What great advice you've all given me! Thanks so much, you've really opened my eyes on things! I never even considered the hybrid because to be honest, I didn't really know what they were. Last time I was bike riding, titanium frames and mountain bikes were all the rage, and I'm not sure there even was such a thing called a hybrid - (there might have been, but I'd never heard of it).

So knowing my background a bit, I hope you won't mind this rather stupid question - if you don't ride a road bike on a bike path, does this mean you actually ride it on the paved street?

Because if that's the case, there's no way you could ride your bike in Tulsa on the street and hope to survive! There's no such things as bike lanes here, just urban sprawl and even pedestrians are few and far between unless you're at a park.

That being said, I think the hybrid really will be the best bike for me to start with (although little synapses blinked and sparked in my brain at the mention of going so fast on a road bike that it might actually be a little scary - Oooo! Ahhhh!) However, due to Tulsa's lack of racing bike trails/open roads, I think the hybrid will be the better choice for me. They are apparently building some more bike roads though, so maybe they will open just in time for me to upgrade to a road bike here in the next year or so

I also wasn't aware that the road bikes could get slick and hairy in the wet weather, thanks for that insight, as I do plan to ride my bike through the winter. We don't get a lot of snow here, but now and then we do and it rains a fair amount. I like the idea of a little extra stability during those times, at least until I get used to biking again. Or maybe I'll do as drplasma is doing and keep my hybrid for winter and look into a road bike a little later on. I hadn't even considered that always having been a one-bike kind of girl thus far.

I sure can't beat the price on the hybrid either, now I'll even have enough left over to buy the gear to go with it! I might even see about getting one for my mom too, as she's starting to get the biking fever with me, lol.

One concern though, I did read something about how the comfort bikes with the spring seats and the straight handlebars were not as good for you as a seat without the springs and curved (I think they call them dropped?) handlebars. There was also some mention about how leaning over your bike is actually easier on your back and breathing as opposed to the more upright positions on the hybrids/commuters/comfort bikes. This is my only reluctance in buying a hybrid instead of a road bike, is this really significant or have you all noticed any differences?

Thanks again for all the great info!,
PT Biker