How important is standover height?

[venacava]

About the position of shifters.

I'm assuming you meant to write "position of <i>brakes</i>", as bar-ends are bar-ends, and they can only have one position...on the ends of the bars.

To me, they are a little bit higher. I imagine that it will be very difficult for me to apply brakes with my hands either on hoods or on the drops, especially when going downhill.

As I said before, hands-on-hoods is my default position; I apply brakes from that angle all the time.