Originally Posted by tjspiel

There's a wide range of bikes that fall into the road bike category. Everything from time trial bikes, pure racing bikes, touring bikes, to cross bikes.

And there's a lot in between. So when you say you want to get further into the riding habit it sort of depends on what you mean. The CrossCheck is kind of a jack of all trades, master of none sort of bike which is why it's commonly suggested. It's got room for wide tires which gives you lots of options, but it's not a full on touring bike like its sibling the Long Haul Trucker, nor would it make a very good racing bike for someone at all serious about racing.

sbslider has some good advice regarding the 7000, - as long as it fits you. Your $1,500 might be better spent after putting some time in the saddle before deciding on the next bike.