why don't you ride a road bike to see if you enjoy it more? A little over a year ago, I never would have predicted that I would be an avid cyclist. It came from riding a road bike for the first time in my life. Nothing like it.
For around the $1200 you were planning to spend on a hybrid (better be one nice hybrid), you could get a very nice entry-level road bike. At this price point, you can get a nice frame and components that will neither fail nor frustrate you.