Originally Posted by
cyccommute
As I've been doing it for 40 years, I doubt that it will ever be an issue.
I've hit potholes as well. Still not an issue. Frankly, I don't see how your bicycle position would have any effect when hitting a pothole at any speed. The pothole is momentary. You aren't going to be able to brake to avoid it (for the most part) nor will you need the brakes after you hit it.
An argument could be made that being in the drops puts the CG too far forward on a hill and would make it harder to brake without going over the bars. In the drops, the rider also can't push back of the saddle as well nor as far. That has more of an effect on braking then moving the CG forward and down on an incline. That's the reason you don't find drop bars on mountain bikes. Those bikes are braked from nearly the same position as if braking from the hoods.
you do know that it has nothing to do with braking, and has everything to do with maintaining control? meaning your hands didn't bounce off the hoods, or slide forward over the top of them.
and if you have ever hit a pothole at speed on the hoods, you'd know what happens.
You know what happens to a load that isn't tied down when whatever it was riding on comes to an abrupt stop? even momentary, as in hitting a pot hole. the load shifts.
now apply the same thing to your hands on the hoods.
who knows maybe you descend with a death grip? Or another possibility is that your bars are really high, and your hoods are angled up more than what would be the typical angle. Drop a picture of your bars?