Originally Posted by
Brian25
Actually it has never been right to have your drops parallel to the ground, for the exact reason that you mention. My experience has been to straddle the bike, put your hands in the drops and feel how your hands meet the bars. Does it feel right?/ nice? Even in an older Greg LeMond book, he instructs to point to the rear axle.
I agree with this. Start with your hands in the drops for the most comfortable hand position there. Next adjust where the briffers/brakes should go with your hands on the hoods. This is where I spend most of my time so you want to get this in just the right position.
There are by-the-book recommendations and rules about what is the best way to adjust things but at the end of the day they are just a starting point. Where you feel most comfortable should dictate much of where things end up at IMO. But sometimes the most comfortable is not the most efficient. So your mileage may vary but at least you have a place to start. As you ride more you start to figure these things out and can adjust accordingly. I always ride thinking about these things to make my ride better the next time I'm out. Minor tweaks here and there will make your bike disappear and then you can just enjoy the ride...