hmm…sounds like it's worth giving up beer for a few months. to be honest, the skinny tires are what scare me the most. that, and the spandex :lol:
Hehe, I can see we've got you now…
Just so you know, most road bikes come with tires that are narrower than they need to be (700x23c). Unless you're racing or are an experienced road rider, I'd replace them immediately with wider 700x25c or 700x28c tires. You get a comfier ride, bigger patch in contact with the road, and tires that rail on decents. Only a small penalty in weight if you pick the right tires.
I wouldn't worry about the spandex, because when you're first starting out, everyone will be in front of you instead of behind you.;)
Some of the best things about road riding are:
1. Out the door and riding in the time it takes to fill your water bottle and get changed.
2. Weekly maintenace takes literally minutes: Lube and wipe off chain.
3. Annual maintenance parts (depending on mileage): New rear tire. Maybe a chain and fresh cables if you want to be extravagant.
"The song of a bird…We used to ask Ennesson to do bird calls. He could do them. How he could do them, and when he perished, along with him went all those birds…"-Return from the Stars, Stanislaw Lem
"We just walk around, and sometimes we go out and dance, and then we listen to the environment."-Ralf Hutter, Kraftwerk