Hello,

Long-time lurker but this is my first post on here.

I am in the process of looking at getting a new road bike. It is not my first road bike but I have not had one for a year or so, my aims are lofty in terms of how much I need to use it but equally it could sit un-used for periods of time in my hall (yes I know but I have no shed or garage) I started with a budget in mind of £500-£700 max and have gone through the usual suspects the various Giant Defy’s (there are some 2012 model’s out there at a good price) Specialized Allez and the Boardman’s (Sport and Race) I also spied a few more online that looked interesting such as the Merlin and Sensa range sold by Merlin cycles. Lastly in my price range it is also hard to ignore the btwin triban 3 and 5s.

I am in no rush however I am the impulsive type so will likely not rest on this until I have decided and purchased something. My mood changes daily and whilst I have at times considered breaking out the credit card and breaking my £700 budget I have I think in-fact decided that given my injury record and possibility of the bike being used as much as I am planning settled on £500. This left me with the option of some 2012 Defy 4 and 5s, the Merlin’s, the Triban 5 and the Boardman sport or course second hand (which I am not keen on in truth unless I knew the buyer)

The elephant in the room though is the Btwin triban 3. It is £300 which would leave some cash to upgrade a few parts such as peddles etc, it has received excellent reviews and if all of my lofty plans did pan out would make a nice winter bike if I bought something else next year. Given that in the sub £1000 bracket we are talking aluminium frames, carbon forks and different flavours of shimano I am wondering how much a rider of my experience is likely to get with say a £500 or £600 bike over the btwin?

Thoughts very much appreciated.

Many Thanks

Dont forget the Triban 5 at £500.00

My Triban 3 arrived last night, my budget was £500 as well and had to included new saddle, pedals and shoes and upgraded wheels. I’ve bought some Mavic Aksium wheels secondhand but unused, the wholed lot should come in about £450 after selling the Triban wheels unused.

I spent a lot of time poking around the Giant Defy’s and superficially (I haven’t ridden it) the bike compares very favourably. A smidge heavier but quality wise it’s exceptional.

Little touches like rubber frame protectors on the cables give me confidence, it seems well greased, the frame is clearly not gas pipe, the stays are quite a collection of curves and bulges.

Without commenting on the longevity of the gears it seems extraoordinary value, it’s very well put together, I’m pleased, not pleased I’m off riding for 8 weeks though… 😐

I have a Triban 5 and think its awesome, the carbon rear end sold it for me. Its much more forgiving on my commute over the many many potholes. Its taken a real beating and not even buckled a wheel yet. I havn’t had the wheels off to see how heavy they are yet but I suspect that is where they have saved money. I will be racing on it in the summer so might buy myself some nice wheels for the weekend.

Go and test ride one, Decathalon were happy for me to borrow one for 5 mins. They cant set bikes up though, mine came with hardly any air in the tyres loose bars, and non-indexed gears. But that wasn’t an issue for me just 30 mins I could have spent riding.

I was in Decathalon the other Day and found myself eying up the triban 3, I wouldn’t bother with the Triban 5 TBH, I’d be incluned to have the 3 and ride it into the ground…

My own current commuter is a Carrera Vanquish which was a rash C2W purchase almost 5 years ago now, it’s still going but it’s needed far too many replacement parts since purchase (wheels especially) to be considered anything like good VFM (~£500 when new). If the triban 3 been an option at the time I think I’d have gone for that as it’s a lot of bike for not alot of money…

OK it’s not got a carbon fork or stays, and it’s got those odd Sora Shifters with the little thumb nubbin, but for £300 it’ll pay for itself within a few months, and most of the parts on it should last a reasonable while, you’ll just be giggling at how cheap it was…

I see a few Triban 3’s round my way now being used for commuting, they look like they roll along well enough, they seem to keep up with the fella’s on posh carbon exotica…

If your budget is £500 get the triban 3, you can wander off in the store while the fella put’s the bike together and but yourself a load of cheap ‘Btwin’ cycling kit (similarly good VFM), you’ll probably still have ~£100 spare after that…

Ignore me

Just to correct cookeaa, my Triban 3 came with carbon forks.

It’s my first road bike, so have nothing to compare it with, but it doesn’t seem a whole lot heavier than a riding buddies £1000 Trek. Ok so maybe the parts aren’t as good or high spec, but its a £300 bike.

It sounds like you’ve decided that if you do ride it a lot, you will be looking at a more expensive/higher spec bike next year in anyways, so why not save the money now, get the Triban 3, then you’ve got a nice winter bike if you do decide to get a new one next year.

