Thanks.

I wasn't into clipless specifically with fixed gears in NYC. Found clips and straps to be more convenient. I'm planning on clipless with this one in the near future. Not in a rush though.

As for the shifters, I don't see them as unfortunate at all. Not only are they from that era. They're actually part of that group. This was around that transitional period when Shimano introduced STI and people had the choice of getting the Tricolor group with the classic DT setup, or with the new brifters. So, if we're talking about "period correctness", they're pretty correct.

I agree that aero brake levers and DT shifters look much nicer.

For now, though, I'll stick to the less aesthetically pleasing, yet more convenient / versatile, integrated levers. And 8-speeds will do for now.