Road Bike, Cyclocross or Hybrid (with drop bars)????

[tangerinepuddle]

$800. my main concern with a hybrid is its weight - too heavy/uncomfortable for long rides or hills?

Sounds like you think a cyclocross would be best for my needs?

[dex]

It was the desire for disc brakes that kept me in the cyclocross realm. I think definitely they're really versatile bikes, but if you don't want discs then you open up a lot of other possibilities.

Have you looked at any touring oriented bikes? The three that come to mind in the sub-$1k range are: Bianchi Volpe, Jamis Aurora, and Surly Long Haul Trucker

Of those, the Surly is the most rugged and (at least the builds I rode) the heaviest. But still a great bike if it works for you.

All of the bikes I've posted (both touring and cyclocross) are steel frames, and all are smooth/comfy rides. It just comes down to what fits you (and your budget and wish list) best.

As far as hybrids go, I've only ever ridden one (a Bianchi Boardwalk) as a commuter. It was great for riding around the city, but I had trouble going more than about 30 miles with it. But, a lot of my discomfort with longer distances on that bike had to do with the flat bar. The drop bars on the Dew Drop could solve that problem (for me). I did test ride a Dew back when I bought the Bianchi, and I loved it...the Bianchi was just equally fun/comfortable and a better deal because it was on sale at the time.

[F8th637]

My hybrid was aluminum and was lighter than my steel Kona Sutra which is Kona's touring bike. The Sutra is heavier than your average bike but it is designed more for loaded touring and comfort and long miles rather than speed. It is my all-around bike. I use it for commuting, for my long distance rides, and for going to the grocery store even. There are plenty enough gears on most touring bikes to negate the weight factor.

I had originally looked for a cyclocross bike and liked the Volpe but went with the Sutra because it had all I was looking for and they had an old version in my size just waiting for me at 50% off.

[VeloVT]

Hmmm...

What about entry-level road bikes, which would give you a lot of options at around $1000 (especially if you're willing to go aluminum)? Trek 1500, etc (check out Felt too).

Other than that, check out Trek's touring rig -- I think it's the 520? -- steel, bar-end shifters, all the eyelets and braze-ons you could want for touring, nice bike but heavyish, but definitely in that price range. The Bianchi Volpe falls into the same category, and it seems like something you should test ride. I actually tested the Volpe a few years ago when I was looking for a rugged commute bike, and I found it too heavy and sluggish (handling definitely falls to the **stable** end of the spectrum -- I am learning that I like my bikes a teeny bit twitchy, oddly), but it's a good bike for the money if you like the ride, and many people do. I also tested the Lemond Propad (Poprad? I can never remember), and almost bought one. Also steel, so buttery ride, but much lighter and quicker. I don't think it has as many eyelets and such, though. FWIW, I ultimately settled on the Bianchi Axis (all 105 when I bought it, but has since been downgraded a bit, sadly), which I've been utterly happy with. Very comfortable geometry, nimble handling, relatively light... Someday I'm going to tweak the drivetrain a bit (super wide gearing + not perfect engineered component mix = long chain = chain slap & sloppier-than-ideal shifting sometimes), but it's not a deal breaker for me. I won't lie, it's not as all-out fast & smooth feeling as my roadbike (Scott Contessa CR1 pro), or even as my previous roadbike (aluminum Felt F50), but the fit and geometry feel so natural I don't care. I feel like a kid on it. It's really fun.

Good luck!

Edit: Re disc brakes: IF you think you might buy a cross bike, AND you think there's any possibility you might someday want to try racing cross, you should know that disc brakes are not legal in most sanctioned cross races.

Edit 2: AND if you are looking at cross bikes, most will have cantilever brakes, which are actually more powerful than the caliper brakes found on new road bikes. I have personally ridden my canti brakes in heavy rain and snow and they are quite adequate if you ride carefully (which you should do in adverse conditions regardless of what kind of brakes you have). But some brake pads have a tendency to glaze in wet weather, so you need to be pay attention and if you notice you are losing braking power, sand or replace your pads (some pad actually seem to melt off on your rims in rain, in which case you should clean any residue off your rims with alcohol). Also you should realize that a bike that is ridden in wet weather WILL need more attention and TLC than it would otherwise.