I'd ignore it. Way more choices in 700c. And I like the 26's on my Safari because I can easily find 2" knobby/studs for winter.

Maybe that some people ride in the city? I spent 98% of my time on the hoods of my old cross bike;I rarely used the tops and never used the drops. I can't ride very far without having to stop at an intersection,so the multiple hand positions are moot. Also,we don't get that many windy days,so I don't need to tuck. On the other hand,brifters are much more expensive that flat bar controls,so a drop bar bike with equal groupo would be more expensive than it's flat bar equivalent.

So maybe they were thinking,hey,let's build a general purpose bike for riding around town?

Looked at two Charges the other year when I was thinking of replacing my stolen cross bike. Thought they were kind of heavy(yes,I know they're steel,I'm comparing to my old Sutra) and they didn't have the tire clearance my cross bike had.