If you find you’re not riding it very much, and hence won’t be getting a new one next year, then at £300, you’ve not maxxed out your budget on something you’re not riding much!

Thanks all, appreciate the feedback. I was in Halfords yesterday looking at the Boardman Sport which I thought was very nice but then I started looking at the Triban 3’s specs plus the reviews and the argument seems pretty strong for the Btwin.

The only argument for the Boardman sport is I have a Halfords 5 minutes walk from my house which is handy for setup and on-going issues if I had any. How much building would be required for the triban 3? I am no bike mechanic and looking at the replies it sounds like it may come un-built? I have a Declathlon 20 miles or so away but they have no T3s in stock so it would have to be mail order.

Thanks again

Decathlon bikes come pre-built, but the quality of the “build” can sometimes be less than ideal – nothing complicated, though, just a question of checking the saddle and bars are straight, the tyres are pumped up, etc. You might need to check the gear indexing, but as that’s something you have to do with most bikes I assume you can handle it. (And if you can’t, you really ought to learn – it’s very satisfying).

I’ve got a Sport 2, which is what the Triban 5 used to be called. Very happy with it.

Set aside about 10 minutes for building, 3 of which is getting into the box, you need a 15mm spanner and a (6mm?) allen key, suppposedly included but weren’t with mine.

For £300 it really is ridculous value, £300? Up there with the £15 CRC brakes, I’m not sure who’s making money and how?

Yep, carbon forks.

I stand corrected and even more impressed with the VFM then… BUY IT!!!

Triban 3 has excellent frame, forks and major components but the wheels are carp and you will soon need to spend £100 on a set of entry-level Shimano wheels. With the carp wheels come carp tyres so these will need changing but anything bigger than the Btwin tyres will prevent you fitting mudguards as there’s very little clearance.

Don’t buy the Btwin bottle cage, it is too big for a standard 75cl bottle, which bounces out, distracting you and causing you to lose control. Ask my son how he knows.

I just ordered a Giant Defy 2 from PedalOn, starting with a similar brief to you. Although it’s over your budget, you can get about £100 of accessories with the points thing they do. All the reviews seem to be good for the Defy.

I would have gone for the Merlin Malt-R 2012, but it’s now out of stock in my size, and didn’t have fittings for mudguards like the Giant. The Specialized Allez sound to be not quite so comfortable from what I read, more for pure speed. Lots of them being sold on ebay.

I’m too much of a brand snob to consider anything that is obviously from Halfords or Decathlon and I decided that I needed the Tiagra rather than Sora to have proper shifters. Probably cost me a couple of hundred quid …

I guess the bike snob in me (probably wrongly) sees Boardman as a premium brand vs btwin, there is also a degree of comfort with being able to ride it out of the shop so to speak. I tried a Specialized Allez, lovely looking bike but at £550 it felt over-priced, with a British cycling discount I can get 10% off in Halfords so the Sport becomes £450 and the race £600. I have a thing for white bikes so really like the Boardman Road Comp that though is £850 ish after the discount and sensible me just knows that £700+ is just not necessary for me, strangely for some reason I do not like the Triban 5 in white at all???

I think I am going to press play on the Triban 3. If I have to setup the gears then I guess that is what google is for!

Thanks

The Decathlon frame is made in Italy by Dedacciai, get Dedacciai stickers made and a little Italian flag, you’ll even fool yourself.

A mate turned up at the weekend on a new Triban3. I was astonished how good it looked. Very decent bike, and at the price little short of amazing. I’d buy one.

Isn’t that right Andy? (He’ll be reading this while pretending to be “working” or some such nonsense…)

Triban 3 has excellent frame, forks and major components but the wheels are carp and you will soon need to spend £100 on a set of entry-level Shimano wheels.

Haven’t decided if they are poor or poorly set up yet, I had to adjust the cones and took the opportunity to put some grease in the hubs, which seemd to have been overlooked at manufacture, bit of a pita but only 15 minutes work in the end. They seem to run true so far, even led a club run on it at the weekend, 50 lumpy miles through Surrey 🙂

Ok so I had a big u-turn over the weekend. The Btwin’s were not available in my size, I then decided on the Malt-R 2012 which seemed a real bargain, again though not available in my size. So….

I came home from Halfords with a Boardman Race on Saturday. They were happy to get one in and build it so I could have a look before pulling the trigger, £600 with a 10% discount so all pretty good. I have only had a quick ride due to the weather but it does feel very nice.

Saga over…

Boardman owner here. I don’t think you will be disappointed. Excellent bikes to ride. I note the comments about looks. It’s the ride that counts and I think great VFM.