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should the drops be level with the ground?
The drops should be whatever angle they feel comfortable to you at, I think mine are around 10 deg upwards, many are higher.
i always used to think that... i now run with the tops level with the groud and the hoods angled slightly up.... much more comfy
OP sit on the bike with the bras loose in the stem, then position yourself in the drops and see what's comfy. A balance between not sliding off the back and not feeling pushed to the front is what I aim for.
Then set sti position
Usually level or slight angle, if they're like 20deg+ then you're probably doing it as an easy way to rotate the hoods up as the bike doesn't fit properly...
some bars are quite different to others.
I have the same bars on both bikes and they are at quite different angles. (mostly due to a 10mm shorter ETT)
cheers guys will play with it tonight.
I was told they're always somewhere between horisontal and pointing at the rear dropout and set them up on that basis.
i have the tops flat so i can rest my forearms along them, and the drops at whatever angle that makes them - if i'm on the drops i'm usually forward so i can reach the brakes anyway, really only use the ends if it's particularly windy or i need a change of position.
make the bits you use most of the time work for your style of riding.
Theres a million different types of drop bar shapes so no hard and fast rule. I set mine up to be comfortable on the tops since thats where i spend most of my time, and that means they are flat.
cycnic-al,I prefer the "bras" to be out of position,but your "not sliding off the back" is good advice.
Used to point them at the back axle, and then adjust from there for comfort.