Hybrid Bicycles - Got the wrong bike -- darn hybrid!

Six months ago I got my first bike in 30 years. I'm 62, and in the kind of shape you'd imagine for someone who hasn't ridden a bike in a long time. I thought I'd need a hybrid because: I have chronic back problems, I have no interest in racing -- I want to see the scenery as I ride fairly leisurely -- and I didn't want to spend much money on something I wasn't sure I'd stick with. I got a Jamis Coda Sport, and I think it's a fine bike. But...

There are a few things that make me think I made the wrong decision and should have bought a road bike. First, the lack of options for hand position is driving me crazy, and causing a lot of discomfort. Secondly, it's not very aerodynamic. Not that I am myself, and I'm sure that as I ride more, I will get more out of the bike. But I've really begun to notice the effect of the wind on my upright body. I am having no back problems at all, and think that I could ride in a bit more aggressive position. But... here's another but....

I don't have the funds to buy a road bike right now. Plus, the bike was a gift from my wife, and if I turn up with a different bike, well, that would lead to all kinds of complications. So my question to you is, what can I do to make the bike I have ride more like a road bike, until I can actually get the bike I now know I want? I'm thinking a much better wheelset is the best option. Suggestions?

I'd expect higher performance tires to have more of an effect than new wheels. And they have the advantage of being cheaper, less noticeable, and more easily explained since tires do wear out regularly (and yours may even be worn out legitimately). If you ride fast then the reduced air resistance of narrow tires is a benefit, otherwise concentrate on low rolling resistance. Slick tread is good as are supple, very flexible sidewalls so less energy is lost as the tire flexes in the area of the contact patch.

To get a riding position that's more like a road bike you could lower the bars and possibly add some bar ends which would give you an additional hand position and better aerodynamics.

^^ +1^^
wheelsets won't make near the difference tires will. ergo bar ends will definitely help relieve arm stress.
now as for the NEW bike,(a) you can tell your wife the doctor said a road bike would be better for your back. it's true the arch will be good for your back, think of why bridges have arches. also bumps will be absorbed better than if your back is straight up.
(b) have your bike stolen and when you go to replace it come home with a new roadie.

"A much better wheelset" could very well be close to the purchase price of an entry level road bike.

If you want 'aero' and more hand positions, you have essentially two options. First, a trekking bar (like the one from Nashbar) will offer plenty of additional hand positions, you can stretch forward, and retain all of your current controls. Second option would be to use a clip on aerobar on your flat bar.

The Coda Sport is well specced for a hybrid, the wheels are fine and it has unusually good tyres for a hybrid. There is no value to be gained by upgrading unless components are worn out.
You can alter the handlebars for more positions. The options are:
Add bar ends
Add clip-on aerobars
Replace with a trekking/butterfly style.

Drop-bar conversions are too expensive to be worthwhile.

I would advise the trekking bar but between the 2 bar add-ons, I would consider aerobars. In a race, aerobars are set low for aerodynamics. Many flat-bar tourists set them high to avoid the parachute effect of spread arms when using bar ends.

New tires and bar ends will help considerably.

Either bar ends or new handlebars. I put trekking handlebars on mine, and I'm somewhat technically challenged, so if I can do it without killing myself, then anyone can do it!

Ergon grips with their integrated bar ends will probably be the easiest solution, since you only have to take off the old grips and put on the new grip. A step up in difficulty would be putting new bar ends or aero bar attachments onto your handlebar. The next stage of difficulty is installing new handlebars of a type that are compatible with your current brakes and shifter, like a trekking bar or bullhorn bar. The final stage, which would involve changing shifters and/or brakes, and possibly cables as well, would be to install actual drop handlebars that are compatible with the 25.4 MTB stems (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=node%3D2232464011&field-keywords=25.4+drop+bars). Then replace all the MTB style shifters and brakes with road versions.

Whichever one you choose, after you've installed it, fiddle with the stem height and bar (or bar end) tilt till you feel comfortable.

Edit: It looks like your Coda Sport doesn't have the problem that mine did, of having the brake cable routed through the stem, so changing bars should be even easier for you, since you can raise/lower the stem without having to readjust the brake every time. :)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Iq49d2Ep0Pc/T_SwSlK48LI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/88Z6Ie8QRpU/s640/DSCF0002.JPG

If you look at the "extended" bar ends on my Jamis Allegro 1, (btw, I have the same bar ends on my Jamis Coda Sport), they may look a bit funky but it gives me "3" different hand positions and REALLY helps when going uphill! These extended bar ends are made by a company called: Origin 8 and cost less than $20 dollars. I also have Ergon GP-1 grips that make reg. bar more comfortable, I went to 700cX28 tires on the Coda Sport and 700cX25 road tires on the Allegro 1. FYI, YMMV.

