Should you decide to try a road bike--something I strongly encourage--have a good look at the Ribble Winter/Audax bike.
It comes available
fully pre-configured from £659.95
The
bikebuilder version where you specify each individual component from £579.95
Or as the
bare frame-only for £103.96
The price softened the £50 shipping to the US, but it ships post-free in the UK, and they participate in the UK's Bike to Work voucher scheme.
I chose it because I wanted a road frame, in fairly conservative geometry (for comfort and stability with a load in the panniers), made from aluminum (it will see salt and I don't want it rusting) having rack and fender mounts, and the ability to fit full fenders (mudguards to you lot) over 28mm tires.
Disregard the 23mm tyre size bit on the web site. It's no doubt a typo. Mine's sitting in the living room now with 28mm tires under SKS P35 fenders. I suspect that using other fenders you could stuff 32mm tires in there.
My frame was delivered over the past weekend and I'm building it up now. The forecast is for studded tires through the weekend, so don't expect a ride report until next week sometime.
Nice website, I will save this for later, thnks.