Originally Posted by
tough_boots
Is the hood position not lower?
But I’m not trying to be a weight weenie— just trying to figure out what the difference between a cheap and pricier handlebar is. It’s not like it’s one of the more complex components.
Hi, I didn't say you were a weight weenie. I said don't worry unless you are a weight weenie.
The hood position is slightly further forward than riding "on the tops" so your back is sloped a little more, but it is not as low as riding "on the hooks".
You can of course move your brake levers and adjust the tilt of your bars, to make the hoods a little closer.
I'm 58 with a back that occasionally has me walking with a stick, but most of the time I'm pretty fit. When my back has one of its episodes, I find that cycling is OK once I get onto the bike.
Too upright a position can put compression socks up your spine; too low a position can put your spine at an uncomfortably low angle.
Dropped bars are not the be all and end all, but they are very versatile. I'd be thinking of getting some short reach drops, possibly with a small rise in them.
However, there are no rules except try to make the bike so that you can enjoy riding it.