Hi, dartfrogger! What happened to you is quite common, people start out as new riders thinking they want a more upright biking position, then realizing the "advantages" or appeal of road bikes. If you really get into riding a lot you'll probably find you'll need (or at least be happier with) more than one bike. You can work with your Jamis for now. New tires, as was suggested, handlebars and bar ends, ergon grips offer more hand comfort. Consider getting refitted to the bike in a more aero position, where they raise the seat, drop and extend the bars, and stretch you out out a bit more. My fitter did this for my Cannondale hybrid, and it greatly improved the ride.

By the way, many of us here have road bikes, but still use and love our hybrids. Different bikes for different purposes. Do NOT get rid of the the bike your wife gave you as a gift! She'll just have to be pursuaded as to why you need a second bike... ;)

ta-da
http://www.amazon.com/Origin-Bicycle-Drop-Ends-Black/dp/B0013G6PB8

There is another bar option I saw not brought up (however everything else, the people here got you covered on!). Scott made a series called AT bars, if you could find them I'd reccomend the at-4 to you.

I guess AT stands for Aero-Trekking? That's what those bars put me in mind of. I'd never heard of them!

Edit: I guess a link would help. My Google-Fu was almost defeated by this one! (http://www.bikepro.com/products/handlebars/scott_combo.html)

I guess AT stands for Aero-Trekking? That's what those bars put me in mind of. I'd never heard of them!
No clue, but I love my At-2's although not appropriate for the OP.

ta-da
http://www.amazon.com/Origin-Bicycle-Drop-Ends-Black/dp/B0013G6PB8I installed these bar ends on my Rapid 3, and I love them. I don't use the drops enough to justify buying a road bike or installing a drop bar setup, so I will probably stick with this setup for awhile. At any rate, you certainly can't beat the price. I paid a little over $30 for the bar ends and some bar tape.

I'm in kind of a similar place. I'm also 62 and coming back to bikes after many years. I'd had a 1990 Rockhopper that I rarely rode anymore as it was set for mountain biking which I'm not much into anymore. In some ways it was a blessing that it recently was stolen as I was wanting to start riding again and it pushed me to get a new bike. A hybrid seemed just the ticket and with the help of the internet and having a number of good LBS's in our small college town I picked up a Trek 8.3DS. I do love this bike, it's reasonably fast and nimble and feels great on and off the road and the locking front shocks are a big help. However I'm finding myself noticing the lack of aerodynamics and the 30+# weight a hindrance especially in a headwind which we have a lot of here. I've got Ergons with integrated bar ends and they help a lot with comfort but not much with aerodynamics as it's too wide of a position. I've got road bike fever bigtime now but thankfully don't have to have only one bike although I'll have to sell some music gear to get the funds for a new road bike. I will take more time as the DS is a great bike and will keep me riding. I didn't realize how much I liked the open road and pushing myself and can see the possibilities of some extended riding in my future as I start to get in shape.
I don't see my hybrid as a mistake, more like a doorway into a new world. I don't think it's worth my money and time to convert my hybrid to a halfway there road bike, might as well go for the real thing and leave my hybrid as my all around bike.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'm off to the local bike shop now to discuss some options and maybe see some in person. I like the stolen bike option:) but that probably won't happen -- until I get my road bike, then karma will strike!

Better Grip/bar end: Ergon GR5, almost a trekking bar,
as they wrap around the front.. some..

after 30 some odd years touring on drop bar rigs, [& bike shop serf, to get road bikes]

I'm liking the trekking bar set [@64_3/4] a near and far grip, as well as the sides,
vs up and down + the brake hoods.

[sticking on those drop bar ends . put's a big Lump of the clamps on
where a comfortable handgrip should be..
[unless you put them in the center , first, then slide the shifters, brake levers, then grips on..]

I got rid of my road bike because of- leaning over puts MORE pressure on the hands that more positions does not always solve, You may be more aero leaning over but you are also more likely to get a stiff neck and stiff lower back, and you loose your field of vision with your head down. You can always lean over on your hybrid to get a lot of the aero benefits you are looking for and it takes the pressure off your hands. Plus, a road bike = less stable skinny tires with your head down it's just a matter of time before you fall and break your collarbone. I am constantly amused at people who get all decked out on a road bike to ride a short distance (less than 20 miles) on a bike trail. I'll take a hybrid any day over a road bike.

