Looking for something comfortable that doesn't sacrifice too much speed. I live near Seattle, WA, and I have a lot of experience mountain biking (own a Norco Sight and a Rocky Mountain Altitude), so I am not looking for something similar to those. I am looking for something I can ride around town and also take on the Chehalis Western Trail (https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/chehalis-western-trail) and Burke Gilman (https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/burke-gilman-trail).
I currently have a Jamis Renegade Aluminum 2019 size 51 that's too small for me. I bought this bike about 6 years ago as my first "real" bike. I'm 5'8.5" so I'm usually in-between sizes. I tried a size up on the Renegade and just wasn't feeling it. I also tried a Trek Domane and it felt fine, I guess. The closest bike I've gotten to liking a lot is the Otso Warakin but it's pricey.
I'm also interested in flat bar vs drop bar. The aggressive stance on drop bar puts strain on my neck constantly looking up. Any suggestions or tips on whether flat bar is less fatiguing for longer trips would be helpful. Or maybe recommendations of a different set of bars to put on the new bike. I don't know much about the different types of bars.
$3,000 max budget, ideally under $2K. Thanks to anyone responding!
by ironictiger