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TECH NEWS
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.
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.
-- Check out 12 of the Best Road Bike Bargains for under £500
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
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
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22 comments
First post on here and posting from Paris.
I bought the 540FB as the 520 wasn't available in XL and having being incorrectly advised by the salesman that the 520 wouldnt ever be made in XL. One week later the XL appears on the Decathlon website.
It's purely a commuter bike for me so I've fitted a pannier and my ride to work is a mixture of cobbles, cycle paths and road but a fairly consistent terrain.
After 100 miles (weekly work commute) the back wheel developed a slight wobble and started to catch on the brake pads. I presumed it was just settling in so took it back to Decathlon to get some adjustments done.
The sales dude advised me that these bikes don't need time to settle and that I need a new wheel. They've replaced the wheel with a stock Decathlon one (not the same one) free of charge and sent me packing. Happy as they did this quickly and without any quibble but is it right that they've put a lower grade wheel on?
Regardless I like the bike and anyone coming from a Mountain bike or Hybrid will appreciate the spec for the dough but you will want to upgrade the wheels and lights.
First post on here and posting from Paris.
I bought the 540FB as the 520 wasn't available in XL and having being incorrectly advised by the salesman that the 520 wouldnt ever be made in XL. One week later the XL appears on the Decathlon website.
It's purely a commuter bike for me so I've fitted a pannier and my ride to work is a mixture of cobbles, cycle paths and road but a fairly consistent terrain.
After 100 miles (weekly work commute) the back wheel developed a slight wobble and started to catch on the brake pads. I presumed it was just settling in so took it back to Decathlon to get some adjustments done.
The sales dude advised me that these bikes don't need time to settle and that I need a new wheel. They've replaced the wheel with a stock Decathlon one (not the same one) free of charge and sent me packing. Happy as they did this quickly and without any quibble but is it right that they've put a lower grade wheel on?
Regardless I like the bike and anyone coming from a Mountain bike or Hybrid will appreciate the spec for the dough but you will want to upgrade the wheels and lights.
I've been looking for a 'road' bike with a flat bar for a long time. None of the other models I've seen grabbed me but I was excited by this one so I ordered and have received the Triban 540 flat bar road bike.
It came on Thursday in a box only needing pedals fitted and the bars twisted into position. It looks like it had been given a good check over before hand, there was grease where there should have been grease, chain was oiled and it was in good order.
I've ridden it twice now and I'm very impressed with it. It's a really nice, light, bike. I've been riding an Eastway R4.0 for a bit (which I hated) and this, despite the flat bar, is quicker, a good1mph average quicker. The bike handles very well, shifting is smooth and it's a comfortable ride.
What I've done immediately is swap the tyres for Gator HardShells (It's going to be my commuter as well) and fitted my own lights and SPDs. What I'm going to do in the future is add some bar ends and swap the wheel set for some Mavic Aksiums.
If any Decathlon reps are reading - The wheelset is the only, minor, gripe. I think people would pay a little more to have the Aksiums that come with the drop bar Triban 540. They seem a little flimsy but it's a small issue.
I'm already glad I bought this bike, I'd certainly recommend it to anyone that is looking for a flat bar bike with the weight/gearset of a road bike but the posture of a hybrid.
Thing is.....unless you are good enough to have some sponsorship.....these are as good a bike as anyone needs.
We aren't that honest though!
I have a Triban 5 with 9 speed Sora, great value for £430. Can't believe they can do 105 (albeit 10 speed version) and Aksium wheels for £600, some "premium" brands give you alu forks, Claris and poor wheels for that price.
A question for Decathlon people if they are following this, which is a little off topic.
Last year road.cc gave a favourable review to the Nework 700, which looked like a good basic commuter bike. Shortly after it was discontinued, and there hasn't been an equivalent replacement.
It seems to me that commuter bikes using hub gears have almost disappeared at retail. For example, I looked in a branch of Evans earlier in the year, and literally the only bike they had on display with a hub gear was a Pashley Princess! Is that based on UK consumer preference, unlike the rest of Europe we just won't buy them?
Looks like a very versatile bike. Not sure why they haven't specced more versatile gearing, especially as at this price point they'll appeal to beginners. I'd have gone for a 28 or 30th largest sprocket at the back. Carrying a pannier or two on the back up a 5%+ hill in a 25t isn't much fun. Edit: oops sorry missed the triple on some of the bikes - I take it back, an eminently sensible spec.
Also surprised by the magnitude of the price difference between drop and flat bar. Seems excessive to me.
Not that excessive really if you look at the price difference between STI's and flat bar levers/shifters.
Looked nice in shop. Felt good. Nice price. But you can't test ride it (ok, fair enough it's a 'supermarket' bike after all). So what can you use to make an informed buying/sizing/fit decision?
Geometry!
Yet Decathlon don't publish it (not on website anyway). So how can anyone make an informed decision? Surely if you buy this bike, you are buying 'blind'.
There's a geometry chart on their website, in the image carousel, to save you the effort here's a link to it http://www.decathlon.co.uk/media/832/8322798/hd_d8a0231406c24b12aafd848f...
Plus they have a helpful size guide here http://www.decathlon.co.uk/blog/sports/btwin-road-bike-size-guide/
Hi projexe,
You can find the geometry of the new triban models on the penultimate image on the web product pages. Have a look on our website. You will find them on these new models. Each product description also has a link to a size guide which works fine on both mobile and desktop.
Hope this helps.
Thanks (and to David who also pointed this out). I stand corrected - a rudimentary geometry IS there (but no Reach? Stack? BB Drop? Standover?).
Not wishing to be ungrateful but scrolling around an 'image' carousel isn't an immediately obvious place for bike geometry. Perhaps to could have a quiet word with your web designers. And perhaps provide a full geometry.
Found my winter bike Chapau Decathlon
Mr Decathlon - any chance of custom mudguards - with the right length stays so you don't have to fiddlle with lock nuts and maybe the guards could colour coordinated
Fantastic to finally to see some more options for winter bikes in the UK, well done Decathlon.
I think we will get this printed. I will let the product manger know. He will be very happy. Watch this space farrell!
How is Lille in Flanders?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Flanders
The 'Designed and tested in Flanders' sticker won me over
That's a definite winner.
I know Decathlon's reps occasionally post on here so if they happen to read this:
Be sure to give to give whoever was responsible for that a pat on the back.
You could probably even get away with sticking on a t-shirt.
My Mum is from Geraardsbergen, so that t-shirt will be on my Christmas list
Chapeau!!
A drop handlebar bike that takes 'guards and rack for people that ride bikes!
Thank you Decathlon.
...waiting for a disk brake option?