I got rid of my road bike because of- leaning over puts MORE pressure on the hands that more positions does not always solve, You may be more aero leaning over but you are also more likely to get a stiff neck and stiff lower back, and you loose your field of vision with your head down. You can always lean over on your hybrid to get a lot of the aero benefits you are looking for and it takes the pressure off your hands. Plus, a road bike = less stable skinny tires with your head down it's just a matter of time before you fall and break your collarbone. I am constantly amused at people who get all decked out on a road bike to ride a short distance (less than 20 miles) on a bike trail. I'll take a hybrid any day over a road bike.

Like many things, the type of bike one gets is a subjective choice. However, it's not entirely accurate to say that it's just a matter of time before someone falls with a road bike with 23 cm tires going down hill. I'm certainly not the most athletic bike rider out there, but my road bike has helped me gain fitness immensely over the 5 years I've been back into cycling. I have balance issues due to a congenital condition, but was still able to easily adapt to clipless pedals and the only time I've ever fallen because of them was at the end of a 70-mile ride when I didn't eat properly and was literally out of gas at the end and couldn't get my cleat to disengage.

Broken collarbones are a frequent injury from bad crashes, but as a member of two large NYC area clubs, I don't think I've ever run into anyone who's ever broken their collarbone. It's much more of a pro peleton hazard.

Watch out for those sweeping generalizations .. they are often wrong.
broke my clavicle at age 13, just ran out of pavement in a corner.
hit the gravel in the shoulder..
never been a pro racer.

bike had 26-1_3/8" tires , basically a 3 speed 'english' bike,
though made in Austria.

I got rid of my road bike because of- leaning over puts MORE pressure on the hands that more positions does not always solve, You may be more aero leaning over but you are also more likely to get a stiff neck and stiff lower back, and you loose your field of vision with your head down. You can always lean over on your hybrid to get a lot of the aero benefits you are looking for and it takes the pressure off your hands. Plus, a road bike = less stable skinny tires with your head down it's just a matter of time before you fall and break your collarbone. I am constantly amused at people who get all decked out on a road bike to ride a short distance (less than 20 miles) on a bike trail. I'll take a hybrid any day over a road bike.

Ohhhhh, I dunno.

I've got a hybrid that I'm using as a commuter. It's been just fine so far, but sometimes the headwinds are a pain in the butt. The chainstays are also a bit short. I had to do some creative mounting of the wald fold-up baskets I've got in order to avoid heel strike.

My wife and I have a deal. When I lose 50 lbs, I get a new bike. I'm thinking about getting a steel touring bike. I like the longer chainstays, and you aren't stuck using sub-30mm tires. Plenty of mounts for fenders, racks & such.

I'm not exactly sold on the drop bars, though. I was thinking some trekking bars mounted on whatever bike I wind up w/.

Edit: I've got a 40 mile r/t commute, so the trekking bars are lookin' pretty good to me right about now.

I got rid of my road bike because of- leaning over puts MORE pressure on the hands that more positions does not always solve, You may be more aero leaning over but you are also more likely to get a stiff neck and stiff lower back, and you loose your field of vision with your head down. You can always lean over on your hybrid to get a lot of the aero benefits you are looking for and it takes the pressure off your hands. Plus, a road bike = less stable skinny tires with your head down it's just a matter of time before you fall and break your collarbone. I am constantly amused at people who get all decked out on a road bike to ride a short distance (less than 20 miles) on a bike trail. I'll take a hybrid any day over a road bike.Hmm, I'd like to know what that bike was and how you had it set up.

Drop bars are damned sexy to me, but I'm not allowed to ride them, because my Dr. at the time made the generalization that all drop bar bikes are racing bikes w/aggressive geometries. My wife was standing there when he said I couldn't ride drops, and as I was ignorant myself at the time, I didn't argue. Now I know better, the Dr. has moved his practice out of the area, and my wife refuses to listen to my arguments.

Drop bars should be okay for anyone, if they get a longer adjustable stem to raise the bar height and maybe bring it back some, and/or tilt up the bars so that the hood top resting surface is at a much less horizontal angle. I think most of the problem folks have with drops, is just how the drops are positioned on the bike. You could even just flip them upside down for even more height relief!

