Is there data out there to back up what people are saying? I got to think there is, but it reads as if people are just giving their personal experience, and it might or might not be scientific. The nice post by Poulin appears scientific enough, but you can't make conclusions from it given his reversed stem and cut handlebars.

I wonder what the wind tunnel data say about the effect of the wider bars on drag? I wonder what effect stem angle has with a person on the bike for the flat bar, bullhorn, and dropbar configurations?

For me, the appeal of working less than the next guy does to go the same speed is huge! But, that's offset by the discomfort of the drop bar bike.

If I could know that at 20mph I can work 10% less on the drop bar bike, I might suck it up and make the switch. If I reverse my stem and reduce the work by 15%, I want to know that. If I cut down my handlebars saves me 20%, I'm taking my hacksaw off its hook tonight.

But if these changes net a 2% difference, I wouldn't do a thing.