Just as two--make that three--data points: I went to the LBS for a hybrid but knew I would have to get a road bike as soon as I saw them (it was some kind of magic magnetic pull or something
). Then my brother and sister-in-law decided to start cycling. He got a hybrid and she got a recumbent. Six months later he has a road bike and she has a (different) hybrid but is looking at road bikes. So I'm just saying...go road early and save money.