For some reason a rule stands out in my head....only ride your drops when you are going down hills....on flat ground ride the brake hoods, and uphills put all of your weight towards the back of the bike, and little weight on your handlebars (holding your handle bars on the front portion near the stem).

I'd disagree that aerobars are not valuable in sprints or oly races (unless they're uphill)...from my limited experience (3 oly's), i noticed it can be the difference between pedaling and not pedaling to keep a particular speed on a downhill...extrapolating that to other grades, it must be pretty valuable to your speed in general and the way you feel hopping off the bike...

I've just got aero bars and i've found that effort vs speed, there's a fair amount of difference, especially in windy conditions..
And I dont know about over there, but in my part of the world almost all sprints/oly's are non drafting..

Depending on your bike's set up (make sure you have proper fit), riding in the drops may compress your hip angle and possibly take a little pwoer away. Also, the aero position, with a foward seat can make a big difference in a short race as you can really hammer the quads on the bike and save the hammies for the run. It may only be a few seconds or minutes gained, but look at the time differences in a sprint or oly -- every second counts.

I'll climb in areo for all but the steepest climbs. I feel like I have more power that way. Don't have a powermeter - so don't really know. I use the drops on a fast downhill if it is technical.

Per Charmichael: "The most economical climbing position is seated with your hands on the top of the handlebars....Not only is your heart rate lower but you also breathe more easily because your upper body is not crunched up." (Friel also makes this point. Pg 76 "Going Long")
Friel: "For all athletes there is a trade off between power and aerodynamics. When you need to make a choice between the two.you are usually best served by choosing power.It takes alot of aero to overcome any material loss in power." And "Keep in mind there is no right bike or right position....As pro and elite age-groupers show,a wide range of setups can be both comfortable and powerful." More: In setting up your position,remember that nothing matters as much as achieving one that is comfortable." Still more:Generally the steeper setups that are appropriate for bullhorns don't climb as well..."
And finally..."So long as your bike is both safe and comfortable,you'll be fine."
From the USA Cycling Level Coaches manual: "Although aerodynamics is important to the racing cyclist they should not be overemphasized. Many gadgets and gimmicks claim to cut the wind for cyclists, but the aero advantage comes primarily at the higher speeds maintained by elite cyclists. It does not make sense for a NOVICE (emphasis mine) rider to spend money on equipment that reduces air resistance in an effort to increase speed."
Find what works for you as we all have...comfortable and powerful....with of course the underlying theme being,"Bike handling skills or Hospital bills!"

Great point. I agree that it may not be the diffrence between being a mid-packer and an elite, but having more energy off the bike to run is a key part of shaving time.

Is there any one who has made the transition from drops to a clip on aerobar who has seen improvements in performance?

Jeff

I think it depends of your goals and kind of races.

If you're a finisher and no matter with your ranking perhaps better save your money for another think.
On second place if most of the race your are planing to do is allowed drafting better save your forces inside the group :rolleyes: and if you give relief you can use the drops for this short times;) .