Bought first bike in 20 years, need some advice...

FYI. You can ALWAYS retrofit your FLAT BAR bike with DROP handlebars + appropriate shifters ...

FWIW. Here is a MTB frame (i.e., FLAT BAR bike) which was outfitted with 700c wheels, Drop handlebars & Campagnolo shifters ... [IMG ALT=""]http://www.cyclingforums.com/content/type/61/id/274849/width/350/height/700[/IMG] Here is another previously-a-MTB prior to being cabled/etc. ... [IMG ALT=""]http://www.cyclingforums.com/content/type/61/id/275269/width/350/height/700[/IMG] The caveat is that you need to determine what forward reach works-for-you ... and so, you may need a shorter stem ... trial-and-error is often your friend when fitting a Road bike to the rider. BTW. I installed a Road fork on the both bikes because I already had them ... YOU don't have to change your fork, but you will probably need to change the bike's current V-brakes to either mini V-brakes or Cantilever brake calipers -- mini V-brakes have the same cable "pull" as regular Road calipers.

I think it depends on your goals. I also bought a hybrid and rode it for a few months. I found myself enjoying the riding but not pushing all the wind from sitting so upright. I found myself wanting to go farther and faster, with more varied terrain. Bear in mind, I was doing this for exercise but ended up being bitten with the "joy of cycling" bug.

To make sure I was serious, I bought my first road bike used from Craigslist for $200. I had a complete makeover done by a mechanic for another $100 or so, added new tires and a new stem and then put about 3000 miles on it over the next 18 months. A year ago, I bought my first new road bike, upgrading to a Fuji Gran Fondo in carbon with a decent group on it (complete 105) and I've been riding it ever since; I also reconfigured my old bike for my wife. She now rides with me, occasionally.

Your mileage may vary but I think you need to decide what you're trying to accomplish.

Good luck!

Brian in VA

Many people, myself included, have been in the same position. People get hybrids for a first bike because it's a safe bet that allows them to use one machine for all types of riding. Like yourself, what ended up drawing my interest was longer and faster road rides. The obvious solution was to simply buy a road bike. I now use the hybrid for light mountain biking and as a spare bike when my friends that don't have good bikes want to go for a casual ride. I do not regret that purchase path at all and would not do anything differently if able to do it over.

With that said, the riding season is almost over. In another month it's going to start getting too dark to ride during the week (assuming you work a normal 9-5 job) and a month after that it'll be getting too cold to ride comfortably at all (unless you live down south, in which case just disregard all of that). Go back to the bike shop you liked and see if they have any great deals on old 2014 models they want to get rid of. It's likely they do, this is a good time of the year to go bike shopping. Even if they don't, start test riding stuff. If they do shop group rides, ask if you can test ride a road bike you like on one of the rides (90% of shops will let you do this). If you don't find anything you just have to have right now, keep riding the hybrid, save money over the winter, and wait until next year to buy something. There's no rush to get a road bike this late in the season, especially since you just bought a bike.

I might just go ahead and begin my look for a road bike and keep the hybrid as a spare and to travel. Funny you should mention the 9-5...I am off from October-March, I fix hail damaged cars all over the states the rest of the year. Knoxville, TN....stays pretty warm here : ) Thanks for all the advice, I'm sure I'll be posting some pics soon of some bikes I'm looking at to get the community response and advice! Great first experience on the forum!

If you have money to burn then go out and get a road bike, otherwise I agree with Alfeng about just replacing the bars.

Personally since you haven't had the bike long is to continue to use the bike as is or get the bars, then once you've been riding for about 2 years and find that you love riding and do so frequently and you saved some decent amount of cash then go out and get a nice road bike. Just going out on a panic rush to buy a road bike and spending $700 or so for it will only want you to upgrade to a better road bike in 2 to 3 years anyways!! So I would wait and find out if you still like riding in 2 to 3 years and save up money to buy a really nice road bike.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Froze
If you have money to burn then go out and get a road bike, otherwise I agree with Alfeng about just replacing the bars.

And combination shift/brake levers. And the brake levers won't pull enough cable to effectively actuate the linear pull brakes. But for that you can buy "travel agents."

And then there's the difference in fitness bike geometry. For a given effective size, the top tubes on fitness bikes and sportier mountain bikes are longer due to the lack of reach (about 7-8 cm) of the handlebar, and the use of shorter stems. Not that much longer, because the torso angle of the rider is more horizontal, but longer. Alf's conversions fit alf because his frames are small and he doesn't have problems reaching a little lower than many of us for his handlebar. He's also using pretty short stems on these small frames. So add the cost of a much shorter stem to this conversion.

I think Chad has the right idea. Get a road bike for the big rides and save the hybrid for lighter chores.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by oldbobcat
And combination shift/brake levers. And the brake levers won't pull enough cable to effectively actuate the linear pull brakes. But for that you can buy "travel agents."

And then there's the difference in fitness bike geometry. For a given effective size, the top tubes on fitness bikes and sportier mountain bikes are longer due to the lack of reach (about 7-8 cm) of the handlebar, and the use of shorter stems. Not that much longer, because the torso angle of the rider is more horizontal, but longer. Alf's conversions fit alf because his frames are small and he doesn't have problems reaching a little lower than many of us for his handlebar. He's also using pretty short stems on these small frames. So add the cost of a much shorter stem to this conversion.

I think Chad has the right idea. Get a road bike for the big rides and save the hybrid for lighter chores.

The OP can always take his hybrid in and have the LBS check to see if they can convert it and make it fit, not much of an issue; personally I think the OP would be fine if he researched it a bit more. Or there is a cheaper alternative...keep the bars as is and add bar ends; see this for how it would look: http://www.urbancyclist.com/articleimages/A384-3.jpg This would allow him to change hand positions and get into a more aero position. I just think (note, that means a personal opinion which means I'm not saying I'm right), that he should ride what he has for another 2 or so years and save more money and get a nice road bike instead of spending $700 or so for a road bike only to have to replace it AGAIN in 2 to 3 years.