Thanks for the advice, guys.

I appreciate the list of acessories, NMBuff. That looks like a good checklist of things that I should think about getting. I hadn't thought about a water bottle cage (which I'll need, because this summer is relentless).

I'll look into those suggestions, erg79. I'm still trying to learn about who makes quality parts and which is good for what (like the difference in all the derailleurs made by Shimano...) but it's a bit overwhelming right now. But then, learning is just part of the fun, huh? Is there a good place that I can go to read up on the difference in quality of these parts, or is it best just to lurk around the forums here?