Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2013 21:54:14 GMT
OK, I'm trying to get a handle on things but I'm really confused!
I'm sure I could work something out but it would be very useful if someone could compile a brief summary of the key differences between the various Triban models and what the 'A' refers to in some models? For example is the white T3 always an 'A' or what?
Please keep details brief, I guess we're talking something along the lines of a matrix that gives model name (and colour where relevant i.e. if the colour serves to differentiate the year), fork type, frame type, wheelset, gears and brakes along with a brief summary of what the main advantage / disadvantage is for each model.
I know it's quite a bit of work but it would be a really useful addition to the forums. If it's already been done can someone please post the link.
Thanks!
PS: If that's all a bit convoluted can someone let me know:
- is the T5 worth £130 extra, what am I paying for? Am I better just to get a T3 and save the money for any upgrade I may wish to do? - is the T3 White identical to the T3 Red?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2013 22:13:51 GMT
T3 Red T3A White T5 White T5A Black
The T3/5 is the 2012 model and T3A/5A is the 2013 model I believe. With that info you should be able to work out the rest looking through the decathlon website. Most popular 2 are the red T3 and black T5A it seems, with the extra on the T5A getting you the sora groupset that several people here have upgrading their T3 to. T3A white is a downgrade from the T3 red, you don't get the carbon forks and it has microshift shifters.
T3 Red is very good value, but with the difficulty in obtaining one I went for the T5A black.
|
|
|
Post by jdebs on Aug 13, 2013 22:40:50 GMT
The T3 is the fastest!!!!
|
|
|
Post by zoltansocrates on Aug 13, 2013 22:44:51 GMT
T3 Red T3A White T5 White T5A Black The T3/5 is the 2012 model and T3A/5A is the 2013 model I believe. With that info you should be able to work out the rest looking through the decathlon website. Most popular 2 are the red T3 and black T5A it seems, with the extra on the T5A getting you the sora groupset that several people here have upgrading their T3 to. T3A white is a downgrade from the T3 red, you don't get the carbon forks and it has microshift shifters. T3 Red is very good value, but with the difficulty in obtaining one I went for the T5A black. with all due respect im not having that, the t3a is a different bike - you are comparing apples and skyscrapers and who says that the carbon fork btwin supply is better than a steel fork? all the major manufs are going back to steel forks on their entry level bikes including giant and spesh, microshift being new to the market doesnt mean they are worse than shimano and the argument that they are cheaper hence must be worse wont wash with buyers of btwin bikes, microshift are good just new and definately not a downgrade from shimano at that level the t3a is the NEW entry level bike that effectively replaces where the T3 sits in the pecking order BUT the true replacement of the T3 is actually the T5a which has the same frame and fork combo with an upgrade to 2013 sora thrown in the old white T5 is effectively replaced by the T7 (the A was dropped for some reason) with carbon forks and rear stays and an upgrade from sora to 2013 tiagra the a obviously represents the newer range of bikes which is why im confused that they dropped it from the 7 but the pecking order should be PREVIOUS / CURRENT NOTHING - T3A T3 - T5A T5 - T7A So technically there was never a bike that could be downgraded to the t3a as it is a new tier, what it does represent though is the outstanding value of the t3 pedantry perhaps but i wouldnt want people being put off the 3a, it is a fine bike and i think it looks better than the red (ill get shot for that)
ive posted plenty of times on here about the carbon vs steel fork argument and there are cases for and against both but no one should be buying a bike on the basis of what fork the bike has anyway, the 3a offers the buyer the ability to spend less at entry level therefore risking less cash if they dont like it, if they do decathlon will sell them a carbon fork if they want i dont ride one but ill defend the poor 3a, everyone has got it in for that bike, bloody shame (here endeth the rant and not before time)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2013 22:52:19 GMT
Ok fair points made there, I'll take back what I said about the T3A. I think the way they have changed the tiers didn't help much. Everyone looks at the T3 and then at the T3A and what it doesn't have that the T3 did - when as you said the T5A is the successor to the T3.
