While I appreciate your points regarding the look of the bike, I support the comment of getting a bike with multiple gears. If the bike is difficult to ride because the gearing is too strenuous you will also fail to keep riding.

I started riding last year and I have lost about 35 pounds. It was very hard to pedal at first as there was a lot of me to move around, so I was grateful for the easier gears. As I progressed, I appreciated the ability to shift to tougher gears to go faster and to get a more vigorous workout (ie greater weight loss). Hoep that helps.