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review

B'Twin Triban 520

9
£450.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Fantastic value starter road bike that will cope with everything from commuting to racing
Weight: 
10,040g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The first thing B'Twin say about the Triban 520 is that it 'sets the benchmark yet again'. And they're right: if you're starting out in road cycling and you've got less than £500 to spend, then this bike is one you should be chucking your hard-earned cash at. It's not just a good bike for the money, it's a good bike, full stop.

You get Shimano's excellent Sora gears, a good quality alloy frame, a carbon fork and decent finishing kit, and the bike is versatile and capable. I've tried everything from commuting to racing on it, and it's acquitted itself as well as bikes costing twice as much. It's a steal. There are a few minor issues, but overall this is a brilliant bike for the money.

Find your nearest Decathlon here

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The ride: assured, engaging

First things first: the Triban 520 is a fun bike to ride. If that box doesn't get ticked, then there's not much point comparing specs and prices. But tick it it does. From the off I've been very happy riding the Triban. The alloy frame and carbon-bladed fork are well made and finished, and they give the bike an assured feel.

There are no surprises in the geometry: our XL test bike has a 580mm effective top tube, with 73-degree angles at the seat tube and head tube. The 410mm chainstays give a (little) bit of extra room for bigger tyres (the bike will take up to 32mm rubber, or 28mm tyres and mudguards) and a 207mm head tube is firmly in sportive territory.

The frame has a fairly sharply sloped top tube, meaning that the seat tube is only 530mm; that means more exposed seatpost, which in turn means a bit of extra give at the rear. The beefy seatstays certainly don't look like they're designed to flex all that much. The bike's not as stiff as a carbon race frame, and you can eke out some derailleur rub in the bottom bracket area if you put the hammer down, but it's well within the acceptable range.

Spin the Triban 520 up to speed and it's pleasingly neutral, without feeling lazy in the turns. The fork is a straight-through 1 1/8in steerer but the Triban doesn't want for stiffness up front, it tracks very well. Even chucking it into the hairpins of the local Odd Down circuit in the heat of a Cat 3/4 race didn't unduly faze it, and carving long descents is a pleasant experience too. 

Until you have to stop: the only real let-down are the brakes. Long-drop callipers are never the most powerful and that's certainly true of the non-series units you get on this Triban. Stock moulded pads don't help either; they'll stop you okay but you need to haul on the levers a bit. It's worth budgeting for some decent cartridge pads. I'd be tempted to make that swap straight away rather than wait for the original pads to wear out.

Shimano's fifth-tier Sora groupset takes care of the shifting, and as usual it was a trouble-free experience. I've reviewed the groupset in the past and everything I said then still holds true: you get much of the performance of more expensive groupsets – and proper Dual Control shifters – at a much reduced price.

The Triban 520 comes with a triple chainset (30/39/50) and a Sunrace 12-25 cassette. That gives a similar range to a 50/34 compact and an 11-28 cassette, but opens up the option to fit a much wider cassette; the mid cage rear mech will cope with an 11-32, which will give you plenty of winching gears if you decide to load up the Triban for touring.

The build: versatile, well considered

Speaking of touring, the Triban frame comes complete with mudguard and rack mounts front and rear. You could conceivably fit a full set of panniers, but most people will be looking for rear rack compatibility, and with two mounting eyelets on the rear dropout and rack mounts on the seatstays, adding full mudguards and a rack for commuting or touring is straightforward.

The stock wheels will cope with being loaded up; they're certainly not the lightest but they've been dependable and remained true with no play in the hubs. The 25mm Hutchinson Equinox tyres are a folding bead, which is good to see as it's an area where manufacturers often try to save a few quid with a cheap wire-bead tyre that adds weight and blunts performance. I found the tyres well behaved, but swapped them out for 28mm Continental GP4000s for much of the testing.

I swapped the wheels out too when I raced in the 3/4s, changing them for some carbon/alloy semi-deep ones from another test bike. They were a good deal lighter, and certainly improved the feel of the bike, which coped admirably with the stresses and strains of bunch racing. If nothing else it was an indication that the frame and fork are well worthy of an upgrade.

