Probably not, and that’s definitely something to keep in mind. Consumer-direct bikes are almost always less expensive than comparable major brands on paper, but there are often some hidden costs to consider that narrow the gap, too. Our bike’s front shifting worked very well, but will your Triban RC120 be just as good?
However these tyres should be swapped out if riding in wet conditions.At an affordable price and with quality components, this is a great gateway bike for getting stuck into some off-road riding. The aluminium frame is paired with the carbon forks and put together makes a comfortable set-up. Like before, the geometry of the frame sets you into a more upright riding position, rather than the lower, speedy, slightly uncomfortable aero position. While the Shimano Sora R3000 compact groupset of 50/34 means that really, this is a great bike for the hills.
Alternatively, Decathlon comes to the rescue again with an extremely affordable bike light set that delivers a respectable 25 lumen of front light – but a distinctly poor 3 lumen at the rear. The undeniable fact is that bagging a decent, brand new bike of any kind for under £500 is quite a result, but getting a versatile disc-braked bike for that is well worth paying attention to. Specialized does offer the Allez in more affordable guises though, so if you want the same sporty and durable frame but at a more affordable price point, then there are options for you.
In particular, single-piston mechanical brakes can be rather finicky and require a careful setup for peak performance; even small deviations can have outsized impact, and the Promax calipers are no exception. Although marked as 28 mm-wide, the actual width was just shy of 27 mm. On the plus side, they rolled better than we expected, and grip was actually quite decent . However, when we installed a set of 35 mm-wide Schwalbe G-One RS gravel tires — set up tubeless — the RC120 practically grew a set of wings. It suddenly felt lighter and livelier, it was more comfortable, and certainly more capable.
The aim of road.cc buyer’s guides is to give you the most, authoritative, objective and up-to-date buying advice. We continuously update and republish our guides, checking prices, availability and looking for the best deals. The EDR designation suggests this bike sits at the top of the recently-launched Van Rysel endurance series, and that’s how it’s set up, with Shimano GRX 600 and 800 components in a 1 x 11 configuration. “The stiff frame and fork provide plenty of feedback without road vibration or harshness muting the signals, which I found gave me plenty of confidence to push on and find the EDR’s handling limits.” “It leaves potential competitors from mainstream brands in the dust in terms of value for money, while packing in plenty of multi-use ability, and those are just two of the main reasons why you should consider it if it matches your budget.” A new model in the Triban range, the RC 120 Gravel has an intriguing mix of features that make it suitable for just about any kind of cycling other than racing, as well as its stated job of exploring dirt tracks and back lanes.
Sportive bikes also usually offer a wider spread of gears – so you won’t necessarily sacrifice that 11 tooth top gear. Van Rysel bikes are decathlon bike racing machines designed for performance. The Van Rysel range fits best racers and fast riders who wants to dominate their group rides.