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Post by Paulinblack on Feb 25, 2014 8:49:26 GMT
'Fings what I have been finking of' (said in the voice of Spike Milligan):
1. What will it feel like to be on a Triban rather than my MTB? (Is it harder to ride than a MTB/Hybrid?) 2. Presumably a lighter bike with bigger wheels will be easier to move. But will that give me less of a work out on my commute? 3. Will the narrowness of the wheels cause me problems? (There is a bumpy mile or so of my commute that has had several trenches dug, filled and patched that I feel uncomfortable bombing along on the MTB.) 4. Will my acceleration and top end speed on the flat be better? (I saw someone post about needing a smaller cog on the cassette) 5. Are there significant granny gears on the Triban 5? (I fear hills and don’t know whether it will be easier to get up them or not?) 6. Do those of you who commute year round turn to wider wheeled MTBs when it is frosty? 7. Did you choose Tribans because of the VFM? (Do you see it as a cheap rubbish bike to bash around or an incredible bargain that really should cost significantly more?) 8. Liken your Triban to a car. Is it a Rolls Royce (classy & expensive), a Ferrari (fast & sporty), a Ford Focus (boring & practical) or an Alpha Romeo (Cool but breaks down all the time)? 9. Is 10kg heavy for a modern racing bike? 10. Aluminium frames? Isn’t that all old hat now? 11. As a first time racing bike, is it a good choice or are there better out there? 12. You have £1000. Triban 500 and a few quid in your pocket, or a more expensive bike? 13. What is the longevity of the average Triban? Will it last or fall apart quickly? 14. Really, how bad are the wheels? 15. Adding upgraded components. Do you really feel the difference when riding a Triban?
I would really value your thoughts.
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Post by joneve on Feb 25, 2014 9:33:53 GMT
I can't answer all of the above, but for those I can answer: 1. It will inevitably be a harsher ride than a MTB as MTBs are designed to get across rough terrain. 2. You'll get a decent work out whatever bike you're on. Yes, road bikes are more "efficient" due to having less wheel contact with the road, and more than likely being lighter than your MTB (though not necessarily) and also producing a stiffer ride. Just pedal quicker! 3. Possibly. Road Bikes and their wheels aren't really designed for anything other than tarmac. 4. Better than what? Your MTB? Most likely. You can buy different cassettes with different ratios, but the Triban is plenty quick enough. 5. The T5 comes with a triple set as standard so you have the comfort blanket of a granny ring if required. 7. Definite VFM. I still doubt you will find a better spec'd bike than the T5 at £430. I have the T3 and I don't view it as a rubbish bike at all. Yes there are better bikes, but it's still a great bike for the money. 8. Probably a Focus, but I wouldn't call it boring. 9+10. At this price range, no. If you wantto start paying 4 figures for a carbon framed bike then so be it, but there are still a lot of people who happily ride Aluminium framed bikes. 11. Again, I honestly don't think you'll find a better spec'd bike at less than £500. Others with more knowledge may be able to say different, but I've yet to find one. 12. Tough question, but I'd probably go with the T5 and use the change to buy some better wheels (probably the bike's only weakness) and use the rest for clothes, shoes, pedals etc. 14. Quite honestly, they're not *that* bad. Yes, they are heavy and yes the hubs usually come out of the factory with very little grease, but get them greased and they will likely last you a decent number of miles.
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Post by jondxxx on Feb 25, 2014 11:53:51 GMT
Time to take the plunge. Buy a Triban and if you decide road bikes aren't for you then you haven't wasted too much Especially with the T3. Then you can work out your own answers. If upgrades are called for then you end up with a bike customised to your own needs. Many people on this forum have pointed out how much it would cost to improve on a reasonably upgrade T3.
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Post by Paulinblack on Feb 25, 2014 20:41:49 GMT
All in good time jondxxx! All in good time! :-)
Thanks for the comprehensive response joneve. What do you mean by a 'stiff ride' ?
Interested to hear the opinion of others too.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2014 21:54:37 GMT
Hi nomore...how tall are you and what's your inside leg?.....as decathlon are selling off white t5's with carbon forks and seatstays for £399 up to 54cm size....so someone up to about 5'10"......I bought one last month and it is awesome.i upgraded the wheels to fulcrum racing 5 straight away......I also have a £2500 cube and I can honestly the t5 stacks up against it very well....a 'stiff ride' means something that is very responsive and excellent at transferring the power at the pedals to the road.....compared to a mtb you will find it effortless to get up to and hold speed....are the roads you ride on smoothish?.....if not I'd stick to mtb's and put some slicks on.....
