I hear tell the Dutch like these, but they are not common in UK, and a Google on "Butterfly Bars" or "Trekking Bars" returns little of interest in UK.
What will these Butterfly Bars do? I have found
http://www.wallbike.com/oddsnends/synergic.html
or these HB-400 bars?
http://www.kalloyuno.com/bike-handlebars-03.htm
The Dawes http://www.dawescycles.com/dawes/kara-kum.htm
seems to have butterflies, but the picture is not clear, I have not seem them in the flesh, and I am looking for a much less upright cycling position than taht bike is set up for.
At 55 years old I am getting back into cycling on a Trek 800 (Straight Bars) to which I have fitted city tyres. The immobility of my hands I find a big limitation. As a teenager I had a Falcon with drops - I used the bike mostly for commuting so rarely got right down.
I have been considering buying a Trek 1000c or a Ridgeback World Horizon to which the LBS will fit an adjustable stem and bar top levers. I plan to keep the bars fairly high - at least initially.
But maybe Butterfly Bars are the answer for me? If I spend a lot of time on the bar tops, extra brake pulls are an asset, but I would still have to go to the hoods for a gear change - unless I have bar end shifters.
My Falcon 40 years ago had traditional shifters - bar end shifters seem a little more convenient if you have drops but don't get right down often, but I still find the idea a little odd.
Can anyone advise me on options, suppliers, and point me to informative webpages?
I want to use the bike for general and enjoyable cycling and as a fitness aid. I want something lighter and faster than my Trek 800.