Originally Posted by
xenologer
Hard to interpret your description, but I believe I have seen people who's bikes aren't fitted do something similar, by riding with mtb flat bars, and long L-bend bar ends rotated to point straight up, such that they ride around on the tips of the L-bends (with their controls down below and out of reach) always makes me cringe... ("just get a riser stem people!")
For that matter, why not just get a riser stem yourself and some non-compact drop bars? Get the tops of the bars high enough to keep your neck happy, still have the drops for an aero position
I've done both of these things. On my road bike, the bar tops are a couple of inches higher than the seat - that works out fine for rides up to about 90 minutes. On another bike, an old Raleigh Record, I have the setup with the flat bars and L-shaped bar-ends pointing up. That works. As far as the controls are concerned, is this any worse than riding the tops of drop bars? Or using alternate positions on trekking bars, or on straight bars with bar end pointed in any direction?
In traffic, you ride with your hands near the brakes. But, when it's safe, you have an alternate position..