I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I'm looking for a new form of transportation on the cheap. I think the best way to do this is to find a cheap older road bike. I've found a guy near me that has a wide variety for bikes for cheap. My only concern about this is the use of friction shifters. I've never ridden a bike with anything but indexed shifters, and I'm not sure how hard it would be to get used to something like this. Are they hard to use? Is it possible to replace them with indexed shifters without buying new derailers? I'm on a pretty tight budget, so replacing large amounts of equipment isn't possible. My choices are either to learn friction shifters, or buy indexed shifters/brake levers if possible. Any suggestions?

Also does anyone have any suggestions for what to look at when looking at old road bikes? I'm not as interested in history or brand names as I am rideablility and quality. I don't know what to look for other than rust and any bent or broken parts. Any help?

Thanks a million.