I ride an '05 7500FX (they changed the model names from 7XXX to 7.X this year) and considered true road bikes at the time of purchase, too.
I rode a Motobecane Grand Record for many years, in recent years I began getting more neck and shoulder pain while riding in the drops. Much of my riding is commuting to my university office, down streets with many, many crosswalks (wheeled vehicles in KY are mandated to stop for peds in marked crosswalks) and many informal crosswalks - always a bit of a hassle with the position of the brakes on the Moto. I suppose one could add inline brakes but the shifters are still a reach when riding upright.
I added Shimano 324's to the 7500FX - they're like the pedals that you get stock, and a more comfortable seat - finally opted this month for a Serfas Terrazo over a Brooks Team Pro (I don't think I could get it far enough back, didn't want to spring for a seatpost with more setback). I do 15-20 miles a day excepting bad weather (not many of those days this fall) during the week and 25-30 on one or both weekend days.
No aches, pains, or discomfort, knees or elsewhere with the Trek.
My lbs has a 30 day trial policy on bikes, bring it back without damage for component swapouts or a different model or frame size, no questions asked. See if you can do something similar.
If most of your riding is in the wide open stretches, and your neck and back handle the riding posture of a drop bar road bike, you might opt for that, possibly with inline brakes on the bar; otherwise the 7.X series may be what you want, if the bike fits you.
Another factor, I didn't want to spend over $800.00 including the saddle and pedal upgrades. I looked at "comfort" or "relaxed geometry" road bikes, like the Pilot and XXXXC Treks, but thought at my price point, the 7500FX was what I wanted. I still do.