I ride just about anything without a problem...for some, it comes down to preferences and comfort...everybody is different. Most of the time I see, including myself, people riding on the hoods and not in the drops...even in the TdF they are mostly on the hoods. BUT for longer distances, drops are the way to go...the weight shift/body position significantly affects your ability to ride in comfort for a longer period of time. That being said, I enjoy riding my 3-speed and cruiser bikes just as much with their old school sprung seats and north road handlebars and when I'm at the farm...jumping on the mtn bikes with their flat bars and hitting the dirt roads along the creek...fun stuff.