Hybrid Upgrade or Road Bike?

Hey there, well it all depends on what you'll be comfortable in. If you're looking to get faster, then I definitely suggest getting a road bike. I'm glad you at least did a Triathlon on your hybrid, and are starting to become addicted. Shimano is a great group set, I on on the other hand like SRAM better. If you looking to get more competitive and looking for the best bang for your buck, It would def be a TT Bike. A Cyclecross bike is more similar to your hybrid. Braking calipers are different bigger tires.  Depending on what your hybrid is, I would either keep it for the commuting as that would be more for casual riding. Training, I would definitely use the new options you mentioned. Having your bike stolen would suck, and I would be wary in chaining up anything expensive either. Another reason why to keep the hybrid. Most important thing with the new bike though. Not really sure why your hands were hurting. Were you holding the handlebars hard? You need to be relaxed.  Aluminum is fine for the frame, however I would look in getting carbon seat stays and fork. That will be for less damping of the vibration of the ground. Compacts are good, but depending on how strong you are on the bike, I would suggest not getting one if you are a strong biker.  

What kind of bike are you looking at?

Scott

Congrats on your first tri!

No matter what bike you have, one sure-fire way to get faster on it is to simply ride more.

The first thing I would suggest is to invest in clipless pedals (& shoes).  They really are not that bad - I practiced clipping and unclipping while in my hallway, and the transition outside was practically seamless.  IMO, they are a necessity, especially if you want to get faster.  Go with Look Keo (or similar design, with the 3-hole mount) over SPD or speedplay.  Most triathletes/cyclists that I know have this design, and it has to do with greater surface area yielding larger power transfer.  And the pedals can be moved to a new bike if/when you get one.

Bikes go on sale around September, so they can make room for the next year's models.  Ask at your LBSs to be sure.  If you're contemplating longer distances than sprint, I would say a road bike is probably your next step.  If you want to stay under $2000, you're probably looking at an aluminum frame, which is perfectly fine.  105 or force is probably the minimum gruppo you want on it, especially if you want it to be something worth keeping.  Go for the compact crank if you have lots of hills in your area.  If it's flat, you may not want the compact.

As far as your hands... were you in the drops?  Do hybrids have drops?  At any rate, it sounds like you were holding too hard.  Try loosening your grip and moving your hands around more.

If you get a $1000+ roadie, DO NOT CHAIN IT ANYWHERE!!!  My bikes live indoors unless I am riding them.  I had a Wal-Mart mountain bike stolen from me my freshman year of college - chained to the bike rack and everything; but I never rode it, so I didn't really miss it, but I would suggest not to take that kind of risk.  Plus road bikes don't fit too well on standard bike racks...

Thank you both for replying. 

I'm looking at a few bikes and should probably look at a few more. There was/is a Scott s2 at a LBS on sale for one thousand with ultegra derailer (not that I need ultegra) but it's an ugly gray color and not sure if they have my size. There were some other Scotts but they either didn't have compact/105 or weren't on sale. Maybe compact/105 isn't that necessary. Maybe a triple would be fine or something other than 105 but I'd like to get something good if I'm going to get something. And you are right 105 or sram apex I'm not specific shimano. There's Cannondale CAAD 8or9 5 not sure about pricing, was also looking at synapse but that one sounds more upright. I went to a Trek store but wasn't impressed. Another store had fuiji and a brand taken over by Trek again not impressed. There's REI and performance house brands but Idk how much weight a name really carries. Specialized seems high but when you get to specific ones all of the brands seem pretty comparable. I would like to get a road bike I just need to find the right one at the right price.  

I went to a bike shop to look at clipless pedals/shoes and aero bars. I figure if/when I get a new bike both of these can be transfered over. The shop where I got my Cannondale hybrid doesn't have aero bars. For aero bars they have both one piece and two piece sets. I'm not sure which would be better. The two piece costs more. I did end up getting a set of clipless pedals and shoes. The shoes were on sale. I had forgotten which kind you had said to get. The person at the bike store said that it is easier to learn with mountain bike ones. The reason being you can walk in them and clip into either side of the pedal. He set them on the loosest setting. He showed me how to use them in the store and I practiced clipping in and out. After work that day, I went to a park to try them out, in case I fell. I practiced for about half hour then went on a trail for an hour. I didn't fall, yay! The right foot is harder than the left for some reason. I went on a half an hour ride the next day. 

I'm not sure what's going on with my hands but they (esp. the right) are still giving me problems. Another reason I'm leaning towards a new bike. Hybrids, atleast the one I have has a mountain bike flat bar. If/when I get a new road bike it does sound like I should keep my hybrid for commuting (if I do any) or around the neighborhood in the dirt etc. 

Yay for clipless pedals!  That should really help improve your speed because now you can focus on pulling up on the pedals instead of just pushing down.

As far as aeros go, I think it's really just a preference thing.  I had Profile Design Airstrykes on my roadie.  The part that I liked about them is that the elbow pads flipped up to allow you to grip the top handle bars, instead of taking up the whole bar.  But other than that, I couldn't get them to work, I just wasn't comfortable on the aero bars.  I would ask about the shop's return/exchange policy on something like that. 

