I'm all for buying more bikes, now now now.

But if your finances are tight and you *need* to wait until Spring, you might be best off waiting until Spring. If finances are just snug, and it'd be *better* to wait until Spring, I'd get the bike now.

All our LBS TE'rs are saying bike prices for 2009 are going up. A lot.

I'd think 3 weeks would be plenty of time to get used to the bike before a sprint tri. You've been riding the hybrid all this time, it'll only take a little while for your body to say "whoo-hoo, I dig this road bike thing!" And if you have trouble with the road bike, you'll still have the hybrid to ride as back-up. (keep the hybrid, it's good to have a utility bike in the stable)