Drop bars?
 

What do you guys think?

It's been done, some swear by it.

My LBS says drop bars are too weak to handle drops, and bailing from the bike.

They're most likely talking about drop bars for road bikes, about which they're right. However, they do make drop bars for mountain bikes, which would be able to handle drops and bailing from the bike.

Edit: A quick google session led me to this: http://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com...bike-tips.html

How much would a low priced one be? Could I mount the brakes on the drops and shifters on the hoods?

Drops won't accept MTB levers, the diameter of the grip is larger.


Planet X, On One, (I'm missing one....) all make a MTB drop bar. Also look into perhaps mustache or 'dove' bars. Any of the above will require a shorter stem. There is a good reason this is not widely practiced.... John Tomac did it for one year about 20 years ago, and went right back the next season.

There is a member on here that only uses drop bars on his mtn bikes

Salsa used to at least, I didn't find it last time I was on their site.