Equipped witha Shimano 105 groupset- albeit without the dedicated chainset or brakes – the RC520 uses TRP’s Hy/Rd hybrid callipers, which are a mixture of cable and hydraulic stoppers. It has Decathlon’s own brand wheels with 32mm tyres to add more comfort again. You can also easily add mudguards with eyelets on the rear rack, making it a great commuter. Upon receiving the bike, there were immediately issues with the gear tuning, where the chain was constantly rubbing the front derailleur. Before buying the bike there were a few reviews with the same issue, but I went ahead and bought it. Luckily the mechanics at SG lab were efficient and able to remedy the issue.
If you want to start tackling longer road rides, Gran Fondos, or gravel, this all-road rig makes it easy. “My opinion on the Triban evolved pretty greatly over the course of the test,” she said. I was super opposed to the Microshift gearing, and don’t even get me started on the Q-factor being absurdly wide . Then, as I began to think about all of the components on this bike, for the fact that it cost a mere US$800, I started to feel a lot warmer about it. Although there are certainly a few missteps, the Triban RC120 hits its marks overall.
I think it’s only 12% of the original cost (for bikes over £500 original proice), so ‘only’ £125 for that example, but yes, I’d forgotten about that aspect. Want something to make doing my 16 mile commute sensible – can and have done it on my rigid MTB, but it’s just too slow, so it sucks too much time out of the morning/evening. I’m tall (6’4″) so it’s a lot easier for me to buy new than try and find a used frame in a large size. My mate had one and it was fine for about 2000 miles or so then he had all sorts of problems including a cassette that broke twice. Decathlon were happy to replace parts when they broke and then after a few visits he was offered a full refund.
They also use common Avid BB5-style pads, so there’s a wealth of pad compound options out there in the aftermarket, too. At just US$800, the Triban RC120 may very well be the least expensive bike we’ve ever reviewed at CyclingTips. But in some ways, it’s also one of the most important bikes we’ve reviewed, too. Its highly attainable pricing is appealing to newcomers curious about road riding, yet with the exception of just one or two details, it punches well above its weight in terms of the performance it delivers. Even better, there’s more than enough tire clearance if you want to run it as a light-duty gravel bike, too.
Combine comfort and control for your commute to work or your more leisurely rides through the park, to the beach, or around town. The humble multitool can get you out of many tricky mechanical situations and the best part is that it folds up so there’s no excuse not to carry one when out on a ride. In the right hands, a multi tool can fix a broken chain, true a wonky wheel or adjust your saddle height. Slip decathlon road bike this into a pocket before setting off and you won’t let a puncture ruin your ride… A durable polycarbonate shell bonded directly to an EPS shock-absorbing core sees this helmet tick off all of the safety concerns, while the addition of MIPS at this price is a bonus. A helmet should be at the top of your list, as it’ll protect your head in the event of a crash, even if it’s a mere low-speed topple.
Supporting everything Van Rysel does is a team of passionate cycling experts with professional credentials. This stretches beyond the bikes to the equipment, clothing and accessories that are rider essentials. Bikes are partially assembled from factoryWe picked up the bike from the recently opened San Francisco store. If picked up from the store, Decathlon assembles the bike for you and even offers a free tuneup within the first 6 months to ensure everything is properly setup.
There are several modern touches with the frame design as well. The seats stays feature a dropped design, as they are offset downward from the top tube. This is a design element that has become more common with bike manufacturers and claims to improve aerodynamics and ride compliance. Also the butted aluminium tubing in the bike has variable thickness to improve the overall ride and handling. Unlike a smooth carbon fiber frame, there are visible welds at each junction on the frame. Although the welds look consistent and clean, it does give the bike a more budget appearance.
The only thing I would say is that the brakes are quite stiff. Race bikes are designed for speed and so the gearing is higher both for the front chainrings and the rear sprockets. Traditionally the front chainrings decathlon road bike on a race bike would have 53 and 39 teeth respectively. These day though many race bikes have what is called a compact chainset at the front with a pairing of 50 and 34 tooth chainrings for easier climbing.
Seeing 19.7 km/h motivates you to push for 20 km/h Cateye wired ones are cheap. Maybe my least favorite of the items I tried, these lugged-sole, SPD-compatible shoes worked fine but felt cheap and a little clunky. The shape was boxy for me, and although the problem was alleviated a little by cinching up the straps, the plasticky-feeling synthetic leather upper then bunched up. More important, the hard plastic outsole proved slick on rocks and in stream crossings. These are adequate, but footwear specialists like Shimano and Pearl Izumi make superior products for not much more money. He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception.
This is the cheapest of Decathlon’s road bikes with disc brakes, and one of the cheapest disc-brake road bikes around. As well as the improved brakes, it gets better wheels than the rim-braked RC120. They’re tubeless-ready, so you can run them with compatible tyres and sealant for a better ride and fewer punctures. The other parts of the finishing kit for the RC 520 are less impressive. The stem, drop bars and seat post are unbranded aluminium that feel well made.