Looking for a Fast Bike
Ok so I've been biking around town and to work for years. I started on a fixie and have only worn bike shorts a handful of times... I'm a city rider. In the last year I've done more longer rides. I've enjoyed challenging myself and I've impressed myself. But I'm riding a Big Dummy and a LHT. These are not bikes built for speed. I want a bike that I can use to go on adventures and that won't hold me back in terms of speed. Maybe I want to bike the C&O canal in one day or bike across Michigan. I think I might like races and randos. The thing is, I'm 6'4" or 6'5" and 260lbs. I'm a big dude and I don't think that most bikes can handle my weight. I think maybe I should stick with steel. What do people suggest? I would like to spend under $2,000 but could go up to $2,500. Should I just get a gravel bike and change out the tires as necessary? What brands should I be looking at?
Thanks for the help!