All the other kit on the bike is pretty standard stuff. The alloy bar and stem (the bar width changes with frame size) are perfectly functional, as is the seatpost. The saddle isn't the best I've tried but it was okay, and it's easily swapped out for whatever your favourite might be. Even the bar tape is good quality, another area often skimped on budget bikes that can seriously affect the ride.

Overall: a steal for the money

This isn't just a good bike for the money, it's a good bike, full stop. There are some compromises (heavy wheels, below-par brakes) but for £450 it's a compelling buy if you're looking to get into road riding. You can commute on it, do sportives on it, tour on it... even race on it if you want. It'll take mudguards and big tyres for winter, and it's fast enough to keep up in the summer.

It's certainly one of the best sub-£500 bikes out there. The Triban 540, at £600 with a 10-speed 105 groupset and Mavic Aksium wheels, shares the same frame and looks like it might be even more of a bargain if your budget will stretch. Certainly the frame and fork are easily good enough to wear the more expensive kit.

Verdict

Fantastic value starter road bike that will cope with everything from commuting to racing

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road.cc test report

Make and model: B'Twin Triban 520

Size tested: 58cm

About the bike

State the frame and fork material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.

B'Twin say: “All new lifetime warranty Triban frame, Shimano Sora 9s groupset and carbon forks. Perfect road bike for commuting, outings or sportives. Without doubt, the new Triban 520 sets the benchmark yet again.”

Tell us what the bike is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Frame

New, sloping, 6061-T6 aluminium BTWIN SPORT frame with integrated headset socket. Short-frame geometry, 1.9 kg in size 57, strong, versatile frame: mudguard and front and rear-pannier racks can be mounted.

Fork / Suspension

BTWIN Sport fork with carbon blade and 1"1/8 aheadset aluminium pivot.

Inserts on blades for mounting a front-pannier rack

strong, lightweight and high-precision fork.

Accessories / equipment

Comes with front and rear-lighting kit and bell.

Drive train

Shimano SORA shifters: Fast and accurate gear shifting.

Shimano Sora triple front derailleur

Shimano Sora 9-speed rear derailleur

Crankset / Cassette

SUNRACE 9-speed cassette 12x25 (12/13/14/15/17/19/21/23/25)

Shimano SORA 50X39X30 crankset

170 mm crank in XS/S/M

175 mm crank in L/XL

Brakes

Long Dual Pivot Callipers: Reliability and power enable a mudguard to be mounted.

Handlebars / Stem / Steering

New, ergonomic BTWIN SPORT handlebars for a better grip and great comfort.

Handlebar width

XXXS, XXS: 380 mm

XS, S: 400 mm

M; L: 420 mm

XL; XXL: 440 mm

Wheels

BTWIN SPORT 32-spoke wheel

Aero 32 hub

Tyres

25 C Hutchinson Equinox for higher performance and greater comfort.

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
8/10

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

Well built, decent finish, especially for the money.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

6061-T6 aluminium frame

Fork: carbon blade / alloy crown & steerer

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

580mm effective top tube

73° head angle

73° seat angle

207mm head tube

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

Very good.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Ride quality is good; it's not harsh, but it does feel direct.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

Some derailleur rub under power at the front, but generally the bike feels responsive.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Good power transfer overall, some chainset flex.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so, was it a problem?

No issues.

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively, neutral or unresponsive? Neutral.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

Spot on for most uses, everything from commuting to racing was fine.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

Saddle is fairly ordinary, but easily swapped.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

Triple chainset isn't the stiffest but does open up a wider range of uses.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

Heavy wheels take a while to spin up to speed.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
 
7/10

The drivetrain

Rate the drivetrain for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the drivetrain for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for weight:
 
5/10
Rate the drivetrain for value:
 
10/10

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

Basically a full Sora groupset at this price is a steal.

Wheels and tyres

Rate the wheels and tyres for performance:
 
6/10

Tyres are good, wheels are heavy.

Rate the wheels and tyres for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for weight:
 
5/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for value:
 
8/10

Controls

Rate the controls for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for value:
 
9/10

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes, a lot

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Absolutely

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
10/10

Use this box to explain your score

Full marks for value; they don't get any better value than this. The bike's not without a few minor issues, but they are minor, and it's a very good bike overall.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 189cm  Weight: 91kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Kinesis Tripster ATR

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

 

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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11 comments

Avatar
bkkbiker | 8 years ago
0 likes

What after-market calipers can I replace with to fit 32C tyres as claimed to be the max width tyre? Thanks

Avatar
kitsunegari | 8 years ago
0 likes

This is my winter commuter, albeit with a few upgrades. It's excellent.

