Pretty!

I can see what you mean about those wheels - the look of them scares me a little. But if you've ridden the bike and they were rigid, that's what counts.

Two suggestions:

- Replace the brake pads with Salmon/Pink Kool Stops if it rains at all in your locality

- Go to Rivendell's site and look up the tyre width against weight recommendations.

And as a reward for my virtue, as shown in through the enjoyable practice of bike purchase kibbitzing , I just ebayed a gorgeous looking Paul Milne Crosser, to be delivered tomorrow - for about £200. About 21lb, not much used, Campag Mirage groupset. Paul Milne are a UK shop that specializes in cyclocross, so I'm hoping one of their own brand bikes will be pretty good...