I have to go with Stapfam on this. My flat bar was no higher than many "plush or relaxed" road bikes. My Jamis was more relaxed. My first Lapierre was built from frame up but it was almost too agressive for me. About a year and a half later I built a Carbon Fiber Lapierre Sensium 400. More relaxed and a better century bike, for me at the time. Two years after than a car took out my Lapierre and I had to rebuild again. But by then a more agressive bike was once again in the cards. I now ride a Tarmac and use it for all my century rides. I have switched to 25mm tires but other than that it works just like from the factory. That being said we do have riders that ride bikes like the Roubaix simply because it is more upright and laid back. If you get a road bike that fits you will go a long way towards being comfortable with drop bars. We could explain that if you are supporting too much weight on your wrists and arms you are set up wrong but that can only be learned because it is hard to believe.