My significant other recently bought a Specialized Globe Live 2 Mixte (but removed the front rack)



While she's in love with the bike, she feels the handlebars are far too wide, and that they sweep back too far. She would like to replace the handlebars with something more suited to longer rides, with the option for a more forward-leaning position should she choose so.

My question is this: for touring/randonneuring mixtes, what sort of handlebars are recommended? She's coming from a (far too small) hybrid bike with flat bars.

We plan to do overnight touring (50-100k each way), and regularly go out for long day rides. She also commutes ~12k every day.

Before you buy anything, flip those bars upside down. If that doesn't work, check out the Velo Orange site. They have a ton of "alt" bars.

Figure 8 bend trekking bars are a good choice for touring .. you keep all the shift /brake levers,
often cables and all.. particular benefit with Grip shifters, like on that bike shown,

offering, near, far and side grips and the places in between too..


Lots of bars bent to essentially be a few Degrees of sweep off straight..

perhaps Coming from, as you say, a hybrid bike with flat bars, that is familiar..

Note : if you visit a bike shop you can hold them in your hands, and over the stem
to judge 1st hand.

if you opt for the sweep/riser MTB style bar there are grips like Ergon, to make the grip broad,

rather than round. nice on longer rides..

More forward leaning can be achieved with a stem change or adjustable stem. But, if you change the stem, I would suggest you make the changes one at a time, first the bar. Then if changing the bar is not enough, then the stem.