Best bike for £500? really stuck!

Hi, this is my first post after trawling the internet trying to find advice which doesn't really seem to be out there. Basically, I'm sick of my clunky MTB which has broken on me so much i want to switch to a nice light road bike. I'm interested in trying some long distance cycling but haven't had the chance to borrow a bike yet! obviously, this being my first road bike I don't want to blow a tonne of money on it, i've set my budget at the very max of £500 really, but i have three bikes in mind currently from Halfords as my brother works there and i will get 15% discount on the bike:
Carrera Virtuoso £339 (£280ish with my 15% discount)
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710
Carrera Vanquish £479 (£407ish with my 15% discount)
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710
Boardman Road Bike Comp SC £499 (£425ish with my 15% discount)
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710
The Halfords store in Burton-Upon-Trent seems to have gotten pretty good reviews and i know several people who work there personally so I'm not too worried about the servicing/set-up. i was going to buy second hand but thinking about it i'd rather have the brand new parts and a 12month warranty if i take this stuff more seriously.
any help would be appreciated and any recommendations are welcome!
thanks a million
Jonny
Carrera Virtuoso £339 (£280ish with my 15% discount)
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710
Carrera Vanquish £479 (£407ish with my 15% discount)
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710
Boardman Road Bike Comp SC £499 (£425ish with my 15% discount)
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710
The Halfords store in Burton-Upon-Trent seems to have gotten pretty good reviews and i know several people who work there personally so I'm not too worried about the servicing/set-up. i was going to buy second hand but thinking about it i'd rather have the brand new parts and a 12month warranty if i take this stuff more seriously.
any help would be appreciated and any recommendations are welcome!
thanks a million
Jonny

0
Posts
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/sentinal-10-2009-road-bike-ec018113
Also had a decent review :-
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/bikes/road/product/sentinal-10-09-34877
For instance, i popped into my local decathlon shop to get some tights & they were doing the Btwinn sport 3 bike for £500, which has compag all round i think & carbon front & rear & quick fetching in yellow & white.
Also have a look at what wiggle has got on offer, i know they are doing a Raleigh U6 specd bike for £600 reduced from a grand & i looks pretty damn good tbf.
I wish i wanted now for christmas sales, i only brought my spesh about 6 weeks ago, gutted.
Any body want 2 buy a spesh allez double silver for £600, lol.
When and what store was this? I've been waiting for the deals at Decathlon, my local store doesn't seem to have this deal though.
the Boardman range gets very good reviews, however the build and service of halfords is usually enough to put people off (no offence intended to your Bro!)
My reccomendation around the £500 mark would be the Specialized allez 24:
http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDeta ... ctID=21399
but im sure you can find better in a new year sale with a better groupset
Was at my local store at the merry hill centre. The sport 3 model was £500, in which they had 2 left, 1 in 57" the other in 63". They also had a couple of 57" sport 2's for £400, which dont look that bad either, has got full spec tiagra or sora on it cant remember.
http://www.questbikes.co.uk/acatalog/Qu ... ducts.html
Summer beast; http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff015.jpg
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Boardman-Team-200 ... 2a03aed8cd
Tricross Singlecross for 350... Just bought one as my new commuter, barely heavier than my Felt F5C which retails for three (3) times the price. Only one gear, but 63 gear inches feels fine on such a light steed!
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