Originally Posted by fat_bike_nut
Well, the beauty of the dropped handlebar is that it could be raised so that the "tops" and "brake hoods" are more upright, but the "drops" will still allow for an aerodynamic position. That's the way it's set up on touring bikes (one of my favorite types of bikes), anyway
I don't see why people would want to set 'em so low that being in the brake hoods requires a crouch down and a stretched out body.
Outright speed.
I do that with my road bike, given I do club riding and will eventually be racing...so I need to get used to a layout like that. Handlebars tops are about 2" below the saddle....that's a long ways up from the 4.5" they used to be....I really loved how the bike felt at that height, but I started having issues with my ulnar nerve, so the bars had to go up.