The last time I rode a drop bar bike was back when many bikes had 10 speed drivetrains. That's 10 speeds total combinations!

The bike I rode back then wasn't uncomfortable. However, I essentially never used the drops. About the only time I went into the drops was for fast descents and (standing) sprints. I keep reading of riders using the drops for extended distances. That simply wasn't an option for me - given the chance, I'd want to retreat to the top of the bars. I also didn't ride "on the hoods", though the old Dia-Compe levers weren't built for that to begin with.

I'm trying to analyze how I fit or didn't fit on that bike. I'm thinking that the handle bars were too far a reach, too low, or both. Would it be safe to say that the bike was too long, i.e. the top tube was too long? Back when that bike was bought for me, bikes didn't really come in a variety of geometries. It was simply: "You can stand over the top bar? You can contort yourself to reach the bars? Good, then this bike fits."