Hallo!

I've been into bicycling for about a year now. In the spring I began to go for rides up to 60 km with my very old and terrible ATB Supercycle, with no back brakes and tires with the tube showing through. I recently took a Brodie Infinity on a 10 day, 1000 km bike trip through the Rockies. It had straight handlebars, and after a few days I could barely use my hands to button a shirt or hold a pencil, they were so strained. I'm a light packer, I just used a schoolbag to carry my stuff.

I am now in the market for a second hand bike. I want something with slick tires, curved handlebars. I plan on doing fast half day rides, more overnight trips, and perhaps some amateur racing.

I am thinking I would like a road bike that can be fitted with a rack for a bag. My only concern is that along the roads around here, I am often forced to cycle on the gravel shoulder, sometimes needing to move off the pavement onto it at rather high speeds. Can a skinny tired road bike handle that, or will I skid?

Thanks!

Ella.