himespau 

Just get a cyclocross bike with the mounts for fenders and racks and you'll be good to go. Most people with drop bars don't actually spend much time in the drops. A cross bike with interupter levers will give you 2 positions (hoods and tops) with brake levers easily accessible and all the other hand positions are available even if you choose not to use them.

SlimRider

+1 ^ Best advice thus far!

ss1977

I bought a hybrid a specialized crosstrail much for the same reason, 6’1” over 200. My intent was a bike that I could ride 5-6 days a week on the road, and on a trail a couple of times of year. After 3 months I am up to 20-25 miles 6 days a week. Every ride I think about being able to go faster, but I look forward to riding every morning. Somewhere down the road I’ll get a road bike, for now maybe a new outer chain ring. My LBS said I could go from a 44 to 46 with no problems, not real sure what 2 more teeth will give me. Burning calories and getting in better shape was the goal. Being able to do it faster means greater distance too. So many things to consider. Good luck

RollCNY

The only thing making the bike not fast is the engine. You can make the bike a fine riding road bike without drops: narrow the bars as was mentioned before, slam and flip the stem, get 25's for tires. I am a big fan of Ergon grips for more hand positions (I like the various 2's but you have many options). Don't know what the stock grips are.

I did this with a Specialized Sirrus, and had no trouble on fast group rides with it. I own drop bar bikes, and there is no magical speed difference between the two styles. They all seem to go as fast as you are willing and able to force them.

badger1

@OP, this ^^^^^^^, both overall and as emphasized; +whatever multiplier you wish.

treadtread

Photos?

RollCNY

I checked, and the only one left is of it's last single speed incarnation. It got put back to stock and sold. Sorry. Here is the replacement, if that helps:

badger1

"Road" Sirrus (mine), if helpful (apologies for lousy photo); Apex/Rival mix; Conti GP4000s etc.

trekdianna

I have a Trek FX 7.3 WSD disc and it's perfect for what I need. I already had a MTB and if I had bought a regular road bike, I would have had to drive out of 4 miles of gravel road before I could use it. I have used the hybrid for group road rides including a charity ride and I have not had any speed issues beyond my own power. It's much faster than my MTB.

GeorgeBMac

Thanks -- and a good suggestion. And I actually rode a Trek Cronus. It was a very very nice bike -- but a little too close to what I already had. I am looking for something that can complement my road bike rather than replace it. So I wanted to go closer to the mountain bike category without actually going there..

kearnybiker

Thanks for all your opinions guys. I will hold on to the hybrid for a bit longer. Consider the drop bars, but I think I'll leave it as is. However, I already have my eye on some road bikes for the future.

kearnybiker

There may not be a magical speed difference between the 2, but the extra weight of a hybrid makes a big difference. An additional 10+ lbs and other hybrid components don't cater to those looking for speed however it is definitely no slouch. I am pro-hybrid, don't get me wrong, but each have their own abilities.

choclabman

I didn't really have buyers remorse but I've been riding a Trek 8.4DS for the last year or so and lately I wanted something faster so I can do some charity rides this fall. Trust me you don't want to be riding a 30+ pound bike on longer charity rides when everyone else is on a road bike or flat bar road bike. So last weekend I bought a 2012 Felt Z85 which was marked down due to the 2013's coming out. This bike is about 10 pounds lighter and it is a lot of fun to ride. The problem I have now is do I want to sell my hybrid or keep it for the short fun rides. Decisions, decisions. BTW I also have a MTB for the trails.

Ron Harry

I dunno; I beg to differ here. I bought an FX bike in 2010...their top of the line model. My thinking was a top of the line vs. a low end madone [for the money]. I've loved my FX ever since [CF frame and all]. I added a set of ergo grips on the ends of the flat bar [which I recommend to the OP] to get about the same options of hand positions I use on my road bikes [I rarely use the drops]...and now I have several different rides, each with a different feel to them. The hybrid is FUN to me; something I like to bop around town on, or go to the store [although, I'm very wary of leaving it locked up for any length of time, usually opting out if I must lose sight of it]. And...it's fast. I've traded out several sets of wheels, although the Bontager Race lites that came on it were fine for me. Now I run a set of Mavic Equips with 23 mm tires...and I can't make up my mind which bike I like best, this one, or any of my road bikes. What I like best is that the CF frame came with rack stays on it [only one I've seen with that]; and I have actually done some light day trip touring with it as well [can't do that on a road bike...well, not CF anyway]. Sometimes I'm riding along and patting myself on the back for my 'wise' choice of a top end bike vs, what would have otherwise been a low end component bike [though I do like the madones as well]. So, there's other angles to all this [pun intended, sic, 'flat bar'].

