I'm a devoted hybrid rider - but have 25 cm tires on my 7500FX. IT is as fast as a road bike, as comfortable as ... a hybrid :-) I do a lot of group rides. So if a hybrid is a lot more comfy for you, get the skinny tires. When we get new riders in our club, that's the most common 'quick and easy upgrade.'

However, I'm not normal If the reason you're leaning towards a hybrid is because there are paths... they're paved paths, right? Hybrids are nice on dirt roads - but unless you really expect to be doing a lot of dirt road riding (say, heading west to Madison County or something) I can't think of a real advantage. The road bike has *lots* of advantages, especially if you're going to be group riding.

I think one of the more common reasons for people not to stick with cycling in our club is that they have a slower bike and don't realize just how much of a disadvantage it is. It widens the gap between them and the experienced cyclists, and even as they start to get stronger, that gap is still there... only it's the bike, not their skills & strength. (Then there are the ones with what we call "Scottish legs" - there are a couple every year - who just get strong FAST on WHATEVER they're riding :-))


I think the***most*** important factor is how it feels. I've never gotten comfy with drop handlebars, though I kn ow a lot of people who weren't comfortable at first, and then adjusted fine because they'd gotten the bikes at a shop with folks who knew waht they were doing and got them onto bikes that fit. (My LBS knows I like power more than speed anyway~!)