Flat bar road bikes???

[Jolt]

Oh yeah, I forgot to say that almost everything marketed as a "hybrid" these days has a suspension fork which is not appropriate for the riding I do.

Yeah, seems the only hybrids with no suspension are older models (like mine, which is from probably the mid-90's). I don't think I'd want suspension either--I don't need any help being slow, it's just another thing that can break, and if you learn to get out of the saddle a bit when you hit a rough patch it's totally unnecessary.

[sbctwin]

I have a Lightspeed Bella road bike. When I bought the bike, I had the drops changed out to a flat bar. I was very uncomfortable with drops on all the road bikes I test road. Mind you, I am short, and I didn't have much to choose from. I think, now that I have done a bit of riding in the last 2 years, I may choose to get drops put back on. But I would have to save up because it would be a costly changeover. My LBS did a wonderful job in changing out parts for me when I bought my bike.

[rij73]

I have a Lightspeed Bella road bike. When I bought the bike, I had the drops changed out to a flat bar. I was very uncomfortable with drops on all the road bikes I test road. Mind you, I am short, and I didn't have much to choose from. I think, now that I have done a bit of riding in the last 2 years, I may choose to get drops put back on. But I would have to save up because it would be a costly changeover. My LBS did a wonderful job in changing out parts for me when I bought my bike.

That sounds like a nice bike. In a couple of years when I'll want to upgrade my ride, I'll probably also go for a nice road bike and convert it to flat-bar (unless by then I just want to go with drop bars).