I considered this type of modification on my Schwinn, but the added expense turned me off of the idea. Also, I really wanted brifters instead of barcons, adding even more expense. Instead I went with trekking bars, which gave me a number of added hand positions, and allowed me to use the controls that came with the bike. I can even get into an "aero" position by grabbing the forward part of the bars and resting my forearms on the grips. Of course, they aren't drop bars, but IMHO they are a good alternative. Besides the bars themselves and the bar tape, the only extra expense was a longer stem: