Originally Posted by BobbyG

I think that you are ahead of the game. One, you quit smoking, and two you realize you don't need to spend a lot on a bicycle. Ask at bike shops, plural, if possible. As your fitness improves and your saddle time increases, the type of bike for you will become obvious. What I will add is buy handlebars with multiple hand positions and buy at least two bikes if you can to avoid repetitive stress injuries. Congrats and go, go go!