I'm new here, having found the group through a Google search a couple of days ago. I'm returning to cycling after a 20 year lay off. Back in the day, I had a nice road bike and did long rides in the Santa Cruz Mountains several times a week. At 56, I can't handle the dropped bar posture anymore.

A couple of months ago, I found a nearly new Specialized Crossroads Elite on Craig's List and got it for a great price. All in all, I love the bike. It is so comfortable to ride, if a bit pokey. In conversations with my LBS, they seem to think that this bike is only suited for fairly short rides, say no more than 5-7 miles on fairly flat ground. Most of my rides are currently around 15 miles and I can see that I will be increasing my mileage substantially over time. Anticipating that, I'm looking for advice on whether I should plan on buying another bike or whether it makes sense to do some upgrades to this one, such as a "granny" gear for hills and lighter and narrower wheels.

If I do buy another bike, what would you all recommend, for up to around $1,000? I am 5'4" and my Specialized is a women's size "small", so I will need a bike that comes in a size that is small enough.

Thanks for your help!