Yupe. For the drop to be comfortable, the fit needs to be dialed in.

I don't have a problem with drops, but I haven't used them in a long time. One of my bikes has a flat bar, the other has a bullhorn bar with brifters. The flat bar bike is more comfortable than the one with the bullhorn bar, and I've ridden several metric centuries, one near imperial century, and one full imperial century on it - but the bullhorn bar bike is noticeably faster (usually average 1.5 - 2km/h faster when riding it). Still, my next bike, if and when I buy one, will be a full road or cyclocross bike with drops, as I feel I'm pretty much at the limit of what I can do performance wise with the bikes I've got (since they're both far from being light).

I am a roadie at heart and a long distance touring cyclist by trade. Drop bars feel like a part of me. I enjoy all of the hand positions they offer and relief from headwinds when needed. But for short hops any bars will do.

I tried flat bars with bar ends on one long tour and they were OK. They would be my second choice.

The weather this March is a perfect example of why drop bars are so nice. The wind has been blowing constantly, with gusts in the 20-35 mph range many days. In a headwind, drop bars will really make it easier to ride and allow you to go faster.

I like them. Specifically FSA wing pro compact. The flat tops and the shallow drops make them the most confortable drop bars ever. I have three bikes with them.

BUT, you might not.

My favorite touring setup is flat bars with controls on the barends:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5270/5...9167de5c_b.jpg

I haven't noticed a big need for more hand positions since I use so many hand signals communicating with car drivers... :)

ya, IMO it's a bunch of baloney. when i was younger i mowed lawns for a living, 6-8 hours a day, five days a week. much, much more force on the ONE and only hand position on the mower handle. not to mention it was vibrating like a jackhammer. never needed drop bars on it. or on my eight and nine day cross-country trips on my motorcycles. and how about the motocrossers. do THEY need drops with those oh, so important multiple hand positions? i think not. :) i could go on you know..

like the one and only position on ski poles, carrying a 12 ga. for hour after hour grouse hunting. pulling my kid around in a wagon. no drops on that thing. no drops on metal detectors or F1 steering wheels, or mtb handlebars and believe you me there is much much more trauma to the hands off road than on road. bascarts at the grocery store? FLATBAR. no drops at the gas pump. no drops on my hammers or wrenches. wheelbarrow. lot of pressure there and no drops. or the shovel, rake, hoe or axe either.

"oh, mom i can't finish my peas because my spoon doesn't have drops on it, my hands are too tired". please!

and "mr. golf pro? don't you have any drivers with drops on them? i can't seem to get any distance at all on this POS flat handled one."

there's more.... but i've exhausted myself. :)

"Just drop that spoon, use your fingers!" If you got a shopping cart, why to cycle?

I'm not saying you *need* to have all the hand positions on a drop bar, but for me at least they are useful to have.
YMMV.

If I was obsessed about hand positions I'd probably make some monstrosity of a trekking bar setup, with drops welded/bolted on and aero bars...and bar ends all over it.

i prefer the twitchyness and improved balance of a flat bar in city traffic. i prefer the (cornering) stability and more aero position of a drop when i do longer rides.