started with a mountain bike with knobby tires carrying all my stuff to & from, cpl years later I was riding a road bike with slicks & stocking up on supplies by driving a weekday or riding on the weekend
in between was all kinds of nonsense like slicks for the mountain bike, then bolt on drops for the straight bar, then a hybrid, then slicks for the hybrid, then bolt on drop bars for the hybrid, then actual drop bars for the hybrid, then a 30 yr old heavy road bike, then a light(er) road bike, etc etc.
finally landed with an aluminum road bike w a carbon fork, integrated brake / shift levers & a leather saddle
my advice for myself would be, skip the nonsense & go directly to a nice light road bike that can take fenders & a rack
oh & I don't get passed anymore except by the guys w the burly legs, happy smiles & a little wave. don't mind that