The thread recommended is quite a list; going one by one should prove interesting. Road bars offer many more and better possitions than flats. As far as entry level as the man said, is not such a meaningful term in tourers as most Co.s have only one or two models, neither of which is cheap. LHTs take on a life of their own in the touring realm. Not the only bike, not the handiest to obtain and may or may not be the best, I'm not a tourer, never road an LHT. I've ridden the Trek 520, a test ride, it's fine. Very popular, so much so that they run out early in the season. Check around anyway; listed in Trek's site as a tourer NOT under road bike ... Jamis has both of the Auroras, under road THEN touring, good bikes, (rode 'em and liked 'em) lack eyelets so ..... Fuji has its tourer under tourer, looks just like the Jamis (never rode it). These are just a few. Depending on where you live dictates as much as anything, right ? I meen, happen to know a shop with Rocky Mountain ?