Drop the bars!
I fitted my Swift with drop bars some time ago and have been reasonably pleased with the result. It did mean having to relocate the twistgrip shifter as drop bars have a bigger outside diameter than do flat bars. If you trawl back through this forum you will see that I used a 'T' bar which bolted to the stem riser just below the handlebars to house the gear selector. This has worked but it did mean having to move my right hand away from the 'bars to change gear. This was not a big problem but I wanted something simpler.
A few years ago you could buy 'bar ends that converted flat bars into drops. Sadly the firm that produced them went out of business. However they are back! SJS Cycles in the UK stock them so I took the plunge and bought a pair. Please excuse the photo's as they were taken in my back yard as I was fitting the 'bar ends and there is a bit of a cluttered background.
I used a pair of flat bars that I had previously fitted to the Swift. One thing to note is that although the flat bars will allow the twistgrip to slide on, the bars do have a bulge in the middle to give them a snug fit into a stem. This bulge gradually tapers towards the centre of the bars so the twistgrip will only slide so far towards the stem.
I attached the bar ends to the bars and positioned them so that they were the right width and angle for my style of riding. Only then did I cut the bars to length.
I used a pair of Tektro brake levers - designed to work with 'V' brakes - and positioned them on the bends. Note that the bar ends are the same diameter as the drops so the brake hoods are not a flush fit.
Once things were in place I attached the cables and 'bar tape.
I think the assembly looks good and gets rid of excess ironware to house the twistgrip. As I mentioned, the drops are a smaller diameter than standard drop 'bars so the brake hoods do not sit flush with the tape. I will see how things go and may put another layer of tape on to add a bit of padding.
I haven't had the chance to try the new arrangement out yet but I hope to get out for a ride later this week and shall report back!