Let's get real... drops don't determine a bike's capabilities (notice the almost upright position of almost every rider... tops of bars almost level with saddle height) nor does it's use of double of triple chainrings. A bike doesn't have to conform to the aesthetics of a 'race bike' in order to perform at the speeds traveled by the average boy-racer-weekend-warrior. You either have the gearing to enable you to maintain speed on the flats yet be able to climb inclines or you don't. It doesn't matter, in the realm of amateur group rides, whether you have 30 speeds or 6, or whether your bike has road, mountain or touring geometry. What matters is that you have enough of a gearing spread to handle most conditions and that your bike is comfortable enough for you to handle the moderate distances and speeds these "group rides" cover. Sure my BF NWT is better suited to handle these conditions than something like my lowly Citizen Miami, but the latter is capable of easily covering >50 miles in less than 3 hours... with traffic stops... it will easily keep up with the ignorant group riders that Leisesturm mentioned. So yea, I'm more than a little amused with some of these responses when it comes to recommendations for amateur group rides that push a road bike agenda over the capabilities of a well set up folder.