Perhaps they should have introduced it as the T1 and then have a T3A and T5A as the higher models so it was more obvious where the different bikes fitted into the order.
|
|
|
Post by zoltansocrates on Aug 13, 2013 23:01:24 GMT
Ok fair points made there, I'll take back what I said about the T3A. I think the way they have changed the tiers didn't help much. Everyone looks at the T3 and then at the T3A and what it doesn't have that the T3 did - when as you said the T5A is the successor to the T3. Perhaps they should have introduced it as the T1 and then have a T3A and T5A as the higher models so it was more obvious where the different bikes fitted into the order. agreed harley, you have shopped at decathlon, you have seen their website, logic doesnt apply lol you are right they should have named them starting at 1 BUT the 'A's were a new range, its a strange anomoly that the t3 is still being sold, i believe the majority of the demand for them is from the uk and my bet would be that they want to stop selling it but cant help listen to the huge receptive market they have here who lust for red
|
|
|
Post by ukdaws on Aug 14, 2013 6:31:49 GMT
Ok fair points made there, I'll take back what I said about the T3A. I think the way they have changed the tiers didn't help much. Everyone looks at the T3 and then at the T3A and what it doesn't have that the T3 did - when as you said the T5A is the successor to the T3. Perhaps they should have introduced it as the T1 and then have a T3A and T5A as the higher models so it was more obvious where the different bikes fitted into the order. agreed harley, you have shopped at decathlon, you have seen their website, logic doesnt apply lol you are right they should have named them starting at 1 BUT the 'A's were a new range, its a strange anomoly that the t3 is still being sold, i believe the majority of the demand for them is from the uk and my bet would be that they want to stop selling it but cant help listen to the huge receptive market they have here who lust for red They removed the T3 from the French website a few months back and it was not taken down earlier because they had one size left that was a really small frame size that they had to sell (Have not had a good size range in for 7-8 months) and they didnt have any in Limoges Decathlon (my nearest} last time I went in probably 4-5 months ago..
|
|
|
Post by Whitestar1 on Aug 14, 2013 7:08:07 GMT
T3 Red T3A White T5 White T5A Black The T3/5 is the 2012 model and T3A/5A is the 2013 model I believe. With that info you should be able to work out the rest looking through the decathlon website. Most popular 2 are the red T3 and black T5A it seems, with the extra on the T5A getting you the sora groupset that several people here have upgrading their T3 to. T3A white is a downgrade from the T3 red, you don't get the carbon forks and it has microshift shifters. T3 Red is very good value, but with the difficulty in obtaining one I went for the T5A black. with all due respect im not having that, the t3a is a different bike - you are comparing apples and skyscrapers and who says that the carbon fork btwin supply is better than a steel fork? all the major manufs are going back to steel forks on their entry level bikes including giant and spesh, microshift being new to the market doesnt mean they are worse than shimano and the argument that they are cheaper hence must be worse wont wash with buyers of btwin bikes, microshift are good just new and definately not a downgrade from shimano at that level the t3a is the NEW entry level bike that effectively replaces where the T3 sits in the pecking order BUT the true replacement of the T3 is actually the T5a which has the same frame and fork combo with an upgrade to 2013 sora thrown in the old white T5 is effectively replaced by the T7 (the A was dropped for some reason) with carbon forks and rear stays and an upgrade from sora to 2013 tiagra the a obviously represents the newer range of bikes which is why im confused that they dropped it from the 7 but the pecking order should be PREVIOUS / CURRENT NOTHING - T3A T3 - T5A T5 - T7A So technically there was never a bike that could be downgraded to the t3a as it is a new tier, what it does represent though is the outstanding value of the t3 pedantry perhaps but i wouldnt want people being put off the 3a, it is a fine bike and i think it looks better than the red (ill get shot for that)
ive posted plenty of times on here about the carbon vs steel fork argument and there are cases for and against both but no one should be buying a bike on the basis of what fork the bike has anyway, the 3a offers the buyer the ability to spend less at entry level therefore risking less cash if they dont like it, if they do decathlon will sell them a carbon fork if they want i dont ride one but ill defend the poor 3a, everyone has got it in for that bike, bloody shame (here endeth the rant and not before time) zoltansocrates makes a strong argument for steel here. It's surprising how all the big names are now making steel framed bikes not just at the entry level too. Even Giant has put out an all steel MTB at the £600 mark! For me, I will always be a carbon man, but there are some good virtues to be gained from a steel frame and fork. I think the previous post was a bit too simplified for the OP for a newbie he was brave answering so quick.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2013 9:06:55 GMT
the t3a is the NEW entry level bike that effectively replaces where the T3 sits in the pecking order BUT the true replacement of the T3 is actually the T5a which has the same frame and fork combo with an upgrade to 2013 sora thrown in the old white T5 is effectively replaced by the T7 (the A was dropped for some reason) with carbon forks and rear stays and an upgrade from sora to 2013 tiagra the a obviously represents the newer range of bikes which is why im confused that they dropped it from the 7 but the pecking order should be PREVIOUS / CURRENT NOTHING - T3A T3 - T5A T5 - T7A Really useful post - thanks, starting to get my head round things. I'm only going to be riding casually (let's say 1-2 times a week maybe 20-40 miles and then the occasional longer day out, maybe 60-80 miles once a month) and I'd like something that's OK on hills as I live in North Wales. It sounds like the T5A (how can I tell whether it's an A or the first T5 on the Decathlon website?) is £130 more due to frame, forks and Sora groupset. Given my requirements is that £130 worth it (by the way I prefer the slate / grey colour on the T5 which has some value for me)?
