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This is my road bike. It has all the road-biky things. It has the gear range that fits my skill and terrain. It has a comfy saddle and bars. It has proper fit and narrowish ( 32F, 35R ) slick tyres at about 80-90psi and fenders to fend-off dirt, mud and water if I happen to encounter some. Its total cost is well below $1000 at current prices.
Don't overcomplicate things.