da1esman said:
What's the difference between cantilevers and V brakes
Been offered a Boardman CX bike which was bought from Halfords 5 months ago, the chap really wanted a road bike in our village and up for grades for sub 500 is worth a punt or walk away because there's a lot chatter advising steer clear of Halfords bikes and there set up.
The Boardman bikes are excellent, some the of welds on the aluminium are ridiculously nice, the problem is the build quality from Halfords is massively variable. Some can be good, some can be ok, most are terrible because they are built by kids doing Saturday jobs or people who have pretty much no training.
So, it's worth checking the bike over for things like under and overtightened bolts, poorly aligned brakes, loose headset etc. If you are good with a wrench then you can do it yourself, loads of videos online and it's really not that difficult. Make sure you're getting it at a good discount and remember, it's not just the bike you'll need. You'll need clothing, pedals (if he keeps them) shoes, bidons, tools, tubes, puncture repair kit, pump, chain cleaner and lube etc. etc. You can build it up over time but having everything you need to solve the basic problems you encounter, particularly on a cyclocross bike, is a good idea.
One thing, are you sure you want a cyclocross bike? I have friends who bought them and they are all now looking to get road bikes. Are you planning to race?
This could be worth considering. I was very close to buying one before I got my Genesis:
http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/escapade
I would pay the extra for the hope hoops, get it in black grape and ask them to order the wheels with purple hubs
It's a bit of a do everything bike, hence the "lifestyle" tag. It'll do road, trails, cyclocross, touring and just heading down to the shops. The only reason I didn't get one is I was given a ridiculously good deal on a Genesis Volare 10, otherwise I'd have one behind me at my desk now.