That combination sure has a wide range. An 11-34 cassette is a pretty common combination on a mountain bike, but pretty rare for a road bike. But I guess the 520 is considered a "touring" bike as opposed to a "road" bike. You should be able to climb ANYTHING with those gears!

I hope it works out for you. If you're pretty sure that's what you're looking for and if the bike fits you, maybe you could put a deposit on it to put it on hold. Getting last year's model should get you a pretty good deal. That's what I ususally do with helmets. $150 helmets are $80 when the new models come out!! And the difference is often times just the color.

Good luck!