Originally Posted by pat dasein
Whenever I'd sprint in the drops, I always felt inefficient and unstable. I used varying length stems and bar widths (some too small, to big, and just right). Why is this? And yes I was talking out of my ass when I said the drops weren't 'designed' for sprinting.
Also, I would NEVER adjust a stem mid-ride that required an allen wrench - I'm not that stupid.
It feels more stable because your hands are closer to the steering axis. Sounds like you need some shallower drops, which means road drops. You might also want to play with the angle of your existing drops. If they're tilted up or down, that can certainly exacerbate your issues.
Otherwise, I would just stick with bullhorns if they're working for you, and get an adjustable stem for days you feel like risers. Or you can do like everyone else here does and use your bar issues as an excuse to build up another bike just for cruising.