My experience is that I tend to play with the cockpit for a while, adding areos, adjusting width of elbow pads etc... and usually wind up redoing the bartape as a result. I finally decided to just use the inner tube idea until I get things where I like... and then I scrap it all again anyway.

My latest incarnation are drops flipped and chopped like bullhorns. After riding for a while I realized on my semi upright bike I rarely used the drops but liked the buttress of the hoods which the uptick in the flipped bar provides. At the same time I wanted to try shellacing (sp?) cork bar tape. I'll post a pic later today as I'm off to work now.