road or hybrid

One difference I found was upping the pressure from about 55 PSI to about 75 PSI (tyre said 85 PSI max) made a massive difference to my performance, either that or I have gotten much fitter in the 1000 Km or so I have done since buying my first bike in about 17 years. I too have a carrera "hybrid" and am thinking will a road bike make me faster? The general concensus is yes you will be faster from everyone I have asked! SPD pedals also made a big difference to riding confidence, until my chain came off, I ground to a halt and the bike went wheeeeee over to the side with me on it! No harm done on a quiet back road! Apart from my cheap iphone bracket and annoying bar end mirror, they bought it in the crash!

Arm your self with a decent set of 1.25 slicks and a track pump to keep them inflated at the right PSI, swap the risers for flats and bar ends and maybe invest in Shimano SPD pedals and a pair of shoes. This will make a world of difference.

Have 2 bikes (road and hybrid), or perhaps one CX bike as a compromise. I have an old hybrid with mudguards, rack etc and a road bike. The road bike is for sportives, fitness and a bit of dry summer commuting. Winter, rain etc; out comes the hybrid. I have a 17 mile commute and after logging stacks of rides on both the hybrid and road bike, the difference between the average times is only 10 min. The middle section of the ride has minimal stops (lights, traffic etc) and that's where the road bike makes up the time over the hybrid. If it was half the distance, or there were stopping points throughout the whole ride, there wouldn't be much in it (bit of 'tortoise and hare'). I've often thought about changing the hybrid for a CX bike but by the time you've added mudguards, rack and a D lock, it isn't going to save a significant time over the hybrid and, being a new bike, will be more 'nickable'.

Switching from a hybrid to road bike is an eye opener. You need to put in a bit of time and miles to get used to the change - but when you do, it's seriously rewarding. When I switched, I started riding distances and speeds I never would have considered on my old hybrid, which weighed a ton.

I agree with the sentiments above - a cyclocross bike could be the best transition for you. They do tend to cost a bit more, but it's sale season so keep your eye open and you might get a bargain.

I'd be tempted to dabble on ebay and get a secondhand specialised or Trek. You'll soon know if a road bike is for you; if it is it will be ok for a year or two while you get fitter and learn more about what you want from your next bike, and will be easy to sell on, and if it isn't it will be easy to sell.

Road bikes are awesome - for the road. The thing to bear in mind is that they don't really do anything else particuarally well. I'd advise having a think about what you use your hybrid for and where you ride it. Gravel tracks, canal towpaths, byways with poor surfaces: all things that a hydrid handles with ease but where a roadbike is uncomfortable and possibly prone to damage. With the exception of these new 'all-road' bikes they really are only for the road. For commuting it's nice to be able to fit full mudguards too.

I always think that cyclocross bikes (the all-rounders with mudguard and bottle cage mounts) offer a really good compromise but in honesty I'd be inclined to advise that you keep on with your hybrid until you get the distance up a bit further, perhaps 40 miles or so, and then think about what your really want.

Edit - on the other hand, if shiny new stead is going to motivate you to put the miles in and get fitter then maybe it's a good investment, but perhaps some nice shoes and pedals would give you some extra drive anyway.

I have just changed back to a Road bike after 6yrs in the saddle of a Hybrid. Reason for me is so I can go faster and longer and have a bit more fun, working so far, keeping the hybrid for winter rides. Lower back issue forced me on the Hybrid in the first place.

I have pushed my speed from 13mph average to 16mph in a handful of rides, this going the same distance as my Hybrid, though I had become bored of this and have not really been out much, 3-5 times a month till now.

I am enjoying the road bike again, as did so in early days, so I had missed it, maybe hire a road bike for the weekend, or some LBS have demo's you can try, cost but if you decide to buy, that money is deducted of the purchase.

Give it a try and then you will know for sure...

20 kilometres... that's like 16 miles! Your current bike will do you fine for commuting, utility riding and even day long excursions into the countryside. People have ridden round the world on bikes like this. And I still keep up with and drop roadies on mine. Nothing stopping you from getting fit, losing weight and having oodles of fun on a hybrid.

Road bikes come into their own when you want to ride a bit quicker, and a bit further. The riding position's a bit more aerodynamically efficient, and you can switch hand positions around to give your arms a bit of a rest. On the downside, the brake position can take a bit of getting used to, and you may find a road bike slightly less agile or easy to maneuvre.

Where to start? Depending on how much you want to spend, heading back to Halfords for one of the Boardman road bikes isn't a bad idea. The Decathlon Triban bikes are also very good value. Or if you want to splash out the cash, work out what kind of riding you want to do, how far, where and so on, and do a lot more research, and asking around in your local bike shops. There's some very good guides in the Buyer's Guide bit of this site.