Quick primer on drop bars?

[spokewench]

I ride for the most part on the hoods - you can brake from the hoods. Most of the riding that I do in a pack, on a regular ride is in the hoods. Probably then I ride on the tops as well on regular parts of my ride (i.e flats and hills)

I alternate between the tops and the hoods when I am climbing.

I have a bad back so I don't ride in the drops as much as some. I will if I want to go fast on the flat, if I'm drafting someone who is really fast and I need the aerodynamic help of being flatter to keep up, on the down hill.

[DebW]

It's best to get in the habit of doing all your hard braking from the drops. More braking power with your hands and better position (low body, arms straight, butt back) from which to brace your body weight against its own inertia as the bike slows.

[Bike Goddess]

I often find myself in the drops when I am going on a flat stretch as well as when I am going downhill. This allows me to stretch out my lower back which on long distances really helps.

[maillotpois]

I mostly ride on the hoods, but I use the drops for descending ALWAYS!!! I also use the drops if I am really trying to go fast, ride aggressively, or into a headwind. For the limited racing I've done, most of the riding was in the drops.

When I did my 600k, I found myself on the tops for the last 150 miles or so, which told me I needed a better bike fit!