me, who prefer a drop bar road bike with pretty good saddle-to-bar drop--especially on my winter bike, where it keeps me out of the January and February winds from across the lake. (And don't give me any crap about age being a factor. I'm in my 50s.) Your preference is somewhere in the middle.
My point is that it's all good. Whatever you prefer is right for you. Personal preferences stated as all-encompassing facts are counter-productive.