I chose hybrid because I've always like the upright position more. In my college days I rode mountain bikes and loved it. I got back into it and found that my mountain bike feels like a tank riding around on paved trails. I don't do club rides. I ride with my partner and we usually do anywhere from 10 - 25 miles of casual riding. On the longer rides, we usually ride half way, stop for a drink/beer/coffee and continue on.

I do like nice components -- shifters/derailleurs and so my choice was to get a cheaper bike (Giant Escape 1) and then upgrade the parts. I did test ride some drops and just didn't like it. I didn't like the riding position, any of them and I tested a few makes/models. So for me, it's all about recreation and the "hybrid" suites me more.