things that i like about riding a road bike in the city is mostly the versatility. i chose a more relaxed geometry and i thought it was pretty perfect for city commuting. i also really like brake levers on the flat part of the drops so i can sit up tall and look around at traffic but have my hands on brakes should i need it. that said, most people don't need or care for it, i see plenty of road bikes out here without them.

as for tires i see a lot of us recommend gatorskins as they are pretty bombproof for the roads here. some go tubeless. some pick a softer tire for an more softer ride and just know they will more likely deal with flats but the comfort is worth it.

i don't know much about pedals but it seems you have lots of recs here ^^

best of luck choosing! it should add some fun to your ride