Worth upgrading from a hybrid to a road bike?

[OldShep]

No it all helps for the future, I'm just not sure how accurate bike fit tips can be from a photo. I sat on the bike with pedal at 6 o'clock and there was still a good 20 degree bend at the knee so I'm happy that the saddle isn't too high, even though I could probably afford to drop it a little. I would move it back if it would go any further, which is probably a sign that it's not a perfect fit, but that may be the angle of the seat tube, a road bike might have more of a natural setback, achieving a more balanced chin/tube alignment.

It's a commuter bike, including having a child seat on the top tube most of the time, and for that it's fine, it's only when doing longer distances that I've thought of switching to a road bike, but only if the difference would be significant, which it sounds like it would be, including long distance comfort.

You mention you believe your knee angle to be 20degree I think it’s closer to 10.
You could be as much as a couple of cams too high IMV

 

[Twilkes]

That's my fence-brace leg position, not my riding leg position, the ball of my foot is in the wrong place. The angle is fine when I'm riding.

 

[Twilkes]

So the answer is yes, it was worth upgrading. Ended up with a second hand but barely used Cannondale Optimo for half retail price, and I can match my fastest tailwind-assisted times from the summer on a cold winter's day with no tailwind, so it'll either be faster, or more energy efficient for the same speed, which was kind of the goal. Either way I can do longer rides on it. I can also climb in much larger gears too, which I can't quite explain - I can push 50/15 up a hill whereas my hybrid would be hard work on 38/15. 4kg difference between the two bikes.

It's a 60cm frame and I switched the 110mm stem for a 130 and the difference was noticeable - when I've sat on road bikes before they've never felt right, I think because I was too squashed up on them even if the frame was the right size. This feels stretched out rather than low, and it's comfortable.

In the other direction, I put the flat bars back on the hybrid so my son has more room in the Weeride, and it feels like sitting on a penny farthing!