Assuming your hybrid has a flat bar (handlebar), the benefit from the POV of comfort will be the ability to switch up hand grip/position and body position on longer rides. It is most excellent.

From a speed standpoint, you will get a boost from the more aerodynamic positions of riding on the hoods and drops.

Depending on the quality of the two bikes, you may or may not also get a performance boost from lower bike weight and higher quality shifting components. You might get a comfort boost depending on frame and fork material (aluminum, steel, carbon).

I got my first road bike this summer. There was basically no transition at all in terms of handlebars. They look far more intimidating than they actually are. I did have the guy I bought the bike from--Craigslist purchase--show me which lever to click to downshift and upshift.

I'm still working on the other component, clipless pedals. I got two-sided pedals that are platform on one side and have the cleat attachments for actual bike shoes on the other, so this is not a huge concern at the moment.

Are you looking at a road bike or a tri bike?

How much it helps is hard to quantify.

Assuming the new bike fits reasonably well, your comfort on the bike will likely improve. You'll probably see some improvements in speed from resulting from the stiffness of the bike, the weight, and the riding position. How significant that is... hard to say. As for the bike topping out at 18mph... I'm guessing that's at least partially because of the gearing on your current bike. A new road bike should give you better gearing which should allow you to hit faster speeds.

So the answer is yes, it will help and riding will be easier and more comfortable. How much it will help and whether or not those benefits are worth the price of a new bike is hard to say. IMO, if you're doing 25-30 mile rides 2x week, a legit road bike is a worth-while investment.

The transition to a road bike with drop bars isn't significiant and shouldn't take you long to adjust to. If you're currently riding in regular sneakers and move to clipless pedals/shoes, that will likely be the biggest change, but even that isn't hard to get used to.

If you're talking about a tri bike, the feel will be very different and can take a few rides to get used to. Not a deal breaker kind of thing, but something to be aware of.

Bike fit is super important for both comfort and speed whatever the bike-type. The biggest advantage for me of a tri-bike is the fit - I've got long legs and a short torso so no matter how my road bike was adjusted, the reach from the seat to handlebars was too long. My tri-bike is very stiff so I get lots of road vibration, but the fit is so much better that it's way more comfortable and allows me to produce more speed. It also has a wider range of gearing which helps on Georgia's varied terrain. Be careful when you start using clipless pedals. Most people experience a low-speed tip over or two. Usually they are just embarrassing but they can be dangerous in traffic.

I finally switched up my mountain bike for a road bike (not a super fancy road bike, but a nice one), and that particular switch has made a ton of difference in the speed per effort, for me. My guess is that there would be a pretty noticeable difference between a hybrid and road/tri bike, as well, and I am finding the variety of hand positions nice too (with the caveat that I live in Chicago, so have not been able to do a lot of outdoor riding since making the switch).

I'm also trying to make the switch to clipless--practicing that in a trainer-based class now--and that's going to be more difficult for me, but I have time.

I, too, switched from a mountain bike to a road bike. Nothing wrong with my mountain bike, love it, fun to ride, just after getting passed over & over again in races, and knowing that the bike was a slow one, I got a used road bike I now call my "sport car".

My bike came with clipless pedals, but I'm still too chicken to "play" with them. I use the toe clips still, have some "traction", yet can quickly pull my foot if needed.

glevinso wrote: »

I would recommend a road bike unless triathlon is your only style of riding. If you ride in groups at all then a road bike is appropriate. It is, in general, a much more versatile machine. Clipless pedals for sure. They take only a few rides to get used to. Trust me, we *all* fall at least once learning how. Then it becomes second nature.

Unless you're like me and you get your grins and giggles from the dirty looks roadies give you.

scott091501 wrote: »

glevinso wrote: »

I would recommend a road bike unless triathlon is your only style of riding. If you ride in groups at all then a road bike is appropriate. It is, in general, a much more versatile machine. Clipless pedals for sure. They take only a few rides to get used to. Trust me, we *all* fall at least once learning how. Then it becomes second nature.

Unless you're like me and you get your grins and giggles from the dirty looks roadies give you.

I may or may not be "guilty" of this.

Sounds like you have a gearing problem for sure.

Giraffe33991 wrote: »

I worked out on a 10 yr old p.o.s. Schwinn from Walmart and built my endurance and strength. When I was ready to enter my first duathlon I borrowed a 25 year old Trek road bike that was waaaay to big for me. However, all those miles and hours on my piece of *kitten* bike paid off and I kicked *kitten* on that too-big-old-borrowed-bike and won first overall female!!
Moral of the story, the bike doesn't do it all, the RIDER does it all. If you are a good rider you should be able to hold your own regardless. Yes, a better bike helps some, but If you don't have a good base you will just be wasting your money. I've since upgraded and have a Cervelo P2 which feels better (smother) but honestly when my endurance and strength are not up to par, I struggle to keep an 18-19 mph on my nice bike. Don't think a shiny new expensive bike is a magic solution.

I completely agrre with Giraffe on this one, its always best to train on a heavier and slower bike, then when you do jump on your race bike it feels so much different and quicker. A bit like running in wellington boots and then racing in trainers. A road bike also helps mentally too to get you in the frame of mind to really put the power on.

Andytri38 wrote: »

Giraffe33991 wrote: »

I worked out on a 10 yr old p.o.s. Schwinn from Walmart and built my endurance and strength. When I was ready to enter my first duathlon I borrowed a 25 year old Trek road bike that was waaaay to big for me. However, all those miles and hours on my piece of *kitten* bike paid off and I kicked *kitten* on that too-big-old-borrowed-bike and won first overall female!!
Moral of the story, the bike doesn't do it all, the RIDER does it all. If you are a good rider you should be able to hold your own regardless. Yes, a better bike helps some, but If you don't have a good base you will just be wasting your money. I've since upgraded and have a Cervelo P2 which feels better (smother) but honestly when my endurance and strength are not up to par, I struggle to keep an 18-19 mph on my nice bike. Don't think a shiny new expensive bike is a magic solution.

I completely agrre with Giraffe on this one, its always best to train on a heavier and slower bike, then when you do jump on your race bike it feels so much different and quicker. A bit like running in wellington boots and then racing in trainers. A road bike also helps mentally too to get you in the frame of mind to really put the power on.

While there is some truth to that, I still am firmly in the camp of "train like you race". I much prefer doing as much training on my race bike as possible, to include my carbon wheels, because that is how I am going to be configured on race day. Last thing I want to do is spend all this time on a road bike, then not be able to hold aero for 56 or 112 miles. Or get out on a race day on my carbon wheels and find I can't slow down because I didn't spend enough time practicing braking maneuvers on my carbon wheels having trained on aluminum-rim wheels.