I'm grateful to Sister Linda for her support -- for my hands in this case. The stock handlebars are too wide and too far away from me, not to mention almost devoid of cushion. This new "butterfly" handlebar offers more places to put my hands, cushy grips and it puts the controls closer to me.
Also, note that the brake levers and shifters are now protected inside the loop of the handlebar. I looked at kickstands, but all the ones I could find to fit this odd frame were too heavy. So every time I stop for a picture or to pick berries or something, I'll have to lay the bike down. I've broken brake levers on previous bikes because they were exposed.
Finally, I now have a much better place to hang camping gear when it cools down enough to try bikepacking again. They make strap-rolls that hang from the handlebars to avoid the extra weight of a front rack. Besides, those racks don't fit well on this kind of frame.
