Just an observation - you're new to road bikes, but your price range targets "keeper" bikes rather than "just getting into it" bikes.

But this means that for many of your specific options and choices (which others will weigh in on), you don't have any personal experiences to weight against their latent presuppostions and bias.

Things like what ride geometry you prefer (aggressive race vs. more upright), what frame material you'd prefer (steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, titanium), what kind of handling you want (smooth & stable or twitchy), group preference (Do you want Dura-Ace? Will Ultegra or 105 suffice for you needs?) and even brand loyalty (Campy or Shimano?) won't mean much to you at this point.

Rather than try to talk you into a "starter" level bike (Trek 1000 or similar) because you're starting, if you have the scratch to buy further up the food chain, here are some things I'd consider:

If you don't have a lot of LBS choices your choices are immediately restricted to the 2-3 brands your local store carries if you don't want to purchase online. Probably futile to recommend some boutique brand if you can't test ride it.

That said, the widely sold brands your LBS likely sells (Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale) offer both a race-oriented and a comfort oriented model at your intended price range.

Only you can answer what you like (and what you'll want once you really get into it); test ride is crucial, and all will have quality parts at this price point.

You've already read threads about the merits of bike fitting. Try using some of the online calculators like the one at www.competitivecyclist.com in conjunction with whatever your LBS will do. But any calculator is just a guideline, not an inflexible rule. At least you'll get an idea of what range of measurements to start with.

I'm told that after basic standover clearance, the top tube length is the most crucial metric of fit. But your level of flexibility, core strength, athleticism and fitness can't be fed into a calc, and only you can tell what is comfortable. Generally, if you find a frame that fits, you can upgrade components later.

Generally, if you're a heavier guy and you've always been, more spokes and/or a quality wheel yield better durability.

Disclaimer: I'm a recreational rider, and there are lots of exceptions to much I've said that more experienced riders will probably dispute or correct. I'm just trying to start the responses to your thread. YMMV

Tim