Hunt3r's cycling career

yeah, this is an issue that applies mostly to ergo bends and brifters. these bars and brifters generally are shaped such that the extension portion of the bar will be positioned nearly horizontal or horizontal. that brifter bodies originally (early 90s) were made to go horizontally as well, such that you basically have a long flat. around 2000, you started to see climbers push the brifters back, consequently causing the brifter bodies to be angled significantly upward. this makes for a shorter position that actually does work fine for long climbs- your chest is open for breathing though you are a bit less aero. otoh, your brake lever position when youre in the drops is slightly worse. i guess you could ask "why would YOU ever be on the brakes in the drops it will only slow you down and drops are serious business." xpost

for classic bends, not really the same since the curvature starts right at the bend transition, there isn't much of a flat to begin with.