Thinking about buying this bike...

[craven2354]

*Almost* everyone. I kept mine for about four hours before driving back round the M25 and sadly taking it back.

Why? Somehow the geometry didn't fit me - it went like a rocket on the carpet in the shop (compared to my 16kg tourer). But when I got it home it was tiny compared to my other bike - 8cm shorter for a 54cm seat tube. I set the seat to the same height but my knees were up into my chest, my leg never straightened at the bottom of the stroke and worst of all, whenever I tried to steer (which you don't get a chance to try in the shop) the toe clips hit the back of the front wheel and stopped any further steering - dangerous on the street, and no adjustment could stop it due to such a short frame. So with great sadness after reading so many good reviews, it was back to Decathlon who were very good about a refund. Not knocking it, I would have loved to keep it, but maybe I'm just too used to a traditional geometry and butterfly bars? The lesson....try very well before you buy!

I have one bike with front and back panniers for long trips away, and I wanted a second bike for fast day trips circa 70-100 miles and was looking for something light in the £200-300 region. With the Triban crossed off, does anyone have any suggestions? Viking Giro D'italia at £200 and 11.9kg? Carrera TDF at 11.7? Any suggestions gratefully received.

Sounds like you got the wrong size bike to me

 

[pedallinghard]

Sounds like you got the wrong size bike to me

That was my first thought; Tribans have the size painted on at the top of the seat post, and I wondered if it had got in the wrong paint line. I even got them to check it when I took it back, as I'd made it 49 cm and wanted a 54. Interestingly, they didn't measure from centre of BB to the top of the seat tube but further up the seat post to a point level with the highest point of the top tube, which made it 54, same as my Dawes and same as the painted number.

But even if it wasn't the right size for me, toe clips surely shouldn't stop the front wheel from steering. Have any other Triban owners here had that problem, or did I get the only duff bike produced?

 

[HLaB]

*Almost* everyone. I kept mine for about four hours before driving back round the M25 and sadly taking it back.

Why? Somehow the geometry didn't fit me - it went like a rocket on the carpet in the shop (compared to my 16kg tourer). But when I got it home it was tiny compared to my other bike - 8cm shorter for a 54cm seat tube. I set the seat to the same height but my knees were up into my chest, my leg never straightened at the bottom of the stroke and worst of all, whenever I tried to steer (which you don't get a chance to try in the shop) the toe clips hit the back of the front wheel and stopped any further steering - dangerous on the street, and no adjustment could stop it due to such a short frame. So with great sadness after reading so many good reviews, it was back to Decathlon who were very good about a refund. Not knocking it, I would have loved to keep it, but maybe I'm just too used to a traditional geometry and butterfly bars? The lesson....try very well before you buy!

I have one bike with front and back panniers for long trips away, and I wanted a second bike for fast day trips circa 70-100 miles and was looking for something light in the £200-300 region. With the Triban crossed off, does anyone have any suggestions? Viking Giro D'italia at £200 and 11.9kg? Carrera TDF at 11.7? Any suggestions gratefully received.

Go back for a bigger Triban or buy the Carrera (they've got good reviews and a bloke in the club has one and with him it handles well). I can only go by my Viking SS and whilst I love it, it too heavy for fast riding over distance. The toe overlap you experienced on the Triban is common on a lot of bikes and may also apply to the carerra (sorry if this is teaching you to suck eggs) you just need to steer more by delicate shifting of your balance and slight steering rather than sharp steering; it'll help with your handling/stability too.

 

[BC BOOTLE]

The only good bike I know about near that price is the triban 3 for £299.99 I appreciate that may be to expensive but it has got rave reviews from everybody who owns one

I more than agree, triban 3 is a good bike for the money

 

[pedallinghard]

Go back for a bigger Triban or buy the Carrera (they've got good reviews and a bloke in the club has one and with him it handles well). I can only go by my Viking SS and whilst I love it, it too heavy for fast riding over distance. The toe overlap you experienced on the Triban is common on a lot of bikes and may also apply to the carerra (sorry if this is teaching you to suck eggs) you just need to steer more by delicate shifting of your balance and slight steering rather than sharp steering; it'll help with your handling/stability too.

Just so the thread isn't left dangling , at another Decathlon store it was possible to ride around much more and they even had one set up on a trainer. I found that if I ever needed to steer so acutely that the toeclip would touch the tyre, my weight was always right down on the inner pedal so the cranks were vertical and it didn't cause a problem after all (does that make sense?). And fine to ride on the trainer as well, so maybe it's just a case of getting everything set up properly.
Also had a look at the Triban 5, but for an extra £200 it doesn't seem to have much more going for it - carbon on the rear as well as the forks. I'm in no hurry (not exactly cycling weather!) so maybe theyll bring one into my price range in their sale?

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

I found that if I ever needed to steer so acutely that the toeclip would touch the tyre

Can do this on all my road bikes, not really a problem.

 

[Rob3rt]

Unless you are riding around at 3mph, the wheel should never turn enough for this to be an issue!