Quote Originally Posted by pinsonp2 View Post
You might look at the Trek FX series. It has several levels from 7.1 through 7.9 (I think). As the number goes up, the component groups and frame material does too....and of course the price. They are often characterized as a flat bar road bike. The series also has some models with disc brakes. I have had a 7.5 for 2 1/2 years and find it to be fairly fast and reliable.

P2
I think the OP's first bike was in the FX series. It remains a good choice though. I started off with a 7.5 FX myself in 2006. It seems, though, that in subsequent model years, Trek really started jacking up the price, but using lesser quality components at each price point.