Uh...btw...trek no longer makes a CF hybrid FX bike [to my knowledge anyway].

OldBridgeRider

Funny I thought I was reading my own thoughts there.. Went from a Cannondale mountain bike (still have) to a Giant Escape 0 b/c I wanted something quicker and thought hell this will be better for me than a road bike.

Fast forward to 3 months later (this weekend) and I just did one of the Gran Fondo courses in Morristown with my trusty Escape 0. Halfway through I realized, this really is not what I want or need. It's a GREAT bike, but just doesn't do what I need anymore. For me I am cleaning house and getting rid of both the Escape and my Cannondale and stepping up to a full on road bike.

treadtread

Trekking/moustache bars. This:
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...33_-1___202348
or this:
https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...75_-1___202348
?

Pug

If you plan to cycle during the winter months then you should keep the hybrid. You can put some studded tires and fenders on it which isn't an option for most road bikes.

I have a road bike and a Gary Fisher hybrid. I ride the road bike most of the year and the hybrid when the weather's bad or I feel like riding a trail.

The suggestion is get a cross bike is excellent. They are a great compromise and CAADX's are often available on Craigslist at reasonable prices.

AdelaaR

Correct.
The actual difference between any two bikes is very small.
To compare ... let me tell you that on my hybrid I typically average 19-20mph ... while on my TT bike ... I'll average about 21-22.
A typical roadbike would probably end up somewhere in between.

It's the rider (and his position) that makes a bike fast. A hybrid can be set up quite aggressively too, you know.

AdelaaR

Quoted for emphasis because it's true.

hls811

this is a great thread.. I've only had my Hybrid a week and I don't regret getting it - like the OP, I need something that can accommodate me riding alone as well as with my son and a road bike wouldn't do that and the funds aren't there for 2 bikes (yet).

I'm liking 2 ideas I saw here, the first being the narrower tires, I may take a ride this week and see what my LBS has to offer..

The other which I'd never thought of was moving my bar ends inside a little.. i really use them a lot just for a different riding position and leverage, moving them in might be something to look into..

Bathwater

I bought a hybrid for recreation and commuting and I kind of regret it. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the bike; it's fun to ride works great, but it just doesn't accommodate my needs. For the most part, I just want to be able to ride into work as fast as I can and compared to road bikes, it just drags ass. I'll probably hang onto it for another year or so, and keep my eyes open for a decent road bike.

ChrisM2097

Which hybrid? How far is your commute? How long does it take you currently?

Personally, I use 2 bikes to commute. Usually a 2012 Trek FX 7.5 (basically a road bike with flat handlebars) and occasionally a 2007 Specialized Rockhopper Disc. Whichever bike i take, it takes me around 40-45 minutes to get to work (10.3 miles). The Trek gets me to work an average of only 58 seconds faster (calculated the averages using my actual data for the past year). The Rockhopper has fatter tires that absorb imperfections in the road, making for a more comfortable ride.

Your expectations for increased speed may leave you a bit disappointed...unless a minute or so is really that big of a deal to you on your commute.

OTS 

From Velominati, the Rules
The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.While the minimum number of bikes one should own is three, the correct number is n+1, where n is the number of bikes currently owned. This equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.

AdelaaR

What is this assdragging hybrid you speak of?

Basicly ... the difference between bikes goes as follows:

-weight: almost a non-issue unless you do actual big hills or have a really heavy bike.
-rolling resistance: a non-issue since you simply need to get better tires to solve it ... there are fantastic touring or CX tires with very low resistance out there ... they're simply more expensive.
-drivetrain: a complete non-issue ... the performance difference between any two decent drivetrains is so small it's nearly undetectable ... the only real difference between drivetrains is weight, which has already been discussed.
-gearing: again a complete non-issue ... you simply need to learn to spin faster and train to have more strength ... I can do averages of 19mph (real averages yes) without ever shifting out of my middle chainring, which is a 42 ... so it definately isn't your gears that are holding you back
-aerodynamics of the bike: this gets more and more important as you gain more speed ... under 20mph it's not going to matter much ... by the time you reach 25mph it's going to matter a little and anything above that it's going to matter more and more ... still the aero of the bike is like peanuts compared to the aero of the rider.

So there you have it.
The difference between bikes.
Basicly ... it's small.

AdelaaR

That makes sense.
Your speed is quite low at around 14 mph and for lower speeds the difference between bikes becomes even smaller compared to higher speeds.