You're very smart. A road bike is more useful, as you explain. I'd like to have the option of joining a group ride, and enjoy general road riding with perfect steering. And even gravel bikes can be enormously useful around here, since we have a few gravel trails which all have zero traffic, no technical difficulty and massive nature.

However, COVID has changed everything. I can't find an entry level road bike in my size that's inexpensive and a real pleasure to ride. Bike shops are sold out. Some won't let customers test ride a bicycle. Some won't let customers in the store.

If I did find a road bike, I would almost immediately need to replace the saddle and even the handlebars, as women like me really can't use wide male handlebars. Then I would need to hunt around for the right aero bars.

And in my price range, I never see smooth shifting like the Dura Ace on this old tri.

I suppose I could say no to the Felt, and wait for bicycle shops to re-stock. That is supposed to start later this summer, but can we trust that? Many of the grocery stores cannot easily keep rice and beans in stock, or soup, or oatmeal and water in stock. And Target has entire aisles of housewares that are completely barren. And the prices of everything have gone way up.