Hey all, I have a road bike already. I think its a Kona Tonk steel road bike. I have been doing a lot of training on spin bikes lately and was interested in getting involved in more competitive cycling, maybe joining a local group. I have been looking at upgrading but just have some questions

Do I need a carbon bike to actually be competitive? Is my current road bike usable if I wanted to ride with a group? I have been looking through facebook marketplace and is there good brands to look for and good ones to avoid? I have been seeing a lot of Treks. If anyone else has any advice please let me know. I do not have a ton of knowledge and am just trying to understand my best options. Thanks all