[QUOTE=Barrettscv;13556744]I'm also reconsidering brifters and wider drop bars designed for trekking;

This one from Salsa looks good: http://salsacycles.com/components/moto_ace_woodchipper/

a good friend rides a 20 yr old fuji alucross and the bars are quite similar to these. He really likes the flair and one can see that the advantage to this over regular drop bars would be the extra leverage on rough stuff.

I think its fair to say that being on rough stuff a fair amount would be the main reason for these or trekking bars. I guess the issue with using brifters if you know you will be in rough stuff a lot is that there are more chances for a good off, and dinging them to the point of not being able to shift would be much more of a concern than regular road riding (and then of course where you think you would be riding, vis-a-vis having access to bike stores or whatever if a brifter gets well and truly whacked)