Originally Posted by
daihard
I just couldn't imagine someone showing up at a 200-mile riding event on a hybrid because his/her drop-bar road bike was out of order.
I will stick to my advice for the OP, which I laid out in
#28 .
That wasn't my point. My point was, you make due with what you have. That is what I would do if I already owned a hybrid and wanted to do the STP or some similar event as a one shot deal. I have no doubt plenty of young people probably can't afford a new bike, or can't justify the expense for a day or two of riding a year.
But ride with a road riding club and you meet people who live and breath cycling, year in and year out, and the majority of these folks ride drop bar road bikes. Not all, but most.
clearly, OP will pick what she wants.