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Post by Paulinblack on Feb 25, 2014 22:14:55 GMT
Hi nomore...how tall are you and what's your inside leg?.....as decathlon are selling off white t5's with carbon forks and seatstays for £399 up to 54cm size....so someone up to about 5'10"......I bought one last month and it is awesome.i upgraded the wheels to fulcrum racing 5 straight away......I also have a £2500 cube and I can honestly the t5 stacks up against it very well....a 'stiff ride' means something that is very responsive and excellent at transferring the power at the pedals to the road.....compared to a mtb you will find it effortless to get up to and hold speed....are the roads you ride on smoothish?.....if not I'd stick to mtb's and put some slicks on..... Thanks for the reply... I'm just over 6ft 1' with a 33' inside leg so I was thinking a 60cm would be what I needed? The 'stiff ride' definition makes sense. When on my MTB I normally get 'burned off' from traffic light by those on racing cycles. However, I normally catch a fair proportion of them up once I get up to speed! (I'm talking general commuters on racing bikes rather than super fit guys) My trip to work is about 7 miles, mostly on a decent road. However, there is a stretch that has been dug up several times, with a long trench that has been badly repaired. I've already put road tyres on the MTB, so have got the best I can out of her!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2014 0:19:03 GMT
Comfort wise obviously mtb will be better, but the upside for a road bike is more speed for less effort........upgrading wheels, seat, stem etc will give the bike a nicer ride and feeling too.....it all comes down to personal preferences
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Post by robertsims on Feb 26, 2014 10:30:38 GMT
'Fings what I have been finking of' (said in the voice of Spike Milligan): 1. What will it feel like to be on a Triban rather than my MTB? (Is it harder to ride than a MTB/Hybrid?) 2. Presumably a lighter bike with bigger wheels will be easier to move. But will that give me less of a work out on my commute? 3. Will the narrowness of the wheels cause me problems? (There is a bumpy mile or so of my commute that has had several trenches dug, filled and patched that I feel uncomfortable bombing along on the MTB.) 4. Will my acceleration and top end speed on the flat be better? (I saw someone post about needing a smaller cog on the cassette) 5. Are there significant granny gears on the Triban 5? (I fear hills and don’t know whether it will be easier to get up them or not?) 6. Do those of you who commute year round turn to wider wheeled MTBs when it is frosty? 7. Did you choose Tribans because of the VFM? (Do you see it as a cheap rubbish bike to bash around or an incredible bargain that really should cost significantly more?) 8. Liken your Triban to a car. Is it a Rolls Royce (classy & expensive), a Ferrari (fast & sporty), a Ford Focus (boring & practical) or an Alpha Romeo (Cool but breaks down all the time)? 9. Is 10kg heavy for a modern racing bike? 10. Aluminium frames? Isn’t that all old hat now? 11. As a first time racing bike, is it a good choice or are there better out there? 12. You have £1000. Triban 500 and a few quid in your pocket, or a more expensive bike? 13. What is the longevity of the average Triban? Will it last or fall apart quickly? 14. Really, how bad are the wheels? 15. Adding upgraded components. Do you really feel the difference when riding a Triban? I would really value your thoughts. OK...for what's it worth.. 1. When I changed I found it just felt...lighter! Faster to get upto speed and better up hills. It just felt..well nicer! 2.Yes - unless you ride faster! A road bike is lighter and likely to put you in a more aerodynamic position - hence less effort to go same speed. However as faster you can go further in same time and increase work out that way. 3.A MTB is made for rough terrain, a road bike is made for..well a road. It will be more uncomfy on bumps but if it's just poorly repaired roads you're not alone and rest of us do ok. 4.Accleration will amoust certainly be better than on a MTB, top end speed will probably be bit better but not massively. Will depend not so much on gearing (unless you are a pro and spin out top gear on the flat...v.v.v.v.v. unlikely!) but on your legs! I find that my MTB takes longer to get upto speed but once there I can hold it similar to road bike - untill any slight incline - in which case my speed drops off my faster on my MTB 5.Yes - it's a triple - hence granny gear. If still need lower can put different cassette on (cost about £20) 6.Personally yes - when it's frosty or very wet I use my MTB instead of my road bike - however I'm a bit of a tart and others manage just fine on the roadie! 