Not really a mistake if it's what you want. It is an added expense, though, and starts to take away from the value (I'm assuming this is one of the reasons you went with the Randonee). Flat bar with barends and 9sp shifter/brake pods will run at least $100. If you don't like the drops, you could always think about taking the bike back to REI (a.k.a. Return Every Item) and buy a Safari, which comes with trekking bars. Or, just decide that you got a good deal on the bike and are willing to upgrade a few things. After all, you can always sell the barely-used parts and make back some of your money.