# Just got my new Triban 540 flat bar



## Roadhump (14 Mar 2018)

Nothing quite like picking up your new bike....even though I can't ride it yet until I've recovered from a bug.

I picked up a brand new Triban 540 flat bar road bike earlier after giving up on my 5 year old Spesh Sirrus, which seems to have developed a terminal front mech, chain ring, gear changing problem.



















After looking on EBay and elsewhere, and reading reviews of various bikes, I decided to go for the Triban, which would have been more expensive if it had been a dropped bar version, but I wanted a flat bar for work, so happy days. Decided to go for the 540 as it is Tiagra 10 x 2, as opposed to the 520 which is Sora 9 x 3, but both get excellent reviews and are often said to be unbeatable value for the money you spend.

It looks like the 540 flat bar is being discontinued as there are very few remaining available and I was very impressed with the excellent customer service at Decathlon in Huyton in Liverpool where the staff member I dealt with went the extra mile to find one my size in stock elsewhere and have it shipped over, despite the website saying there weren't any available.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to ride it yet as I have had a rasping sore throat all week and generally feel cack, and don't want to risk making that worse by exerting myself, but can't wait to get out on it.


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## I like Skol (14 Mar 2018)

Looks very good, I have suggested the 520 to a few people in recent months as that appears a great spec on paper but this with the tiagra should be even better.

Are you ok with the 2x10?

Like User46386 said, I wouldn't have thought your Sirrus was really in need of much to resolve the gear issue. Such a minor fault would rarely render a bike irreparable.


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## jefmcg (14 Mar 2018)

I know Tribans are cheaper, but cheaper than a front mech!?


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## I like Skol (14 Mar 2018)

jefmcg said:


> I know Tribans are cheaper, but cheaper than a front mech!?


It's OK, I'm sure this will become an n+1 situation once the Sirrus is fixed


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## Elswick Cotterpin (14 Mar 2018)

Very nice!


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## pjd57 (14 Mar 2018)

Very nice.

2 × 10 might take a bit of getting used to , but who needs granny gears anyway.


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## Roadhump (14 Mar 2018)

I am used to 2 x 10, and actually thought about getting the 9 x 3 version because my other bikes are 2 x 10 and it would have been something different, but eventually went for the Tiagra because it is supposed to be the next step up from Sora and was only £20 more, in addition one or two of the other components were slight upgrades.

Fair comment re a mech being less expensive to replace than a whole bike, but I have had a nightmare with the Sirrus for about 4 months now, which I described in the linked thread below, but if I am being wholly truthful with myself, I suppose through frustration, I did opt for the n+1 opportunity a bit sooner than I might have otherwise done 

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/n...ween-the-front-chainrings.231254/post-5181756


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## biggs682 (14 Mar 2018)

pjd57 said:


> Very nice.
> 
> 2 × 10 might take a bit of getting used to , but who needs granny gears anyway.



Try riding a 1 x 5 a 2 x 10 would be a huge bonus


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## Mrs M (14 Mar 2018)

Very smart


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## mgs315 (14 Mar 2018)

jefmcg said:


> I know Tribans are cheaper, but cheaper than a front mech!?



Hey any excuse eh?

I’m currently thinking my gear and brake cables on my Triban may need replacing soon. May as well buy a new bike eh? 

Nice looking bike, here’s to many happy miles!


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## Jenkins (14 Mar 2018)

I've had a couple of B'Twins and they're great value for money. Enjoy.


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## I like Skol (14 Mar 2018)

By the way, I noticed the description of the bike says 25mm tyres but the spec states 28mm, which is it?