|
|
|
Post by zoltansocrates on Aug 14, 2013 9:15:34 GMT
the t3a is the NEW entry level bike that effectively replaces where the T3 sits in the pecking order BUT the true replacement of the T3 is actually the T5a which has the same frame and fork combo with an upgrade to 2013 sora thrown in the old white T5 is effectively replaced by the T7 (the A was dropped for some reason) with carbon forks and rear stays and an upgrade from sora to 2013 tiagra the a obviously represents the newer range of bikes which is why im confused that they dropped it from the 7 but the pecking order should be PREVIOUS / CURRENT NOTHING - T3A T3 - T5A T5 - T7A Really useful post - thanks, starting to get my head round things. I'm only going to be riding casually (let's say 1-2 times a week maybe 20-40 miles and then the occasional longer day out, maybe 60-80 miles once a month) and I'd like something that's OK on hills as I live in North Wales. It sounds like the T5A (how can I tell whether it's an A or the first T5 on the Decathlon website?) is £130 more due to frame, forks and Sora groupset. Given my requirements is that £130 worth it (by the way I prefer the slate / grey colour on the T5 which has some value for me)? the first t5 was white and has carbon forks and stays, i dont think its on the webby anymore the t5a is a good bike and would suggest that it is now the mainstay of the range, the upped cost is justified by the newer gruppo primarily BUT if you are only planning to ever do a few rides (yeh right...wait til the bug hits) then dont discount the 3a carbon forks are all very well and do their intended job but one crash can kill them, the raked steel fork may be slightly heavier, not that youd notice, and still dampens road buzz BUT is almost bombproof
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2013 17:03:56 GMT
pedantry perhaps but i wouldnt want people being put off the 3a, it is a fine bike and i think it looks better than the red (ill get shot for that)
Blasphemy
|
|
|
Post by spaceflightorange on Aug 14, 2013 18:03:22 GMT
carbon forks are all very well and do their intended job but one crash can kill them, the raked steel fork may be slightly heavier, not that youd notice, and still dampens road buzz BUT is almost bombproof +1 At this price point, the carbon fork might not weigh much less anyhow because its a lower grade weave and to be as strong means it will be heavier than a carbon fork on a £1000 frameset The fact that the T3a has a steel fork as opposed to an aluminium fork is good because an alu one will shake the fillings out of your head! (trust me I know)
|
|
|
Post by spaceflightorange on Aug 14, 2013 18:19:09 GMT
zoltansocrates makes a strong argument for steel here. It's surprising how all the big names are now making steel framed bikes not just at the entry level too. Even Giant has put out an all steel MTB at the £600 mark! For me, I will always be a carbon man, but there are some good virtues to be gained from a steel frame and fork. I own a full carbon rig and whilst i love it, if i could do it all again, I'd buy a titanium frame. I hate going out knowing that if I fell off i could very well wreck the bike, whilst with a metal frame, you get back on it. I would never buy a carbon framed mountain bike. having said that, I run a 15 year old mountain bike with Pace carbon suspension forks, and they still work, and GT's top end downhill bikes are carbon. (mind you, wrecking the bike should be the least of my worries, every time fall off i break bones). To get back on track. I think the T3a is a smashing bike, and I agree with zoltansocrates It looks better than the T3 Red. I've used Microshift stuff and its fine. The T5a is definitely worth the extra £130 because you couldnt upgrade the T3 to the same spec for £130. This is how much the groupset costs. Same applies for the T5 -> T7a Bottom Line is: with all models, there's scope for upgrading and whichever one you buy, you'll be happy.
|
|
|
Post by zoltansocrates on Aug 14, 2013 19:19:48 GMT
pedantry perhaps but i wouldnt want people being put off the 3a, it is a fine bike and i think it looks better than the red (ill get shot for that)
Blasphemy ill have steak dianne and a cigarette before the 6am execution its all in those forks tbh, the contrast is pure 70s
|
|
|
Post by spaceflightorange on Aug 14, 2013 19:42:35 GMT
|
|