Originally Posted by 79pmooney

Two related suggestions from a guy who has done that two story lug a few times. Drop handlebars are much narrower and easy to deal with in tight spaces. They do not have to be low. There are stems with considerable up-angle. It is well worth asking about this as a change. And if you go that route, you can add "in-line" levers to your brakes that will give you 100% of your braking from the tops of the handlebars, much like the old "extension levers, but much better and safer. They are roughly $35, so probably $50 total for levers and installation.

And you may find you like them. If you become more comfortable and faster, moving them a little lower and spending more time on the forward and down parts will cost you nothing.

I love dropped handlebars. I don't for a second say that everyone should use them. But wide handlebars in narrow spaces gets old fast! And that staircase will be dealt with before your coffee kicks in and after a long day.

Ben