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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2013 15:59:33 GMT
Hi all Loving the forum which somehow I've only just discovered - could really have done with this when I took a punt and bought my Triban 3 two years ago! At that time there were only about 3 mentions of it on the whole internet when I was trying to decide which road bike to buy.
Anyway, the bike has done me very well, I've still using pretty much the orginal set up including the saddle (but good shorts!), but with dual sided pedals with SPDs (as use for commuting, I dont clip in round town) and only had my first puncture a month ago after about 2,500km! Only breakage was the rear derailluer decided to shear in two last year.
I'm now starting to do some longer rides and sportives (100km+) and think I could do with something a bit lighter and less clunky, and with better shifting, and stick some proper road bike pedals on. The T3 will still be used for commuting so I'm not totally abandoning it!
I had been toying with going full carbon (after seeing my mate who has just got one flying up hills with seemingly no effort!) but popped into Decathlon the other day and was checking out the Triban 7. Given it seems only .5kg heavier than the FC3 for £250 less (though I have noticed a couple of posters on here saying its actually lighter - where did you get the figures from?) it seems a great deal and, as when I bought my T3, there seems to be very little else on the market with as good a spec for that price.
Any thoughts on the T7 from owners, particuarly those who have had a T3 before? How does it compare, is it worth stepping up - will I really notice the difference? And has anyone gone full carbon, would you say its worth it?
Cheers all!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2013 19:25:40 GMT
Chap in decathlon was showing me the diff between t7 and FC3 last week- said the FC3 was a much less conpmfortable geometry designed for racing whereas the t7 was more suited for longer rides
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Post by zoltansocrates on Jun 12, 2013 19:59:31 GMT
the decathlon website has had a tart up recently, it was detailing FC3 at 100 g heavier than the t7 but its now gone , as you say, half a kilo in the other direction, decathlons website is notorious, some really strange info, bikes for rides up to 3 hours?!?! what happens after? it disappears?
i though seriously about carbon and was going down the cube route when i though, mmm, maybe carbon and alu - ive got a kid who like to bang things off expensive other things - so it evolved to alu carbon and the pinarello fp1 and i was buying it, then i saw the t7, and i went and looked at it on 3 separate occasions, i then looked at the pina again, they were the same tiagra spec so only finishing kit differentiated them, was sticking my own wheels on regardless - i even posted on bike radar that i felt terrible betraying my lbs in favour of a chain store i am glad i chose the seven, the budget suddenly allowed me more trinkets, better shoes helmet shorts computer all as a result of the saving i made NOT getting a pina (and watch their stock plummet now they are associated with the orange and black lot), ive been biking for years and like to think i know my bikes, even if i sometimes dont know how to ride them, and the btwin is better than its price would indicate, genuinely - the must be doing one of those 'lets lose money for the first 2 years' strategies that sony adopted with the ps3
and look whats happened - no other bike has spawned its own following in the way it has here, even CA acknowledged that
if you are looking at longer rides the triban is better suited, the FC is race orientated, triban more sportive
good to see you are sticking with the brand though, btwin are definitely here to stay
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2013 20:18:15 GMT
The FC3 is a beautiful bike and I was a hairs breadth from buying one. But with the same groupset, comparable weight but a £250 difference in price the T7 was the obvious choice. I rode round the store on the FC3 and just kept thinking how fragile it felt. Maybe next year...
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Post by spaceflightorange on Jun 13, 2013 7:42:57 GMT
I have a full carbon Focus Cayo and a Triban 7a and I can honestly say the comfort level of the T7a is almost as good (and the Focus comfort level is fantastic). I really love my T7a.
The T7a is about 2kg heavier than the Cayo, but i honestly don't notice it. When I get on my Hybrid, it feels like I'm dragging a dead body behind me! and its a right bone shaker too!
You will not regret buying one. Just make sure you replace the brake blocks, as they kinda suck.
I have a 52 mile Sportive this weekend and the weather isn't looking favourable. Think I'm gonna use my T7a.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2013 11:57:08 GMT
Thanks for the replies guys. Sounds like the T7 is a good option! Did any of you have the T3 before? I just feel I definitely want a good (and noticable!) step up from it (mainly so I can justify splashing out on a new bike!).
It does seem the cheaper full carbon bikes out there (including the FC3) don't seem to offer significant weight savings, its the bikes in £1500-2000 territory that come in at 7-8kg. Mind you I should probably be working on losing my own extra kilos before I start bothering about the odd half kg on the bike!
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Post by cbrdeano on Jun 13, 2013 12:02:00 GMT
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Post by zoltansocrates on Jun 13, 2013 12:06:44 GMT
Have to say sensa bikes are pretty nice
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Post by psyclepath on Jun 13, 2013 14:38:09 GMT
Look reasonable value, though the Umbria isn't carbon fork unfortunately. As they appear to build them from scratch though I'm sure they could put a triple on the "Malt-r" for only a couple of quid more if you asked. Seen this from Wiggle looks good for a Tiagra www.wiggle.co.uk/mekk-pinerolo-al-15-tiagra-2013/£40 more but free delivery so only really £10 more. Compact double chainset though.
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Post by Whitestar1 on Jun 13, 2013 19:51:58 GMT
I love my Whitney (T7) both at a drop of the hat (money in the pocket) I would have gotten the FC3. Either way you can't lose.
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Post by acd1055 on Jun 14, 2013 10:46:51 GMT
I agree with the above, I think I'd go for the T3FC. I might even end up getting one with summer.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2013 19:48:46 GMT
I don't know what your budget is, but Planet X are trying to raise capital for expansion/new business deals and have their Pro Carbon frames with full Ultegra groupset for £1199.99. I think you can get it on interest free credit too. Probably worth it for Ultegra alone.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2013 21:58:35 GMT
Well went and had a go on the T7 and liked it - probably as it has the same geometry as the T3 so felt very comfy! Cyclescheme certificate applied for! (oh and getting some Aksiums as well as a treat to myself!)
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2013 8:34:27 GMT
The T7 or FC3/5 is what I want to upgrade to for next summer. As your going up from a T3, your point of view would be welcomed when you take delivery.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2013 13:00:02 GMT
Well, with some speaking very nicely to my works accounts department my cyclescheme certifcate popped up in my email last Friday - 5 days after getting the quote! Very handy as I was doing a sportive on Saturday so a great chance to try it out (and proper road cleats for the first time, eeeek!) Verdict: loving it! Definitely cruises along on the flat better and faster than the T3. I'm still getting the hang of the compact and am missing the triple a little but hopefully I will get the hang of it.
One thing is that I am really struggling up hills seated on it. On this sportive there was a real drag of a hill, a good 2km of it at about 4-5%. On the T3 I know I if I wanted to save my legs a bit I could just drop to the lowest gear and spin up it seated without it being too much effort. On the T7 it just felt like I couldnt get any power transfer seated - I dropped to lowest gear but struggled to get the pedals spinning and it was burning my quads - I couldn't manage it for more than maybe 5-10 seconds. Consequently I pretty much stood up the whole way which was not an experience I want to repeat!
The guy in Decathlon said the lowest gear was the same as the T3 so I'm thinking it must be to do with bike set up. I compared the two bikes and I seem to have the saddles in the same position (height and forward/back). The saddle is flatter on the T7 and slightly longer in the nose. I also wondered if it was to do with the change to road pedals/shoes, I think I tend to drop my heels rather than toes when I pedal, especially when I'm really pushing.
Any thoughts? I'm supposedly doing 75 miles round the Isle of Wight on Sunday and it will be miserable with all those hills if I cant get it sorted!
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