So for my short lived life I have only owned mountain bikes and have only once actually ridden them in the mountains. I currently live in New Jersey, and do not plan on leaving any time soon. I have been interested in investing in a road bike, because I am planning on riding on LBI and in NYC this summer. Does anyone here have any suggestions for bikes? I have been looking at the Trek FX3, and I think it fits the standards. Below are the criteria for the bike.

-Can handle gravel and rain as a secondary job
-Will be able to ride fast, compared to a mountain bike, on pavement
-Between $200 and $800
-Ergonomic
-Flat Bar
-Neutral Position Riding

Welcome! Sure, a Trek FX will do those jobs well. Others in this market include the Cannondale Quick, Fuji Absolute, Giant Escape, Jamis Coda, Raleigh Cadent, and Specialized Sirrus. There are others, I'm sure; these are just the more popular ones from major brands. These will all fit your body just a little differently, so test ride as many as you can before you buy. You may consider disc brakes -- they'll be advantageous in wet weather.