I mostly ride for recreation and enjoy my club ride every Saturday. I feel much improved from when I started 4 months ago and I now want to challenge a few segments on Strava,lol...I seem to average between 15.5-17.5 mph accounting for terrain and conditions. I wear baggy mt bike shorts, but will be getting real road shorts this week. Another thing I believe can help someone get faster is using drops as opposed to hoods on the handlebar. Honestly speaking, I'm not use to using drops besides short burst when I sprint. To me, it just feels too far from the brakes to use constantly. Do you use the drop handlebars for long stretches and does it feel comfortable and safe to do so?Also, how much faster do you think using the drop bars make you?