What bike to get the boyfriend?

[indysteel]

I think it really intends on what kind of riding he wants to do with you and/or you want to do together.

I approached my own entry into cycling with the same assumptions, i.e., that I'd feel more comfortable on a hybrid and that a road bike was too intimidating. In retrospect, I wish I'd just gone straight to a road bike. The hybrid was a nice bike, but it really wasn't comfortable for anything longer than 25 miles. It also didn't help me deal very effectively with the constant wind in Indiana. I bought a road bike about 2 months after buying the hybrid and haven't used the hybrid sense.

If he has no intention of doing long rides with you, then a more upright bike would work. Otherwise, I'd steer him toward a road bike. IMO and IME, road bikes just seem more intimidating. In the end, you still have to get used to riding again, dealing with traffic, learning how to be safe, etc.Most road bikes these days don't have an overly aggressive position and are more comfortable than they appear.

Good luck!