AndyK 

I tried these Cinelli B-Groove bars last year, and the way I had it set up, I couldn't reach the brake lever when in the drops. I loved the feel and flat transition to the hoods, but braking is kinda necessary! So I removed the bars and got my current Ritchey Classics, which make it a little easier to reach the brakes in the drops.

That said, now that I am setting up a different frame, I would love to use the B-Groove bars. I've realized that the modern Brifters have a different lever angle, placing the levers closer to the drops. Can anyone see a way I can lower the '96 brifters I have down the drop a little, to tighten up the space between the lever and the bar, without messing up the setup? I had it set so the end of the lever was even with the tiny level spot on the drops - was I being too conservative in brifter placement?

Here is a photo, see if you can see what I mean.

tollhousecookie

Yea, pull your tape and lower them down a bit.

AndyK 

Yeah, but lowering them would mean rotating the bars upward to compensate, right? I don't have the bars on the bike now, they are in the garage. Before I remove my current bars and tape, and go through trying to fit the brifters on the B-Groove bars, I'd like to get a consenusus to see if I would be wasting my time, etc.

tollhousecookie

Do your other bars have the same bends? IMO, with that style bar, you are more comfortable, hand position-wise, in the drops. I understand why you'd want to "rotate the bars upward" to provide a better hand position on the hoods but I don't think you can have both with your set up...

AndyK 

My newer bars are the Ritchey Classics, that have a traditional bend, but don't have the nice flat top that the B-Groove Ergo bars had/have.