I changed the flat bar on my hybrid to a trekking bar. The brakes and shifters fit perfectly and now I have a bunch of hand positions, maybe more than on drops. I got mine from Nashbar for about $20. It was plug and play - about 15 minutes to do the swap. http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_175533_-1___

How about an older used road bike from Craigslist? Will N+1 work?

I changed the flat bar on my hybrid to a trekking bar. The brakes and shifters fit perfectly and now I have a bunch of hand positions, maybe more than on drops. I got mine from Nashbar for about $20. It was plug and play - about 15 minutes to do the swap. http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_175533_-1___

Were you able to set up the bars without having to change the stem? Some people have to use a different stem, so just wondering if you're one of the lucky ones.:thumb:

Quick update: plan is to get fitting later in the week, along with Ergon bar ends, then evaluate things. Road bike fever may have abated by then. Not likely, but we'll see. And no, N+1 is not an option. She knows what's in the garage, and there's no way I can explain a second bike.

Watch out for those sweeping generalizations .. they are often wrong.
broke my clavicle at age 13, just ran out of pavement in a corner.
hit the gravel in the shoulder..
never been a pro racer.

bike had 26-1_3/8" tires , basically a 3 speed 'english' bike,
though made in Austria.


I wasn't referencing kid injuries, but rather what I've seen as a member of large cycling groups in the NYC area, one of which has more than 1,500 members. I have ne'er run across anyone who has had that injury as a result of a cycling accident.

Were you able to set up the bars without having to change the stem? Some people have to use a different stem, so just wondering if you're one of the lucky ones.:thumb:

I did not need to change the stem. The new bar diameter was the same as the old bar and the position was good.

Your situation sounds a lot like mine in 2010. I wanted something more responsive than my 1982 mountain bike, but as it was all 95% city riding for me, and I'm out of shape and over 60, so I figured upright bars and a hybrid. Wrist pain was never an issue with my mountain bike, but wrist pain an immediate and chronic issue on my hybrid which had a more straight handlebar than the old mb's bull moose style which sweap back a little. Ergon grips helped just a bit for me, but not enough.

This spring I switched to a butterfly/trekking style handebar bike. Huge difference. Lots of options with a butterfly bar as to how stretched out you want to be. No issues with having to bend my neck back to keep my head up. As many or more hand positions as a conventional dropped bar.

i am not to sure about the need for more hand positions if your only riding for an hour or so. i changed my old puch 10 speed to flat bars and 8 speed trigger shifters several years back because my neck would no longer tolerate the drop bars. no forward vision without pain. i ride for 1 to 1 1/2 hr and have no need for different positions with flat bars. i guess it depends on your goals and condition.. a few bike shops around my area will rent bikes, if that is an option, you can put some time on a road bike before you buy.

...and then there are those just plain ol' stubborn cusses who just flat Do. Not. Like. drops and won't have anything to do with them. Upright Forever!!

...and then there are those just plain ol' stubborn cusses who just flat Do. Not. Like. drops and won't have anything to do with them. Upright Forever!!
viva la revolucion
https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1onlLQSfG_X6GsIBcZbPR3ZkC0woTxzoz4q-r7theIFnkRIWCaw

More than one way to be upright, thank goodness! I love how closely related my mirror is to the one on Peewee Herman's bike!
260682

Hmm, I'd like to know what that bike was and how you had it set up.

Drop bars are damned sexy to me, but I'm not allowed to ride them, because my Dr. at the time made the generalization that all drop bar bikes are racing bikes w/aggressive geometries. My wife was standing there when he said I couldn't ride drops, and as I was ignorant myself at the time, I didn't argue. Now I know better, the Dr. has moved his practice out of the area, and my wife refuses to listen to my arguments.

Is she your wife or your owner? Man up and tell her to piss off.

If you want a really cheap option to try out, and your flat bar is fairly wide, get some bar ends for under $20 from your LBS and mount them inboard of your hand grips. I set up mine this way recently and love it. The bar ends are about shoulder width apart, about the same as drop bars, and with my hands vertical I can drop my elbows down to get more aero if I want to. Controls are also within easy reach of my two smaller fingers, or just shifting my hand over about an inch.

I found that the bar ends mounted out at the ends of my handlebar were much too far apart to be of much use to me, and I ended up hardly ever using them. This way I use them ALL the time.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/PatrickGSR94/Bicycle/IMG_8027.jpg

...

Broken collarbones are a frequent injury from bad crashes, but as a member of two large NYC area clubs, I don't think I've ever run into anyone who's ever broken their collarbone. It's much more of a pro peleton hazard.