I think my bike's geometry was keeping me from being comfortable in aero, because I got a TT recently, and you can't get me out of the aero bars (unless there is a 25 mph crosswind, like there has been lately :s )

Oh, do you have bike gloves?  Those may help your hands, or you may want to look into getting a better pair.

Think about your goals and what you are trying to achieve.

If you simply want to improve your finishing position in tris, you could probably buy some speed with a bike change and move up the results sheet a few places.

If your goal is to keep training, working, and improving your fitness, you can do that on the bike you have.

I'm not a competitor - more of a 'participant' type triathlete - so placing better didn't influence me to get a road bike. The main reason I got one is simply that it's more fun to ride. 

I did keep my hybrid, though, because it's a far more useful all-around bike for commuting, family rides, riding on gravel, etc. If I could only have one bike, I'd certainly get rid of the roadie, not the hybrid.

My experience in going down the "hybrid-to-roadie" path:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=249042&posts=5&start=1

i would go ahead and get a road bike as an only bike.  if you get one with some stout training wheels with stout size 25 tires you can pretty much ride it everywhere you rode your hybrid.

A significant factor in your question about upgrading your current bike is what, exactly, your current bike is. "Hybrid" is an odd class of bike that has a lot of variance in it. Some hybrids are very similar to road bikes but with slightly relaxed geometry. Some hybrids have more in common with a trike than a road bike. If, for example, your bike resembles this I wouldn't try fitting it with aero bars. The reason is all in the geometry of the frame, which is also the likely culprit for your hand numbness. Typically numbness, rash, excessive soreness, and bruising on a bike is a result of poor fit. A proper bike fit is a thing of beauty, but also rarity. The unfortunate news is that fit is also just as much about intuition and art as it is science. There are so many varying theories and programs used to calculate bike fit that it truly is an entire industry unto itself. With all that said, however, there are a few general rules of thumb that can help you out.

1) It is easier to dial in a bike that is slightly too small than too large.

2) Aerobars work best on bikes that are designed for them (Time Trial [not to be confused with mountain "Trials" bikes, they're totally different beasts], Pursuit, and Triathlon particularly). The bicycle's handling characteristics on those styles are intended to suit the use of aerobars and will steer predictably well and feel comfortable(ish) with them.

3) Buying last year's bike will save you a bundle. Buying used will save you even more. If you thought cars depreciate quickly hold on to your seat. It's not uncommon to find last year's model for 40% off. If the bike has been ridden for a couple years you can reasonably expect to be paying 20%-40% of the original price tag. Lot's of people think they should be able to sell their "gently used" bike that's only three years old for $200 off the original price tag. That's not really where the market is at. SRAM Red, Shimano Ultegra, or Campagnolo anything will still command a respectable price, but compare a little before committing to see if you're actually getting a good deal, especially in private sales.

4) A cyclocross frame is the commuter's best friend. Cyclocross frames typically have clearance for bigger tires, top routed cables (good for delaying corrosion from debris, water, and salt), cantilever brakes (usually compatible with fenders), more mechanical trail in the fork than typical road frames (currently believed to result in better tracking, otherwise known as "less twitchy" steering [con: could be considered "unresponsive" steering]), and slightly shorter top tube intended to result in a more upright riding position. In short, the cyclocross bike is everything the Time Trial isn't, and that goes both ways. 'Cross bikes don't worry too much about aerodynamics as most cross races stay as comparatively low speeds. The more upright riding position, while often considered more comfortable and good for negotiating rush hour traffic, is less aerodynamic. Again, if you've watched any clips of cyclocross races, you'll understand why.

5) Nothing beats "the beater" for commuting. If you've got, or are getting, a really nice bike for racing that you don't want stolen or messed up, don't ride for utility. Use your racing bike for training and racing, not for picking up a couple of groceries or getting to the subway station in the morning. April and May are great months for scouring craigslist and the curbside for bikes made orphans by college kids leaving town. It's not too hard to find a respectable steel road bike from the '80s for less than $100, and sometimes totally free. A little chipped paint and rust just detract thieves and doesn't hurt the performance. You're more likely to ride if you enjoy your bike, and even more likely to ride if you have one you're not worried about babying. As a plus, beater bikes offer the opportunity to learn and practice maintenance with milder consequences for mistakes. It's an awful thing to drop your wrench and chip the paint on your new Ferrari, but who cares about the paint on the K-car?

I've rambled on enough that I think I'm getting a little lost myself. In any case I hope it all works out for the best. The next time you're at a good shop mention your hand numbness. If they try to sell you new gloves point out that it's a fit issue. If they still try to sell you new gloves, talk to someone else. Hand numbness halfway through a Sprint Triathlon is flat out unacceptable. You should be able to ride ten times that distance without numbness. That isn't hyperbole. 200km is actually a fairly common distance in road, track, and time trial races. Experiencing discomfort after a ride that long, sure. Pain? Maybe if you push yourself too hard and ride too far too soon. Predictable numbness from a single hand position in less than 10 miles? Absolutely not. That's my two cents worth.