Riser bars vs flat bars - what difference do they make?

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Location
Rammy
Mornin'

I'm trying to get my wife's bike (and mine) a slightly better fit now that we're a bit older and a lot less fit than we were.

I'm running a long stem and riser bars, she's running a short stem and flat bars but is a little stretched out while I feel slightly squashed.

I had flat bars once in the 90s but have had risers since as that was the trend and then what subsequent bikes came with.

But what difference do they make to the control and handling of the bike?

I'm debating swapping bars with the wife to see how we get on.
 
I switched from flats to On One Mary and found that the swept back handhold unwound a lot of tension in my arms.
For smaller riders you can move the controls in and cut off the excess width.
Your wife may be riding a bike that is too long in the top tube.
 
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