Took me about 6 months before I rode in the drops and it hurt. Lower back pain and shoulders falling off. Always rode on the hoods. Downhills- so I could better control the brakes- were painfull. So I started to practice in them. 20 seconds was about all I could mange intitially but perserevered. By the time I got Boreas- I was in the drops about 50% of the time. But Boreas's bar were 3" lower and more practice. Started to find that into headwinds and obviously downhill- it was benificial and gradually the back ache went. Then came the TCR and the bars are higher and I ride into headwinds- Downhill and a fair part of uphill on this in the drops.
Last weekend did a ride with a headwind on Boreas and I was rarely on the hoods- except on the way back where I wanted some wind asistance as I was so shattered from riding into the headwind on the way out.
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.
Spike Milligan