Unfortunately for my friend he broke his whilst decending a rather steep mountain, which had recently had landslides. He hit some gravel and overrrrr. In saying that, I doubt it had anything to do with his drops. Just the angle and severity of the accident.

Lucky for him we had a support car on our ride with a first aid kit and were able to transport him to hospital about 60 km away.

I started last fall after about a 30 year absence as well. Started with a CL Mountain bike. Lasted two weeks with that before getting what was really a hybrid (Bianchi Advantage) with drop bars. For me, the improvement was incredible. I was actually enjoying riding instead of just doing it. So I definitely think new bars will help a lot. Good luck!

If you want a really cheap option to try out, and your flat bar is fairly wide, get some bar ends for under $20 from your LBS and mount them inboard of your hand grips. I set up mine this way recently and love it. The bar ends are about shoulder width apart, about the same as drop bars, and with my hands vertical I can drop my elbows down to get more aero if I want to. Controls are also within easy reach of my two smaller fingers, or just shifting my hand over about an inch.

I found that the bar ends mounted out at the ends of my handlebar were much too far apart to be of much use to me, and I ended up hardly ever using them. This way I use them ALL the time.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/PatrickGSR94/Bicycle/IMG_8027.jpg

Do you happen to know what brand these bar ends are? They could be something of interest for me.

Do you happen to know what brand these bar ends are? They could be something of interest for me.

you could put those bar ends (closer together) on the trekking bars and have 32 different hands positions and a place to put a pillow in case you wanted to catch a nap on your ride.

The nap won't happen, but I am possibly interested in more hand positions. My neck injuries rule out drop bars.

i to have a bianchi advantage that i changed from a 7 to a 9 speed with narrow rims and retained the flat bars. just curious, mine came with an elliptical crankset that would not shift from the big wheel to the middle wheel. to get it to move off the big wheel i had to shift it to the small wheel on the triple, then back up to middle. that problem was solved when i went to a round crankset.

If you want 'aero' and more hand positions, you have essentially two options. First, a trekking bar (like the one from Nashbar) will offer plenty of additional hand positions, you can stretch forward, and retain all of your current controls. Second option would be to use a clip on aerobar on your flat bar.

Exactly.
There are even those that put clipon aerobars on their trekking bars ... like the founder of the hybrid forum for instance ... this gives an abundance of hand positions roadies couldn't even dream of.

OP:
Don't buy into the idea the "roadbikes" are comfortable. Roadbikes are what they are because the UCI dictates what they should look like for a certain sport.
There are many other possiblities for bike and handlebar setup available.
Whatever works for you to make you feel comfortable is good.
Personally ... I use a combination of flatbar, barends and comfortable, short aerobar on my hybrid. I use that hybrid to ride 100k+ distances together with roadbikes quite often and I never had any trouble.

Also: ignore the bike when talking about aero ... for TT riders riding at 30mph the bike will matter a bit, but for normal riders like yourself, the difference between a roadbike and any other bike in terms of aeroness is next to nothing. I'm talking about the aeroness of the bike itself here ... not about the position.
To give you an example: your clothing matters more than your whole bike does.

...

OP:
Don't buy into the idea the "roadbikes" are comfortable. Roadbikes are what they are because the UCI dictates what they should look like...

That there is right. If it wasn`t for the UCI, road bikes would be much different to what they currently are.

I'll chime in with a couple of thoughts.

I just got back into riding this seasons and grabbed a 2012 Coda Sport. For me my hands also were going numb at around 2-3 miles in. I atributed it to a couple of things. I had not ridden in a long time, the geometry on the bike was not tuned yet, and I was stuck in one position. All of these things are now taken care of. I have over 100 miles on the bike now and my hands are more used to the stress. I adjusted the neck up so that less weight was on my hands, and I got a set of bar ends. I no longer have any issues with numbnes in my hands.

As for aerodynamics, I personally just don't see the issue. I ride for fitness, so more resistance is welcome. I dont ride with others so I'm not trying to keep up with a bunch of guys who shave their legs to gain a .0001 mph down the back side of some climb. It's just a non factor to me. But this is a personal thing, much like any of this.

As for the issue of if you are unhappy with your bike. I would suggest that if you are not happy with the bike that you tell your wife you made a mistake, and you are not happy with the bike. You can turn the Jamis around with no issues and get what you want. Your human, we make mistakes.

