Originally Posted by
Violet
Has it been proving that flat bars are inherently less aero? At the same height, and the same width.
Doubt it - if anything it's easier to crouch down with palms facing down.
The vast majority is the rider's position, so if you can get the same position with flat bars, you could be essentially as aero.
However, you've got several limitations. One you can't get as low with the flat bars without some contortions because even a negative 17 degree stem is not going below the top of the head tube ( where road bars have additional drop, from the "drop bars" hence the name.)
Additionally, trying to hold a tuck with hands in narrow on road bars doesn't work very well. First, it ends up being too jammed with the stem otherwise set for an appropriate reach, and second it's just not as easy or comfortable to maintain that posture for an extended period, as it is to ridein the drops.
On various occassions where I've rented MTB's out of necessity, I've ridden on the road with hands in elbows tucked, or invisable aerobars, to be faster on the road. It works, but it's far from ideal.
As stated before there's a reason people race with drop bars.