according to this thread, you can smoke roadies on a heavily laden hybrid! while commuting.
i think the answer is clear.
[its all about fit and what you plan to do with the bike - so buy the best that you can afford that fits and will make you want to ride. when you train up to hit 100 miles you'll know what works and what doesn't. if you find that the bike isn't working, you will have real world experience, personally tailored to you, about what works for you. then you can set up a new bike, or tweak the old, and tell everyone about it here. if you are new to riding, and want to train up for long distance, my money is on the engine needing more work and deliberation than the bike.]