If you are interested in just trying a drop-bar bike, you could check River City Bikes as they have an indoor test track. You could then just keep it in a low gear until you are comfortable, then try the shifting. I believe the current shifting is fairly easy to get use to, but each person is different.

When I took my son around to see what size bike would be best, the first bike had brifters and he managed okay. He had been riding a flat bar hybrid.

Good luck and have fun.