I found it easier to control the bike with the flat bars, but I put on road bars because I wanted to have multiple hand positions and because I like the stretched out feel with my hands on the hoods. I've found road bar handling to be very quick esp. at slow speeds: not out of control, but I do have to pay a lot more attention if I'm trying to navigate through narrow openings or ride on narrow paths. But this may also be due to the bar's narrowness. At speed, in a straight line, both bars feel the same. At speed, while turning, I turn more quickly with road bars.