Help with a bike for my dad please

[Risotto]

Hi,

My mum has suggested going halves on a new bike for my dad's birthday and I was hoping someone might be able to suggest some candidates I could investigate.

He would use it on the road and the occasional flat dirt track. At a guess, the ideal spec would be something like:

Flat bars
Hydraulic discs
Mudguard compatible
No suspension or possibly a hard tail (but I think he'd rather have discs than suspension)

As it is to be a gift, I guess we're limited to new bikes rather than second hand ones.

Budget is a bit of an unknown but let's say £400 ish. Any special offers anywhere? Clear outs of last seasons bikes?

I've a vague idea there are things like the Whyte Whitechapel & Pinnacle Lithium but is there anything else that's well regarded and might fit the bill?

I'm not averse to building something suitable if that would be cheaper but I've only got about a month and would need to source everything and have never actually built an entire bike before - but it would make for a more personal gift.

Thanks in advance!

Edited by Risotto on Friday 27th February 21:34

[Risotto]

Thanks guys, my mum has since mentioned the bike idea to my dad, so we have some idea what he wants, i.e. it won't be a surprise present so the suggestion that he come along and pick one for himself might be a sensible idea.

I think the Giant might be a little too staid looking.

As for the flat bars, I agree, they're restrictive but it was one of the features he mentioned, although he was a bit vague about the whole thing!

Just seen a few 13 bikes on the Halfords website that might fit the bill - are 13 any good?