As for the issue of if you are unhappy with your bike. I would suggest that if you are not happy with the bike that you tell your wife you made a mistake, and you are not happy with the bike. You can turn the Jamis around with no issues and get what you want. Your human, we make mistakes.[/QUOTE]

It's not so much that I'm unhappy with the bike. It's more that I don't have the money to buy the bike that would make me really, really happy. And I can do enough to the Coda to make me medium happy, which is good enough. At least I have a bike to ride, and the health to be able to ride it, which is just fine with me.

I had the same thought about a month or so after I bought my hybrid. I have a herniated disc and was weary about a road bike. Turns out, however, that the more upright position hurts my back more so than being hunched over because of road shock. I did some adjustments (put in a longer stem), new tires and changed out my grips. I'm thinking about putting in a trekking bar instead, but I want to ride around with my new grips for a while.

As I went to LBS or REI to pick up some new gear I kept eyeing the road bikes. I kept wishing I had bought one of those instead. Then I just reframed how I thought about my hybrid. I see it as more of a utility bike that I can go on 20+ mile treks on the weekends or 5 mile recreational riding during the week. I put on a rack, bought some panniers and have done various errands with it. You can put a rack on a road bike, but I think I would have hated using my bike in that capacity. I would see it only as a sport bike to get in good shape or to go really fast.

Instead, I want to do some light, probably CC touring, with it. Sometimes I go fast and sometimes I go at a light place and just take a look around. I felt like I've seen a lot more of my city than I would have if I would have bought a road bike because I probably would have just cycled the same 20 miles hoping to improve my time, average speed, etc.... There's nothing wrong with that either, just different strokes.

Enjoy your bike for what it is, instead of what it is you should have bought. If I would have bought a road bike perhaps I would have felt like I needed something heavier to tour with. Perhaps I would have thought I should have saved my money and instead bought a $1500 bike. I have a difficult time being content. Enjoy your bike because it reinvigorated the joy of cycling. Everything is also always relative. If my friend just bought a 10K roadie I would probably think my bike is a huge POS (it's not). However, I recently tried my niece's 1 speed cruiser (small fit, haha) and I was grateful to have a bike that weighed less and had more gears. Most of the world would probably kill to a bike as good as yours. That doesn't mean you should feel bad for wanting a road bike either. If your bike is anything like mine I can still get faster by doing it more (uphills, corners, etc....) and busting my ass. It won't be as easy, but it doesn't have to be miserable either.

As with most things, learn what interests you and get into the scene. When people start talking about the different types of derailleurs think about the pros/cons of what they are talking about. I've learned about different parts and what to look for in my next bike. I've learned what to avoid. But most importantly, remember to have fun. Everytime I ride around I love the sense of accomplishment I get when securing my bike and walking in to my destination.

I'm a newbie rider as well, and got myself a used hybrid. After many very short rides, I was thinking what you were thinking as well. But for the short distances I ride, it's not worth my while to switch bikes. My top complaint with my hybrid is the straight handles bar. At times my arms feels tired from the one position. So I went looking for an alternative and read up on trekking bars. I bought a Nashbar trekking bar and just got it installed a few days ago. It works wonders, I now have 3 or 4 hand holding options. I didn't need to change anything, just the handle bar and some bar tape. I'm much happier with this setup. I'm now looking at adding aero or bar ends to it for an additional position. They are cheap, <$20, just get it and try it out.

One thing I do like about the hybrid is the 700c x 32 tires I have on mine. I have it pumped up to 80psi. I'm ok with it, and I certainly don't want a rougher ride. I'm actually thinking of changing to a Brooks spring seat for additional comfort, but they are expensive. Anyway, I would not want to go with skinner tires for the comfort factor.

Anyway, I would not want to go with skinner tires for the comfort factor.

True.
Skinny tires, contrary to popular belief, may also make you slower, depending on average speed and terrain.
For semi-road & semi-offroad riding, 32's or 35's are generally your best bet and usable in all conditions.

That there is right. If it wasn`t for the UCI, road bikes would be much different to what they currently are.

Don't get me wrong ... I'm not saying, like many do, that the UCI are evil dictators forcing a certain type of bikes on the world.
In fact, I believe that they do a fine job at organizing a certain type of cycling sport with a long history, which I enjoy.
But unless one participates in this specific sport (or plans to) there is no reason why one should narrow his options to such a type of bike.
A good example is my TT bike:
It's not allowed to use that bike in mass start road races either ... but it's faster and I personally find it even more comfortable :)