Can’t see a lot wrong with this.

https://bikepacking.com/news/decathlon-riverside-touring-920/

Maybe a steel build would be nice but I guess they’re keeping prices as low as possible. Great spec though.

I like that, the colour has even grown on me.

Nice spec. Looks great, pretty close to my ideal ATB, if it was steel!

The fixing points on the chainstays are for this rack

https://www.decathlon.fr/p/porte-bagage-arriere-touring/_/R-p-333521?mc=8646629

33 mounting points 😲

That’s really nice – wonder when they’re available?

I like that, a lot. In fact I would buy one now.

Watching with interest.

I really do like that but won’t the 1x with 32 chainring up front limit “progress” on anything remotely flat?

That does look nice – I don’t need one, but I’d buy that!

Im pretty sure my next commuter will be a rigid or short travel xc hardtail, however that ticks all the required boxes apart from the colour and there being no stock. Basically a modern vagabond.

What are the differences that would make someone by that over something like the al sonder camino?

I really do like that but won’t the 1x with 32 chainring up front limit “progress” on anything remotely flat?

It’s probably OK. How fast do you want to go on a touring bike? I have 38 – 11 top gear on a 650B gravel bike at the mo, it’s fine on road unloaded and only ~50cm development higher gear.

Compromise of 1X isn’t it – gear it for loaded climbing and you’ll have limited top end.

The fixing points on the chainstays are for this rack

https://www.decathlon.fr/p/porte-bagage-arriere-touring/_/R-p-333521?mc=8646629

It’s a nice bike. Please don’t spoil it with that rack.

About the only obvious weakness in the build might be the seatpost; shim in a decent 27.2 and that’s sorted too.

this , Want not need again!!!
nice bike

@jameso – my guess is that it won’t be used fully loaded, or even lightly loaded all the time. It looks like a great all-rounder bike.

I think the 32 will be good off road with a load though.

^ Agreed, I suppose they spec it for intended use and you swap in a 36 or 38 for mixed-terrain day rides if you want to.

31.6 is dropper friendly though!

Another like from me, excuse the ignorance but does a dub chainset mean a non standard bottom bracket or could it be converted to a 2x easily 🤔

That looks great. Definitely adding that to the next bike list. More details on the Decathlon UK website.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/touring-920-adventure-trekking-bike/_/R-p-306383?mc=8543226&c=GREEN_KHAKI

Hang on…  It look fine but it £1400 for what is fundamentally a rigid MTB with drop bars.  With less gear range than a traditional tourer, yet designed to go off road.

Looks like a great bike but has some fundamental flaws I’d say.

Have you ^ seen the price of bikes/components recently?

I really do like that but won’t the 1x with 32 chainring up front limit “progress” on anything remotely flat?

Not really. I ran 32/11 on my ‘adventure’ bike for a while, now it’s on my XC bike. It’s easily good for 25mph and more on flat which is more than I can manage for long especially on a bike like that – dunno about you! On descents, well you just spin out or freewheel and enjoy the scenery. Take it on narrow lanes instead of open straight roads and you won’t even notice. I would have no concerns doing long distance on/off road touring on my rigid bike, although I’ve gone up to 34T I wouldn’t worry about having 32T. In fact if I were loaded I’d probably put the 32T back on.

Can this bike accept a 34T?

Well my newest MTB is a 2006 vintage Kona, so I’d guess not?

My 2014 Trek crossrip was £900.    The significant upgrades in 7 years appear to be more braze-ons, clearance for bigger tyres and hydraulic discs (over cable BB5s, which were rubbish in fairness).  Given the perceived savings you maybe should be getting my not going for a “premium” brand, it feels expensive for what it is.

Oh, And three more sprockets on the cassette, with 2 less chainrings. With a smaller overall range.

It looks like a great bike for a very limited range of circumstances, so fits it’s “riverside” name I guess: Pootling along gentle trails carrying your luggage with you.

I really do like that but won’t the 1x with 32 chainring up front limit “progress” on anything remotely flat?

Bear in mind its got mtb tyres too so the effective gear is a lot higher than a road bike. 32-11 might not suit a roadie group ride, but would probably be fine solo, just coast down hills.

I do agree though, a double, 26-38 or whatever shimano were pedaling to the xc crowd before 1x took over would be a better bet. 1x seems a pointless compromise (on a bike that is already compromised trying to do everything).

