Hey!
Welcome.
Wishing your brother as much good fortune as possible.
August gives you a decent time to prepare.
The people here will give you great advice on how best to get started. I would strongly suggest listening to them about bicycle choice, tips and tricks and such...
My SO consults a site:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/forum.php as well. It has done well by her...
Spinning will do well by you!
I tried riding one, didn't realize they were fixed gear with a LOT of momentum and nearly went over the handlebars... Jammed my bum knee. Not once but twice. Not for me, but enough of a taste to really appreciate what a marvelous tool it would be for improving riding.
I've been on the cape with my SO (whose my riding partner). We were both taken by what a great place to ride! It is on the someday list for sure.
I like
http://www.aerotechdesigns.com/ . Great quality, lower prices then I would have expect. I have 2 of their Jersey's for a couple years, treat them almost like regular clothes and they still look new. The best thing is their fabric does wonders for keeping me cool and dry even in the heat down here... I sweat buckets, but you can't tell from these jerseys! I'm about to pull the trigger on 2 long sleeve jerseys, a pair of shorts and their soft shell jacket... Their customer service was fantastic!
Proper clothes and gear help a lot on longer rides. You'll need water bottles, and cages for them. A pack of some kind to carry things like your cell, food, wallet, spares and such...
Congrats on the great start!
Keep posting. I would love to read your progress... I keep a workout/ prep log here and people have been ever so helpful and supportive.