Originally Posted by
niknak
The cost of converting a flat bar setup to a drop bar setup can be expensive. If you buy used parts and do the work yourself, you'll save a lot of money. Do some research to decide if it's worth the hassle or easier to just get a new bike.
I can also be pretty economical. You can get non-integrated brake levers and bar end shifters which reduce the expense of the biggest cost item. You will either need to either make sure your drop bars have the same clamp diameter as your stem or get a new stem. You'll also need to install Travel Agent brake cable adapters to use drop bar brakes with hybrid (I assume V-brakes).
So, you're looking at a minimum of brake levers, drop bar shifters (or brifters) new brake cables, handlebar, bar tape, Travel Agents, and a few hours of your labor.
The advantage of doing this is that hybrids will accept wider tires than most road bikes. So, you can run 30mm Grand Bois tires and have a good smooth ride with low rolling resistance. The disadvantage is that hybrids tend to be a bit heavier than road bikes.
I've made this switch and have been pretty satisfied with it. It's certainly far cheaper than a new bike.