This has a front dynamo and a dynamo headset port and brooks saddle.

I think it’s pretty good value for money compared to similar bikes (Sonder Camino, Pinnacle Arkose).

It looks like a great bike for a very limited range of circumstances

Not to me. It looks like an all-day bike for riding a really long way on trails or roads. If you want to do that, it’s ideal. My adventure bike is like that but with flat bars, and I could easily use that as my only bike, road and off.

It’s not a compromise, it’s a choice. Most of our bikes are quite specialised, that is a generalised bike. You could ride anything on it bar hardcore gnar and it wouldn’t be too bad at any point.

In reply to Dickyboy- no obvious reason that a 2x setup wouldn’t work just fine, although the front mech would have to be a modern direct pull design, as there’s no cable stop on the frame. I’d guess that there’s no shifter inside that left hand brake though, so increasing the complexity of changing. At 1×11 on this particular bike, I’m not convinced that the downsides of the compromise are sufficient to warrant the cost and complexity of going 2x. Just my perspective..

Yeah, 1x would rule it out for me.

Ok so I missed the dynamo hub, so yeah with the brooks maybe it’s not as poor value as I initially thought.  Fair enough.  Just climbing down off my high horse now…

Cheers,

Keith

I think the 520 is same frame with all the bosses and clearance, but with 36t, flat bars, more kit, alloy fork, half the price.

Tempting to grab that for the frameset only.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/touring-520-bike/_/R-p-312723?mc=8575005&c=BLUE_TURQUOISE

How fast riders are you all that 32×11 is not enough on the flat?

How fast riders are you all that 32×11 is not enough on the flat?

Dunno how fast, but I do know that 32×11 is the lowest I like to ride a 29er for any distance on the road at all.

I was thinking of long flat road sections or long easy descents. If it’s fully loaded then it’s plenty, I just think that a do it all bike like that will be used all the time. As said earlier, lots of compromises are made to make it a jack of all trades

I’d still like one though… Is Santa reading this?

I was thinking of long flat road sections

Not an issue for me with 32×11 I must say. Long shallow descents are a bit irritating, yes, for sure. But the bike is capable of 2x so it’s not a deal breaker anyway.

Bike companies spec 1x because it’s cheaper. If this were the kind of company that does custom specs it’d cost at least 50% more – but it’s Decathlon, so you get what they supply at a good price.

It’s not a compromise, it’s a choice

Broadly agree with this. When I chose a (retro) touring bike *for general use while being capable of touring* I chose it for being:

– Comfortable all day (and the next all day)

– Swiftish when unloaded (near audax)

– Stable when loaded

– Geared for hilly terrain/winching and also road (still triple)

– Can handle a range of paved and unpaved surfaces up to gravel tracks at a push

– reliable, simple, possible to hikeabike, decent paintjob ie not afraid of getting bruised

That Decathlon 920 looks like a very versatile bike for general use, just not a broad range of gears for extensive touring.

Also just read that it comes with Sun Duroc 30s, Thunder Burts and tubeless setup (supplied)

I would very much like to try one out. Can’t see that being an option which is a shame as it reminds me very much of why I bought a Vagabond, yet this seems to address the short wheelbase issue which made me move it on.

Wow! Who’s now designing their bikes!

The rear rack mounts on the seatstay is the best thing about the bike. Looks amazingly stable. If it wasn’t AL – Steel or Carbon I’d be lusting after it even though I have an AWOL.

Very mixed feelings on this bike, love it can take up to 2.4″ tyres; road standard bolt thrus, but wary of it being 1x; double-tap; things that add unnecessary weight for me like the dynamo hubs.

A bit cheaper than the Cutthroat though! 😆

Loving the look of the flat bar version as a do it all gravel / adventure bike – just got to find some stock. Seems a cracking bike for £700

no triple is a deal breaker on this sort of bike for me.

Looks nice , Be a good commuter bike for sure but as far as actually touring on one – its been specced by someone whos done no touring and has limited access to parts .

I would not immediately write it off if i could fit a triple to it though – as i do appreciate alot of folk buy em for the image of being an adventureous sort and ride to work on it so wont need a triple but more and more bikes are adding lots of tire clearance at the expense for being able to have a wide range with close ratios which is annoying.