Those old comfortable 3-speeds typically had much shorter top tubes than we find today. That's why you feel closer to the bars. They were not performance oriented, but practical vehicles designed to be used along side other bikes en masse. So, a heads up posture was a prime consideration or it might have been 'dominos' in a crash.

Today, you can put NR's/Albatross/Priest, etc., on an mtb or one of several retro type bikes and still have a slightly forward posture because they can go up to 2" longer. Better for the back to have a little arch.

Alot of the problems associated with handlebars is because of the wrist pronation and alignment. Drops, while efficient at speed, have no long distance natural position at all. That's why we squirm on them and that's why alot of people say they have no problems with them - because they have multiple hand positions. A Paradox? Or, an irony?

I rarely have problems with NR's on a century, but almost always see other riders with drops shaking out their hands. I do this when I use drops, too. Is it a fit issue? Or, is it the fact that people are sold something that they believe is the right product? I think mine are dialed-in as good as can be for a tour bike - tops level with saddle and 5" of drop with the grips jus clearing the top tube, pointing at the top of the rear rim.

I think the bottom line is wrist and arm position. If things are in the right position, synergy occurs. I've heard those Nitto Noodles ( a drop bar ) are very good, although, if I had the tooling and money, I would go further along those lines, adding more sweep at the tops and more flair at the drops. Similar to Midge bars. Anything to get away from twisting the wrists either across the body or outward, in-line with the road, chimp-like.