Quote Originally Posted by velogirl View Post
My theory is that those cross racers who come from a mtb background spend a lot more time on the tops. Those who come from a road background spend more time on the hoods and drops.
That makes a lot of sense. I find that the portion of the bar I use depends very much on the surface I'm riding. When I'm on pavement, I use the hoods and drops and only reach for the chicken levers if I have to maneuver around pedestrians or cars. When I'm off-road, though, I spend most of my time on the hoods and the flats. The drops just aren't as comfortable on a rougher surface and I feel like I have less control if I hit a tree root or go through a mud puddle.