drop bar bar ends?
 

What do you guys think of these?

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqV,!l0...Mh3Lw~~0_3.JPG

It looks like a cheap way to see if I like drop bars on my bike. Thoughts?

Seems kinda silly to me... you can get decent [new] drop bars in the range of ~$30... how much cheaper are these things really?

After the cost of switching brake lever etc?

Myself, wouldn't do it. I'd use bar ends. I ride in the hoods most of the time.

Those are meant to (sort of...) convert MTB "straight" bars into some semblance of roadster bars. The reason being that generally road "drop" bars are of different diameter than MTB bars and so swapping them out (along with different brakes or brake/shifter units and all) is rather difficult.
These give you a "kind of" road bike position....

As well, I have seen people mount those old, huge regular bar-ends almost vertically on their bars to give an upright riding position. And one which causes much the same problem with brake access.

Brake access is going to be a problem I think. That and I don't think they'll really approximate the overall experience of drop bars because most of your time is spend on the hoods and not in the actual drops.

Upside down just to sit up might be Ok..
given the outside upper bend is a comfortable position, on a real drop bar, but,
that is where the clamp is ..