In theory, and potentially in practice, a great choice but here's my experience as posted in the CTC site.....
"I think there's a design fault.......
I've been a bit of a niche bike snob for too long I thought and one of these would make a great commuter. I was very pleased to get in at the £320 price point just before it finished. Less pleased to have to take 1/2 day off work and drive 55 miles each way to pick it up, but OK with that as such a bargain. Got down there this afternoon and went to take the wheels off to get it in the car. The staff I'd spoken to on the phone had seemed helpful and had told me it was all ready and safety checked. This check seemed to not have noticed that one of the brake hoses was dangling where it should have been attached to a cable guide and it had a rear mudguard but no front. 'The usual bike staff weren't in today' and the general floor staff that were didn't know how to remove the rear wheel so I set to. Bit of a faff but I worked out how to unhook the gear cable. Then I realised that they've gone to all the trouble of fitting an eccentric bottom bracket, so that chain adjustment can be made without affecting the rear disc brake placement, BUT they've left the track end style rear dropouts which in turn means to remove the rear wheel the rear brake caliper has to be removed and you'd have to get the alignment perfect when refitting the wheel otherwise the rotor will rub.
Whilst I was there trying to remove the rear wheel 3 other customers were 'served'. The first to pick up a bike that couldn't be found, the 2nd with a complaint that a pedal had fallen off their new bike resulting in a minor fall but some cosmetic damage to the bike which the customers thought Halfords should sort out....'well you signed to say the bike was all OK when you picked it up and we don't know the conditions you were riding in' 'But how are we supposed to know how to check your preparation, you're the experts'. (mmm I've just signed something I wonder if it was to say the bike is all OK?) And the third who paid for his repair which included replacement crankset and other parts and when the bike was wheeled out for him it was obvious no new parts had been put on the bike!
Needless to say I decided to get a refund and leave without the bike, which thankfully was straightforward as it hadn't been out of the shop. I don't doubt that some folk get good value and service from enthusiastic staff. Unfortunately my experience was of the cheap and poor service variety."
Turns out there's 2 versions doing the rounds at Halfords. The one I almost ended up with is like this at the rear;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v380/liamail/dvdforums/2011-05/rearHubPhoto.jpg
The other is much better and like this;
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5136/p1010474n.jpg
Here's the CTC thread which has plenty of positive experiences too;
CTC Forum • View topic - that the 'ultimate commuter' is back
