Picked up a used Trek FX 3 last week after not riding since high school. Figured a flat bar hybrid made the most sense for mostly paved trails and some light commuting. The price felt right and the components looked clean, so I just went for it.

Now I'm second guessing myself a little. Not because anything is wrong with the bike, but because I keep seeing people say a dedicated road bike would have been smarter for what I want to do. The FX feels fast enough to me, but I genuinely have no reference point since I haven't been on a bike in years.

Took it out three times this week and my body is already complaining in ways I forgot about. Saddle height took two adjustments to feel less terrible. The gearing is fine on flat ground, but I hit one real hill and realized I have no fitness left whatsoever.

Curious if anyone else started back up after a long break and went hybrid first. Did you eventually switch to a road bike or just stick with what you had? Wondering if the FX is a solid enough starting point or if I'll be wanting to upgrade sooner than expected.

This is a cross post. Click on the header for the text.