Avatar
tobciocc | 8 years ago
0 likes

Just to add, I am a huge fan of Btwin bikes. Love my carbon road bike, and aim to get a Btwin mtb very soon.

Avatar
KiwiMike | 8 years ago
0 likes

Great stuff yet again from The Big D.

Note for first-time Decathlon shoppers: the smallest frame sizes often come with 650b wheels. And the website doesn't tell you this.

It's not A Bad Thing as 700c's on a tiny frame are silly, but if you are expecting to buy and swap new rubber, or plan to fit mudguards, if you expect 700 but get 650 you could be in for a surprise.

Avatar
btwin replied to KiwiMike | 8 years ago
0 likes

Hi KiwiMike,
None of the new Triban models come with 650 wheels. The frame is 100% brand new and is designed around 700 wheels. A totally different frame from the "original" triban series. The new models are the Triban 520 and Triban 540 (Flat and Drop bar versions).
The original frame (with the 650 wheel size) still exists on the Triban 500 and Triban 500 SE models in sizes up to and including 51.

Avatar
Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
0 likes

I've only got a couple of bits that I could add to the review, having had a 520 for a few weeks now. I have my doubts that 32mm tyres will fit, if you went for a 32 tooth big sprocket, the cage is long enough, but the standard 114 link chain probably isn't, I changed the standard cassette for a 12-27 and on the big ring and 27 tooth sprocket, the chain is just about long enough (I wouldnt ride that ratio though, due to the cross chaining). As said in the review, Brakes aren't particularly confidence inspiring, and I will be changing them soon. Not all Decathlon stores will supply it with clipless pedals, mine came with 'orrible toe strap numbers (which got swapped for SPD-SL's straight away).

Avatar
Vejnemojnen | 8 years ago
0 likes

I usually don't like dekatlon bikes, but this one is VERY GOOD value indeed.

1. Sora chainset, so, HT2 design with outboard cups, not some spongy-noodle-like square tapered nightmare with plastic&non sealed basic BB.
2. Shimano stoppers, not re-branded promax calipers.
3. very good shape to the handlebar
4. Lots of SP exposed--> dampening vibrations even further with the 25mm tyres.
5. 12-25 cassette which gives a better ratio IMHO that 12-28 or 12-32. The finer the gradation between gears the better for the BEGINNER (and those, who are not fond of pushing from raw power&muscle.. )
6. Wheelset looks hundred times better than disgusting ones they sometimes give for cheap bikes with heavy aero rims and no-name hubs.

The two thins I don't really like is the weight of the frame (equals a mid-level steel bike's from the 80-90ies..) and the very tall headtube (approx. 3 cm-s taller than I'd like to see in this size)

all in all, I would say the bike is a very good package with tasty aesthetics. I would recommend it without hesitation.

 1

Avatar
rjfrussell | 8 years ago
0 likes

Can someone explain how more exposed seatpost equate to more "give"? If by this is meant softness over bumps (a good thing) rather than twist/ deflection if the bike is off the vertical presumably a bad thing). Surely the seat post is so close to being vertical that the relevant forces are essentially all compressive and metal just don't compress.

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to rjfrussell | 8 years ago
0 likes
rjfrussell wrote:

Can someone explain how more exposed seatpost equate to more "give"? If by this is meant softness over bumps (a good thing) rather than twist/ deflection if the bike is off the vertical presumably a bad thing). Surely the seat post is so close to being vertical that the relevant forces are essentially all compressive and metal just don't compress.

Fore and aft movement, particularly noticeable on larger hits such as pot-holes.

Avatar
tobciocc | 8 years ago
0 likes

Nice looking bike, but not sure anybody will be racing on it. Btwin prices seem to be on the rise, still cheap though.

Avatar
Stef Marazzi | 8 years ago
0 likes

Chapeau Decathlon. Other manufactures take note. THAT is how you put together a good value road bike. I am sure they will sell loads of them, like they did the Triban 3 and Triban 500.

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