Things that should have been obvious, but I've recently discovered

[OakLeaf]

I'm still not getting it. Do you at least have your thumbs up in the hooks? Or do your first two fingers actually cross your thumbs???

I mean, I just went back to my bike and tested to make sure I'm not crazy. I've got nice short-and-shallow Ritchey Biomax bars. R700 brifters with the shorter wedge in them. My hands aren't THAT small, I have no trouble with the throw shifting my triple FD from either the hoods or the hooks. From the hooks, I can get the levers comfortably, securely with three fingers and the fourth touching to add power as soon as I bring the lever in a little. From the drops, there's over an inch between the tip of my index finger and the tip of the lever. I am really not getting how you guys are doing it!!!