Dr1v3n

This topic is about the different types of road bikes and what may be a good second bicycle for a relative beginner. I see a lot online about different types of bicycles such as mountain bikes, road bikes, beach cruisers, comfort bikes, ebikes, gravel bikes, etc...

What I do not see that much of, is explanation of the different subclasses within just road bikes. After reading some manufacturer's websites and watching some GCN videos, I gather there at least:

1. Endurance bikes
2. Triathlon bikes
3. Race bikes
4. Commuter bikes
5. Gravel bikes

Right now, I understand that endurance bikes tend to have larger geometry, allowing the rider to spread him/herself out across the bike longer, which often results in improved comfort. Perhaps the handlebars are also in a more comfortable position? Tri bikes I've heard have a sharper angle, forcing the rider into a more uncomfortable, but aero position. Race bikes I've heard tend to be the lightest and not necessarily built for comfort either etc... Are there any other types? Am I fairly accurate here?

At this point, I have a Giant Contend 3 that I actually really like, but I'm trying to also think about the future, what I might like to try out. Again, don't get me wrong, I'm not in a rush. The Contend is no slouch, and I've been doing some very long rides, and even brought the thing up to 40mph recently. I cycle purely for exercise and riding experience - I do not commute but sometimes I throw a backpack on and go on store runs. Likewise, I also do not currently "race" and may never participate in competitive races with others. However, I do like speed. I would say that in terms of road bike I value in this order:

1. Comfort
2. Gearing (including smooth shifting) and brakes
3. Reliability
4. Performance/speed

The reason is that since I bicycle for exercise and sight-seeing/experience, I don't necessarily have to go balls to the wall fast all the time in order to keep my heart rate up, especially on hills. The way I look at it - the more comfortable it is, the more likely I am to ride, and since I love riding, I value that highest. But I am also the kind of person who finds riding in "the drops" to be the most comfortable position to ride in.

So I figure, the "endurance" class of road bike is probably most well suited for me. I do 2-3 hour rides, and this is after I've only been bicycling for 3 months, so I imagine that could go up significantly at times. Is that a fair assumption?

After that, my knowledge completely drops off. I'm aware of groupsets such as Shimano Claris and Ultegra, and I think someone talked about a 110. But I have no clue what I may look at for my next road bike and why. I can tell you that what I would like out of it is hopefully to not be cross-chaining as much. On my current Claris setup, I have 2 big rings and 8 in the casette and what tends to happen is one of my favorite/most natural places to be is on the high end of the small ring, or the low end of the big ring, both of which are cross-chaining. I wonder if there is a more suitable gear setup for me? I'd still prefer a reliable setup though, and I've heard the ones with 13+ casette gears may be less reliable due to the squeezing of so many gears back there, etc...

Anyway, appreciate any advice.