Flat bar winter trainer

licko

I'm in the market for a winter trainer as my old Kona Smoke is about dead. I'm pretty much set on a flat bar 700c.
Must haves are clearance for 28mm tyres and mudguards, as the country roads I ride are awful this winter. I fancy disc brakes as i'm heavy and appreciate the extra stopping power in the wet but not essential.

Budget about £700 the options so far are Ridgeback Flight 03 @£650, Boardman Team @ £599 and I've just noticed a Spec Sirrus Expert @£749.

Any experience of the above or alternative suggestions?

Cheers

maddog 2

Not up to speed on prices but have a look at the Genesis flat-bars

Babber Goo

Giant Rapid 2 ?

tonye_n

Genesis and Ridgeback are manufactured by the same company. So you will find that the frames for say a Genesis Day 03 and a Ridgeback Flight 03 are the same, and the contact points are the same (just different branding).

I have got a Ridgeback Flight T3 (08) which is the equivalent of the current Ridgeback Flight 04. Mine has pure 'roadie' components/drive-train and geometry, but has a narrow-ish flat-bar. I think the bar width is 55 or 58.

I would go for the Ridgeback Flight or Boardman, as in my experience the head-tube of the Spesh Sirrus is too high for a road bike. It makes you really 'sit up' like on a mountain bike.
I had a 08 Specialized Sirrus Elite for a few months. Then by chance I test rode a Ridgeback flight T3 and was instantly sold on the geometry. It really feels and handles like a road bike with flat bar, rather than a hybrid.
So I bought the ridgeback and sold the specialized. My Flight T3 currently has 25c tires with narrow TorTec mudguards, but I am sure it has clearance for 28c if I use wider mudguards.