Touring - Do I Want a Touring Bike??

Up until now i have only ridden mountain bikes. I have put around 6,000 miles in the last year on them mainly on unpaved roads. I am starting to entertain thoughts of getting a "skinny tired" bike and riding on the asphalt some. I don't have any plans of going on an extended tour although i do dream about it.

I am MWC, and work for a living so can't get away much. It is a stretch for me to get my 2 hour MTB rides in daily. I don't want to race and really don't care how fast i go except for the fact that i want to gain advantage over a mountain bike for extended distances and want to be fairly comfortable. (i know i can put slicks on my MTB's)

I am thinking about doing 50-100 mile days with the hope of carrying some gear and possibly doing an overnighter now and then. Most of my family lives 90 miles away and i would like to ride up and visit on occasion instead of driving.

I know this is probably limited info but can someone tell me if I would be a better candidate for a road bike or a touring bike??

EDIT: I would like to stay around $700

Hi,
sounds like a sport or even Audax bike might be a better choice.
Take a look at the Gunnar Sport for an example. http://www.gunnarbikes.com/sport.php
Here is another possibility. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/habanero.html
If you can test ride either, you should, they are both flat out fun to ride. The reason I mention these instead of a traditional tourer is speed. These bikes will be faster and lighter. At the same time, they both have a really sweet ride.

it's not a problem to do 85-100 mile days on a mountain bike, even loaded with
front bags and a trailer. you don't necessarily need slicks, find a narrow tire
(~1.4 or 1.5) with a raised center tread. then you can go fast on the pavement,
but still have traction with the side knobblies. your rim width may prevent riding
narrower tires, but you can always have a 2nd set of atb road wheels, for tires down
to 26x1.2" - narrower than most touring tires.

as for the visits, you could get by with a basic road bike. you're close enough to
easily make the trip in a day. get a seat wedgie bag to carry tire levers and tube,
and a h-bar bag for snacks and rain jacket. just keep a bag of essentials and a
change of clothes at the relatives.

short answer, you don't need a touring bike.

I agree with above comment ...

another good bike to look at is the Thorn XTC ... good for fast rides, commuting and lighterweight touring... I have a Thorn Nomad, which is a heavier walled frameset with same dimensions/geometry as the XTC ... good for everyday use and expedition touring, and with lighweight wheels on, it can go pretty quickly too and is comfortable for all day rides too ...

I am thinking about doing 50-100 mph days

MAN! That is fast :lol:

MAN! That is fast :lol:

Too much :beer: and not enough sleep!
:D