My feedback:

1) bars should be sized for your body, not your handlebar bag - the opposite could lead to hand/arm/shoulder pain - this goes for the size and the angle. If you angle them up, the hoods will be at a weird up-ward pointing angle, that will put a tight angle in your wrists - sounds like a recipe for wrist injury to me. If you just can't make the bag work, then use a different bag (but I bet you can make it work).

2) there are some ways to measure appropriate bar width but the way to just sort of 'see' it is when your hands are on the hoods, your arms should not be at an angle (in or out). Any good bike shop (not Performance or REI) should should be able to help you determine the correct size for you. Or just go hold a bunch of bars and look in the mirror.

3) bars are usually measured center to center at the widest point on the tops - your 17" is probably a 42cm bar. I am tiny and ride a 38 or 40, so you could need a wider bar - 44 and 46 are pretty common sizes.

3.5) bars come with different width, reach and drop, as well as the shape of the curve. If you like what you have, get something similar for your bigger pair - it can really make a difference. Especially reach - if your new bars have a different reach, you might feel stretched or cramped on the bike.

4) cyccomute just posted a link to an old post of his with the noodle solution, looks elegant, you probably saw it - http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...48347#poststop

5) RE:the comment that your cable routing is "odd" - it's really not odd, that's how STI is routed. One of the reasons some people prefer bar-end shifters. But you should certainly be able to make it work. Or (this is kind of a joke) you could put the new DuraAce shifters on your bike, they changed the cable routing to be along the bars.

Were I you, I would bring your bike, bar bag & cyccomutes picture to the bike shop and ask for advice.

Good luck!