7.I see my T3 as a very good bike for an extremely good price. No I do not just think it's good for the money. I think it's good full stop. 8.I would say...maybe a Skoda. Some people used to look down noses at them (and some daft folk still do) but are excellent cars - just as good as other brands (VW's are basically identical as SKoda is owned by VW) but cheaper. 9. Not for a bike less than £1000, weight is important but not bee all and end all - most of us carry far more round our waist than on our bikes! 10. Not really - yes buy carbon if you want - but pay more and don't crash!!!! 11. If I was buying now for first road bike - I would get a T5 every day. Previously the red T3, but now think T5 is best option. 12.See answer to question 11 - Buy T5 and keep cash. Then can always buy some upgrades once decided what you want to change. Spend money on some decent shorts - make far more difference! 13. My T3 has done over 3000 miles in last year and I have only changed chain and cassette due to wear. I changed saddle as found stock one uncomfortable (personal thing - some people like it, others don't - this would be case for any bike you bought). See Q14 for wheels. You keep bike clean and looked after and it will look after you! 14. Basically a load of people slag off the wheels. This is because they are poorly greased and overtighten bearing in factory. Before I road mine I regreased bearings and tightened them correctly (never done it before - follow thread on here and YouTube vids - actually quite simple). Since that day I've not touched my wheels (not bearings, trued, nothing at all) and have currently done 3000 miles on them including two century rides on them - longest was 117 miles and plenty of 50 mile plus rides. They really are ok. However I must admit this Christmas as a treat to myself bought some new handbuilt wheels (which cost basically same as my T3) and they are lovely, roll nicer and just feel better. However this was more vanity and a 'treat' not a necessity and I will still use old wheels during winter to protect my new ones. 15. See comment above on wheels. Nothing else upgraded on my T3 (don't count change saddle as an upgrade). Oh I also put on some M520 SPD pedals because clipless is definitely preferred! OK...few...done - should probably do some work now!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2014 10:50:55 GMT
Paulinblack I bought my red triban before christmas and i've been out on it a handful of times and its really is a good bike. I've not touched or upgraded anything as of yet but even if you buy it and only use it say 6 times a year then it is ideal. No point in buying a t5 or other model if you're unsure.
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Post by Radchenister on Feb 26, 2014 11:18:05 GMT
IMO, the T5-Black is better for the big lads, less crank hassles, the Ounce ones are pants, yes they work but they're still pants! With a T5-Black, you have more front fork clearance, you can add mudguards easily and run 25s (can't do this so easily on T3-Red and T5-White), you've got 9 speed Sora. Sora is universally available, good VFM, easily maintainable / replaceable. The T3-Red is ok (I have one upgraded to Sora / 105 in places) but the T5a is absolutely solid and hard to fault at all; perhaps only the wheels can be niggled at but they're not that bad if greased - my buddy has just bought mine off me as commuting wheels. Compare the T5-Black to this for example: www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/allez-sport-c2-2014-road-bike-ec052507#features
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Post by Radchenister on Feb 26, 2014 11:27:40 GMT
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Post by robertsims on Feb 26, 2014 11:53:44 GMT
Totally agree Rad - when we bought our Red T3s they were superb and I don't regret it for a minute. But if buying now - T5 all day every day
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Post by joneve on Feb 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
MY mate just text me from Decathlon in Reading as he was researching buying a bike. Within 10 minutes I had persuaded him to get a T5 and had bought a T5-Black and is on his way home with it in the back of his car.
I am equal parts happy for him and jealous. I wish I hadn't been so impatient to buy a bike late last year and waited and bought a T5. I still love my T3 but it will need a few upgrades if I start doing a lot of miles this spring, and I could have got a T5 for the same price with full sora mechs.
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Post by Radchenister on Feb 26, 2014 12:33:44 GMT
The brakes are BTwin though I think?
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Post by Radchenister on Feb 26, 2014 12:38:40 GMT
...confusing, Decca website shoes a BTwin branded front brake and a Sora branded rear?
Someone go check on theirs please!?
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