Originally Posted by
greatbasin
I presently ride a bike with "North Road" style bars. I've had in mind to get something like a Surly Trucker, Kona Sutra, Cinelli Hobootleg, Fuji Touring, bike with the intention of swapping out the drop bar for something with sweep like porteur bars or my north road style bars. What I've found is that if I did that, I'd still be leaned pretty far forward and down.
Have you been riding that Bianchi you bought? Is it a comfortable fit for you? How high is your saddle compared to your handlebars? I find I prefer my handlebars to be level or slightly higher than my saddle. If your handlebars are lower than your saddle, a different stem may help.
I often ride with my hands resting on the hoods of the brake levers and find that to be a very comfortable position for long distances.
I do agree switching different handlebars for drop bars involves much more than simply switching the bars. Both the height and the distance to the seat need to be adjusted to properly fit.
BTW: I've noticed the geometry on my newish mountain bike is very different than my vintage mountain bike. I wonder if the geometry of newer touring bikes has changed much. My new mountain bike has me in a much more upright position. The 2006 road bike I usually tour with is described as a "comfort" bike. It's geometry puts me slightly more upright than my other road bike. I feel comfortable on all my bikes.
My touring bike
My "bikepacking" bike