Originally Posted by royalflash
If you label every inch of the bar then you can get quite a lot of hand positions.
I am sure you are right and the number of theoretical positions is greater with a drop bar but if some of them are uncomfortable and far away from the brake levers (that one right near the stem (1) doesnt look to practical and the two in the drops ( 4 and 5) look like quite similar to me) -I dont see that as being such a great thing
Based on the principle that everone else on the forum (and the pro-peloton) has drop bars on their road bikes I must be wrong but they just dont seem that hot to me.
Position #1 works really well to put me in an upright position and I will often use it for parts of a climb or just casually cruising along. Being away from the brake levers isn't really that big an issue... especially during climbs. And I wouldn't ride that position during situations where I would need to cover my brakes. Position #4 is actually quite different than #5. #4 puts me in a much more bent over and aero position while #5 is a lower cruising position but my forearms are more vertical in position #5 than they are in #4. If you look at the side-profile of my bars, you can see why.
Also, I'm not saying your setup is bad. If it works for you then who am I to argue?