I think history will show that Mixtes were marketed as a girls bike in the USA. When I was stationed overseas in Germany and Italy they were marketed as a Working Man's bike. To be sure the frame is very strong. They had beefy breaks and baskets front and rear with the rider more in an upright position. I never saw a Mixty over there with drop bars. As a matter of fact I never saw a Mixty over there that wasn't loaded to the hilt with someone huffing along or pushing it along in a walk.