I ride a Surly LHT set up as a road bike with 700 x 28 tires - I don't tour, but wanted a road bike with a long wheelbase (no toe overlap or heel strike), and a more "relaxed" upright geometry, as well as low gearing for the steep hills here in Kentucky. The LHT works GREAT for me!

This past Saturday I was cruising along a country road - actually not going very fast because it was pretty cold, and if I got up over about 12 - 15 mph the wind chill was getting to me. I was passed by a group of about 8 or 9 roadies. After letting them pull a little way ahead, I upshifted and poured on the coals just to see if I could keep up. No problem, as it turns out. I kept pace with them for about a mile, but then turned at an intersection where they went straight.

The LHT has plenty of speed on the flats. A "racing" bike is lighter by several pounds, and no doubt will walk away from me going uphill, but for this 55 y.o. the LHT is a lot more comfortable.

As said before, buy the kind of bike that suits the kind of riding you do. I bet that a lot of folks who are on "racing" bikes would be better served by a "touring" bike instead.