jim haseltine
Senior Retro Guru
Along with a saddle pitched so nose down that it's steeper than a ski jump ramp.
I'm surprised that there weren't some more ergonomic bar and lever combinations available, for touring/audax type bikes in particular, but it seems not, really (specifically thinking about flatter tops on drops).
I think I'm right in saying the much more comfortable modern levers and bars only really came about with the advent of STI/Ergopower shifting, because the hoods had to be chunkier to contain the shifting mechanism - so that wasn't even about comfort to begin with!
I remember Colin Lewis, in a 'Cycling' training article, saying having your levers like that was like riding with a pair of six-guns. He recommended levers were a lot lower.today's yoof seem to like having levers placed where the top of the hood is almost vertical. Don't ask why - it's probably what some utube influencer says.