There are an awful lot of folks who buy a roadster and then ride around with their hands apparently welded into the drops; they're there...I must have to use them.
This is perhaps due to the fact that many folks are appallingly ignorant of basic bike fit and practice because a bike is just something you buy and ride. That's what they did as kids, anyway.
If you're hurting because you're riding "bent over" as one poster said....You're doing it wrong. Or, the bike doesn't fit. That's all there is to it. A properly set-up and adjusted bike should allow you to ride comfortably in any position. The normal riding position on a roadster is "on the hoods". That's why modern brake/shifter units are ergonomically designed for your hands.
Top of the bar for climbing, and drops for wind cheating and speedy descents.
Watch pro road racers sometime. Cruising in the peloton...Everyone is on the hoods.