Quote Originally Posted by PamNY View Post
Yes, it helps a lot. I was just about to delve into the difference in road and touring bikes, but I carry quite a bit on the bike for my birdwatching trips, and I might do credit card touring -- so researching touring bikes is on my agenda now. Thanks very much for your reply.
Some further notes:

Hybrid bikes
Loosely refers to bikes with flat bars, although there are subtleties regarding frame geometry that are beyond me. 700c wheels is typical. Can be more upright ("comfort") or more sporty riding position.
Usually running bigger tires for easier handling on gravel trails.
Usually easy to fit a rear rack on. I never saw one with a front rack but I guess it can be done.
Some models have disk brakes.
Some models can be very heavy due to added suspension at the fork and seat, which I personally see as useless and cumbersome, but to each their own. Others are quite lean with carbon fork and lighter tubing.
You can sort of tell what kind of buyer the manufacturer had in mind when you look at the saddle...
Typically aluminum but there are other options.
Typically in the $300 to $1200 range.

Road bikes
This could be hotly debated I'm sure, but commonly refers to bikes with drop bars, a somewhat lighter frame, 700 or 650 wheels. Tire size varies depending on the bike's purpose: generally speaking, racing bikes will take very small tires (700X23) while touring bikes will accommodate 700X35 (for all-terrain riding and comfort) with fenders, rack, etc.
Can be of many varieties, the vocabulary of which is not agreed on: racing (focused on speed, handling, and efficiency), club (similar to racing but more relaxed and comfortable), touring (longer wheel base to accommodate the cargo), (cyclo)cross (higher bottom bracker to go over obstacles more easily), etc.
Made of steel, aluminum, carbon, titanium, bamboo (not kidding!)... sky's the limit, depending on your budget.

This being said...
I do my credit-card, not-too-long-distance touring on my hybrid bike (Trek 7.2fx) because it's my only bike with a rack, and it's comfortable enough for up to 2-hour rides, as long as I don't do that every day. It's probably about 10 pounds heavier than my road bike, but once I'm loaded with full panniers who cares? It's reasonably good quality, so when I pedal it actually transfers my energy to the wheels and I go forward. I am currently working on getting a steel bike for light touring, but it's really a luxury more than a necessity considering what's in my stable... although it will be very nice to have the drop bars for long-distance riding.

Some members of my club go touring on heavy mountain bikes. They don't seem to be phased by it. (However, they probably don't go up and down stairs as often as you do.)

Folding bikes - which also come in many varieties - are also an option and some can be light weight.

Be aware that weight is very relative. My husband's racing Cervélo bike is about 15 pounds, but also more expensive than all of our other bikes together (and we have quite a few). Some people pay big $$$ to shave just grams off their bike. At 25-30 lbs, including accessories but not panniers, you have a very reasonable hybrid. For reference, a typical Walmart bike would be over 40 lbs. Weight matters a lot on hills, but I think the big difference from one bike to another is efficiency of energy transmission. I have a cheap aluminum hybrid that just eats up all of the power I put through the pedals. It's maddening! On my road bike with high-grade components and wheels, I just think about going forward and it's already gone!

Just go out there and try some bikes, both hybrid and road, both within your budget and beyond. See what happens!

Have fun! Bike shopping can be fun.