I rode this Trek 7200 hybrid from Mexico to Canada. I liked the riser handlebars because my hands hurt too much with my old "touring" bike. I then tried adding Aerobars and for my next 1500 mile trip (shown here) to further reduce the stress on my hands. Worked great. I also switched to 28c tires from 38c for less rolling resistance. The small chain ring is 22 tooth for the mountain passes.