I love my Randonneur tyres. I have a 32 & 35 mm set and find them to be tough, puncture resistant, fast and well behaved in all conditions. Can't really see me using any other tyre for the commute and road work unless they change/stop making them.

www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-flat-bar-road-bike-tiagra-id_8322798.html


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## Roadhump (14 Mar 2018)

I like Skol said:


> By the way, I noticed the description of the bike says 25mm tyres but the spec states 28mm, which is it?
> 
> I love my Randonneur tyres. I have a 32 & 35 mm set and find them to be tough, puncture resistant, fast and well behaved in all conditions. Can't really see me using any other tyre for the commute and road work unless they change/stop making them.
> 
> www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-540-flat-bar-road-bike-tiagra-id_8322798.html



I noticed that myself, the bike has come with 28mm tyres fitted. Good to hear you have a high opinion of the tyres, I have fitted gatorskins to one of my road bikes and gp 4 seasons to the winter one, will be interesting to see if I notice the difference myself.


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## pjd57 (14 Mar 2018)

biggs682 said:


> Try riding a 1 x 5 a 2 x 10 would be a huge bonus


I had one , 40 years ago. Loved it.


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## RoubaixCube (15 Mar 2018)

540s are good. I never paid full RRP on mine as i got it on Ebay. Previous owner only had it less than 6 months and used it as a training bike but felt he needed something more racey to train on.

One thing i do recommend is changing the brakes if youre going to be out in all weathers. The stock tektro's i had on mine were absolutely woeful in the wet and even with the pads changed to the black Kool Stop pads it was still a cause for worry when wet. I even slammed into the back of a car at 23mph because the bike wouldn't stop when it was raining.

Some people are happy with the Tektro's. I was most certainly not. Currently running a set of Shimano R451 brake calipers with Kool Stop Dura pads which have done me well in all weathers.

I believe the flatbar uses the same frame as the dropbar version.


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## Racing roadkill (15 Mar 2018)

They are fantastic, enjoy.


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## ozboz (15 Mar 2018)

pjd57 said:


> Very nice.
> 
> 2 × 10 might take a bit of getting used to , but who needs granny gears anyway.



I do !!

I looked at Tribans in Decathlon Surrey Quays , certainly looked good for the price ,


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## Roadhump (15 Mar 2018)

RoubaixCube said:


> 540s are good. I never paid full RRP on mine as i got it on Ebay. Previous owner only had it less than 6 months and used it as a training bike but felt he needed something more racey to train on.
> 
> One thing i do recommend is changing the brakes if youre going to be out in all weathers. The stock tektro's i had on mine were absolutely woeful in the wet and even with the pads changed to the black Kool Stop pads it was still a cause for worry when wet. I even slammed into the back of a car at 23mph because the bike wouldn't stop when it was raining.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tip re the brakes. The calipers are marked Shimano. They appear to be the same as those on my Ribble, which have seemed less than sharp at times on a fast descent so perhaps a cheap Shimano model. Useful to be aware of the potential problem. I am pretty certain you are right about the frame, the flat bar is a bot cheaper than dropbar though, which suited me as I specifically wanted the flatbar version.


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## Racing roadkill (15 Mar 2018)

Roadhump said:


> Thanks for the tip re the brakes. The calipers are marked Shimano. They appear to be the same as those on my Ribble, which have seemed less than sharp at times on a fast descent so perhaps a cheap Shimano model. Useful to be aware of the potential problem. I am pretty certain you are right about the frame, the flat bar is a bot cheaper than dropbar though, which suited me as I specifically wanted the flatbar version.


That’s because the drop bar comes with Shimano 5800 11 speed groupset. The calipers on the flat bar are from an earlier lower spec Shimano groupset. There’s no problem with them, in my experience, as long as you fit decent brake blocks.


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## Racing roadkill (15 Mar 2018)

ozboz said:


> I do !!
> 
> I looked at Tribans in Decathlon Surrey Quays , certainly looked good for the price ,


I need to stay away from that store. They had the Carbon Btwin with the Ultegra Di2 groupset the last time I was in. I nearly dented my credit card.


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## Slick (15 Mar 2018)

Looks fantastic, I love new bike day. I bought my new bike when my trusty 14 month old Genesis developed a fatal flaw with the rear light, love it.


