B'Twin unveils brand new Triban 520 and 540 road bikes

Decathlon’s B’Twin Triban is a very popular road bike and for 2015 the retailer has unveiled a brand new frameset, with space for up to 32mm tyres and full mudguard and rack compatibility.

--The Triban won the road.cc Budget Bike of the Year 2014/15 by proving that budget bikes don’t have to be compromised, heavy and slow.

There are four models using the all-new frameset, two with drops and two with flat bars. The Triban 520 is available with drop bars for £450 or flat bars at £380, and the higher specced Triban 540 costs £500 with flat bars and £600 with drop handlebars. Each bike comes with a lifetime warranty.

The four bikes use the same brand new 6061 aluminium frame and carbon fibre fork. The frame has all-new tube profiles, with a rounded square shape, and a larger down tube. The geometry has been updated too, the Triban has been designed less for racing and more for those cyclists wanting a versatile and comfortable bike for tackling sportives or riding to work.

A big change and the key talking point about the bikes is the capacity for wider tyres. Wider tyres are getting increasingly popular as cyclists cotton on to the benefits of increased comfort and generally improved rolling resistance provided by bigger tyres. Each bike comes fitted with 25mm tyres, and the frame will accommodate 28mm tyres with mudguards, or 32mm without mudguards.

There are also eyelets for proper full-length mudguards and each model comes with long reach dual pivot brake calipers. Decathlon tells us it had quite a lot of feedback from its customers regarding being able to fit proper mudguards rather than flimsy clip-on ‘guards. There are even rack mounts as well, making this a properly versatile bike. Stick some racks and panniers on it and you’ve got an ideal commuting, touring or Audax bike, or strip them away and you’ve got an ideal winter bike with big tyres and mudguards.

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In line with its desire to make the new Triban more comfortable, Decathlon has developed new contact points for the bike. The drop bar models get a new ergo handlebar with the bars slightly angled to reduce the reach. There’s a new ergo saddle as well across the range, it’s narrower and designed to be a more comfortable place to sit.

The new Triban road bikes have been some time in development, and have been tested on the roads and cobbles used in races like Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders, not that far from the design department's office in Lille.

The Triban 520 drop bar road bike (£450). It’s equipped with a Shimano Sora 9-speed groupset with a triple chainset and its new ergo handlebars - the handlebar width is specific to the eight frame sizes. Hutchinson Equinox 25mm tyres are fitted to B’Twin Sport 32-spoke wheels.

The Triban 520 flat bar road bike (£380) uses the same frame as the model above it but swaps the drop handlebars for flat handlebars, making it ideal for city riding and commuting, or anyone wanting a road bike but preferring the position and control of flat bars. It’s equipped with the same Shimano Sora 9-speed groupset with a Sunrace 12-25t cassette and Prowheel Ounce triple chainset.

The Triban 540 drop bar road bike (£600) looks like a great bike on paper. Again, same updated frame and carbon fork but packing a Shimano 105 10-speed groupset and Mavic Aksium One wheels with 23mm Mavic Ksion tyres. B’Twin Sport long reach dual pivot brake calipers, ergo Sport handlebar and Ergo Fit saddle complete the build on this one.

Lastly, the Triban 540 flat bar road bike (£500) is packaged with a Shimano Tiagra 10-speed groupset with a Tiagra compact chainset and Tektro brake levers and B’Twin Sport wheels with aero hubs and 25mm Hutchinson Equinox 25mm tyres.

Both the Triban 520 drop bar and Triban 540 flat bar road bikes are in stock now, the Triban 540 drop bar road bike and Triban 520 flat bar models are expected in June. See the new bikes at www.decathlon.co.uk