All you bike people

[lookout123]

hi diddely ho there neighbors, lookout has decided to tackle another hobby. or die tri-ing. *groan* Here's the deal, after a few years goading a couple of people have suckered me into the idea of triathlons. I'm going to give it a whirl in a sprint event in a few months. I've got my training plan in place and all that good stuff. What I don't have is a bike. I've got a regular crappy rider that is doing fine, but I'll need something better before I get to the starting line.

I don't know if I'll survive to ever do this again so I don't want to drop a ton of money on the top of the line gear but I also don't want to buy crap that won't make it up the first hill.

I went to the cycle shop here and after meeting the owner I said, "I need a road bike, I'm going to ride in XYZ race on the eleventy third of june. I have money to buy right now, but I know nothing about bikes. What can you tell me?" He sneered and replied, "what do you want a history of bikes?"

basically he told me he wouldn't give me the time of day even to tell me the differences between his $700 bikes and his $8000 bikes. So screw him. That's what the cellar is for, right?

I'm 5'8" and 150 lbs and I know size is important but I'm not going to drop $200 on a professional fitting when the assholes won't even tell me about the bikes first. What equipment do I need? What equipment is just nice to have? What equipment can I do without now, knowing that if I stick with cycling I'll upgrade/buy later?

I've read about Dawes bikes on some reviews and I know you can pick them up for a song on ebay because they are essentially mass produced knockoffs with cheaper components. I don't know the benefits of a shimano 105 v tiagra v ultegra but I know I need something. So what do I need?

I'm a complete novice. help.