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## 3narf (15 Mar 2018)

Smart bike. It looks quick.

I need to find something inexpensive for no1 son seeing as I sold his 650c road bike (of which he'd grown out). Maybe something like this!


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## Roadhump (15 Mar 2018)

3narf said:


> Smart bike. It looks quick.
> 
> I need to find something inexpensive for no1 son seeing as I sold his 650c road bike (of which he'd grown out). Maybe something like this!



Took it out this afternoon and found it is quite quick. Probably not as quick as my dropped bar bikes, but on this you are in a more upright position causing a bit more wind resistance, and they don't have the added weight of the rack I have had fitted to the new bike. But it certainly shifts when you want it to.

I think the 540 flat bar has been discontinued (or they are going to introduce an updated version) because there were very few available, but the staff member at Decathlon went out of his way to find one for me. If you are looking for something similar for your son, you might want to consider the 520 flat bar; it was a close call for me between the 540 and 520 which gets an A1 review from Cycling Weekly:

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/hybrid-bikes/btwin-triban-520-flat-bar

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/hybrid-bikes-buyers-guide-206065


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## Rock bus (16 Mar 2018)

Check out the b’twin owners group on Facebook....best one on there!


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## Racing roadkill (16 Mar 2018)

Rock bus said:


> Check out the b’twin owners group on Facebook....best one on there!


It is that. My 720 AF features on the main photo for the group ( taken at Lepe beach a couple of weeks back)


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## DRM (17 Mar 2018)

looks very nice, just the job for commuting.


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## Levo-Lon (17 Mar 2018)

Superb bike ,bullet proof tiagra, which looks just like ultegra in the new colour design.
Rack looks great too


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## Roadhump (17 Mar 2018)

meta lon said:


> Superb bike ,bullet proof tiagra, which looks just like ultegra in the new colour design.
> Rack looks great too


Thanks, the rack is a B'twin as well. It probably adds a bit of weight, as will the bag it will carry, so it might be a tad slower than without those things, but I got it to be a workhorse and pleasure bike rather than a fast one, but should still be pretty quick.


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## Levo-Lon (17 Mar 2018)

Roadhump said:


> Thanks, the rack is a B'twin as well. It probably adds a bit of weight, as will the bag it will carry, so it might be a tad slower than without those things, but I got it to be a workhorse and pleasure bike rather than a fast one, but should still be pretty quick.



Who needs to chase times when there's scenery to take in..leve the head down strava chasers to get on with it


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## night cycler (9 Apr 2018)

Racing roadkill said:


> That’s because the drop bar comes with Shimano 5800 11 speed groupset. The calipers on the flat bar are from an earlier lower spec Shimano groupset. There’s no problem with them, in my experience, as long as you fit decent brake blocks.



*Not all* the stuff is that though, but I am fine now with it. The chainrings on the drop bar 540 are RS stuff as opposed to everything being 105 5800. On riding this model I could not tell the difference. The gears are very smooth. Have not encountered any brake issue as yet, but only been out twice so far and that was in dry weather. I will keep in mind what has been mentioned about braking in wet weather. 

Nice bike BTY Roadhump


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## CombatClaret (20 May 2018)

Love this bike, only been using for a month now but has really inspired me to take my cycling to the next level. 

As you say they look to have discontinued it which seems a shame. I was very fortunate as none were in stock in London so I was looking for similar bikes, likely the 520 then out of nowhere one popped up in my size in my closest store, plus it was on a 10% discount so only £20 more expensive than the 520! Bargain.

Fitted some SKS mudguards, pannier rack and in the last few days Shimano PD-T8000 XT pedals to make the perfect sporty flat bar commuter. Couldn't be happier.


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## mustang1 (21 May 2018)

My old bike got a flat tyre one day so I bought a new bike.

OP, nice 540!


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