I'd test ride it!
Noone says you have to stick with the bar ends if you decide that you hate them. Pop on a set of STI levers and away you go. People often unload their Tiagra brifters pretty cheap on fleabay. One note though, if you do end up with brifters make sure you have the bike shop install a set of travel agents as brifters do not physically pull enough cable to properly opperate V-brakes. (This is why you see a lot of cross bikes with cantis)
Remember that no matter how nice or sweet the deal is, it's worthless if it doesn't fit.