Looking for some advice. A little background: Admittedly, I am new and just taking up biking (or trying to). I am undecided on which type of bike to buy - a flat bar or a drop style. I realize this has more to do with where and what purpose I ride. I'd like to reserve the ability to leisurely ride some trails, but most rides will be on pavement and I've found that perhaps a hybrid or fitness bike is where I should be looking. So, for as long as I can remember, biking has caused ischial bone pain for me. After lots of research, I am finding that my problem is likely geometry and bike setup, so please know that I will be fit at a bike shop before I purchase.
Last night I took my daughter's fitness bike - an xs and I will likely fit a medium - and experienced the same bone pain. I know the bike is too small for me, but when I tried to adjust my seating position, the most comfortable position was for me to lean forward in a more aggressive way - I rested my forearms on the flat bar and this took all the pain away. My question is this: Could this be indicative that my body prefers this more aerodynamic position? Should I be seeking a drop bar instead of a flat bar? I know there are lots of factors here, seating position, length of seat to handlebars, my weight, etc (or so I've read) but I'm really questioning the front handlebars now.
I'd love to hear your experience and advice. Please be gentle, I'm new to this, would love to get into it, am willing to spend some money to get a decent starter bike ($1100 maybe?) but I want to ensure I'm getting the right kind of bike. Again, I realize there are lots of factors going on here, but is there any value to what I experience last night...that my body might prefer to be more forward?
Thanks, Kris