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Triban RC 520 Gravel

8
£849.99

VERDICT:

8
10
A great entry-level gravel/adventure bike that is fun and easy to ride off road
Weight: 
10,310g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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  • Excellent
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  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Triban RC 520 Gravel is one of the company's first forays into the adventure market and if you're tempted to give it a go it's a really good place to start. It's confident on loose terrain and is fun to ride thanks to a decent weight and some quality components. And though it's pricier than the very similar road version, there are reasons for that...

  • Pros: Stable handling on and off road; quality components
  • Cons: No thru-axles; gearing may be too high for tough gravel climbs; limited tyre clearance

The RC 520 Gravel is based around the same frameset as used on the RC 520 Road that Ash gave a glowing review. He liked how the bike was very easy to live with thanks to the relaxed geometry, making it ideal for long distance rides or for those new to the sport. The neutral handling and its ability to cruise along at moderate speeds were also highlights.​

> Find your nearest Decathlon store here

In fact, if you want to know how this Gravel version performs on the road, then read Ash's review, as apart from a wider set of tyres and a flared handlebar they are almost exactly the same machine.

At first, this did make us wonder why it was £120 more – so we asked Decathlon... It's not just the handlebar (which is more expensive than the RC 520's) and the tyres, we're told it's also that the paint job on the frame is "much more complex than the RC520 with small details included such as brazed inserts for the bottle cage screws".

Triban RC 520 Gravel - bosses.jpg

With that cleared up, I'll concentrate on the gravel tracks...

The ride

That neutral handling on the road is what makes the 520 Gravel so much fun to ride off it. This medium model has a 71.5-degree head angle, which is slack by road bike standards but when it comes to adventure and gravel it's about right.

Triban RC520 Gravel - riding 2.jpg

The unpredictability of loose aggregate under your tyres makes the handling feel quicker here than on the tarmac, and gives the Triban a more interesting and fun ride.

It still errs on the side of neutrality, helped by the lengthy 1,014mm wheelbase, so don't go worrying about it becoming a handful on the trails. If (when) the tyres break traction, the bike is easily controlled with just a slight shift in body weight and really doesn't deliver any surprises.

When out for four or five hours riding purely on a mix of gravel byways and smaller dry, dirt trails, that steady, confidence-inspiring steering just lets you get on with the job of ticking off the miles and enjoying the scenery.

On the technical sections it isn't quite as direct or sharp as some of the other, more race-inspired gravel bikes I've ridden, and at 10.3kg it isn't the most flickable either to change course around tree roots, potholes or large rocks.

Triban RC520 Gravel - riding 3.jpg

Not that the 520 feels overly heavy. Out on the tracks and trails it's only on the steepest of climbs that you'll really notice it, although it isn't really helped by the tall gearing; more of that in a minute, though.

Comfort is pretty good too. True, you have the cushioning effect of those 35mm tyres but still there is an underlying feeling coming through from the frame and fork that there is little vibration and buzz coming from the surface below.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - rear.jpg

The 520 Gravel is a good all-rounder on the whole, whether on the road or off it, ideal for that short blast around the lanes or out on an all-day adventure.

Frame and fork

The frame is manufactured using 6061-T6 aluminium alloy tubing, and has a claimed weight of 1,780g in this medium size. Svelte, no, but it is solid and will easily stand up to the rigours of loaded-up gravel and adventure riding. Triban even offers a lifetime warranty.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - top tube detail.jpg

For the budget we are looking at here, the welding is plenty neat enough and the mix of a painted top half against the clear-coated natural finish of the lower makes the bike look more expensive than it is.

Triban RC 520 Gravel.jpg

All cabling has been kept external, which is no biggie at this price point and at least it stops the cables rattling on the insides of the tubes over rough terrain.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - cables.jpg

There isn't a huge amount of oversizing going on anywhere in the tubing, and to be fair the frame doesn't really need it. For the job its been designed to do it is plenty stiff enough, and only on the steepest of climbs could I feel a tiny bit of flex at the bottom bracket.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - bottom bracket.jpg

Up front, Triban has even stayed with a straight through 1 1/8in head tube, not something we see that often these days.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - head tube.jpg

Inserted into that tube is a carbon fibre fork with an alloy steerer tube. It's pretty stiff and copes with the braking power of the discs and forces from the steering.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - fork.jpg

The TRP Hy/Rd brakes are pretty good and put a fair bit of force through the fork leg, so I would like to see a thru-axle for wheel retention to resist that when braking really hard. The frame having quick release dropouts for the rear is less of an issue, as much less braking is done back there.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - front hub.jpg

For a bike that could be used for adventure riding or even a bit of canal path commuting, it's great to see a full complement of mudguard and rack mounts front and rear. You can load the fork rack up to a maximum of 8kg too, according to the Decathlon website.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - seat tube junction.jpg

Finishing kit

Seeing the main parts of a Shimano 105 groupset for this money is no surprise, as Decathlon has always offered excellent levels of kit on its in-house bikes. You are getting the latest R7000 shifters and the front and rear mech.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - bar and shifter 2.jpg

Making up the rest of the kit is a non-series Shimano RS 510 crankset that doesn't look out of place as it mimics the shape of the brand's more expensive offerings, and its black finish matches that of the 105 group.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - crank.jpg

Microshift provides the 11-speed cassette.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - cassette.jpg

Gearing-wise you are getting a 50/34 up front paired to an 11-32 cassette, which for this type of bike and the sort of riders likely to be buying it could be a bit on the high side. In many places, riding off-road sees shorter, sharper climbs where you also need to remain seated for decent traction at the rear wheel.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - drivetrain.jpg

There is an RC 520 Gravel Ltd model coming out next month that will use a SRAM 1x11 groupset with a 44t chainring paired to an 11-42 cassette for the same money. It'll also get 650B wheels and 42mm wide tyres.

Back to this test model, and the shifting here worked fine with the mix of kit, even when under load. It isn't quite as slick as a full 105 groupset but you'd struggle to notice unless you were riding them side by side.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - front mech.jpg

I mentioned that the brakes are TRP Hy/Rd; these are cable-operated at the lever as far as the calliper, where the hydraulics take over. If you are ever thinking of building your own bike and the cost of hydraulic brake levers is prohibitive, then these are a good way to go, providing braking performance sitting somewhere in between a standard cable system and full hydraulic.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - front disc brake.jpg

Power-wise they are pretty decent and have a fair amount of modulation too, although having the reservoir at the calliper means they are quite bulky.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - rear disc brake.jpg

Triban has gone for 160mm diameter rotors front and rear, which is a good size for this style of bike.

The handlebar and stem are own-brand stuff and it all does the business without any fuss. Most gravel and adventure bikes are built using flared handlebars, where the bottom of the drops is wider than the hoods to increase stability at speed on rough terrain with a wider stance. The Triban's has a flare of 16 degrees which is pretty standard and works well for the majority of situations.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - bars.jpg

Both the bar and stem are plenty stiff enough and are sized in relation to the size of the bike. This medium gets a 44cm bar and 100mm stem.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - bar and shifter.jpg

I am also a fan of the Triban Ergofit saddle. Its plentiful padding isn't overly squishy for a soft ride, but it takes out enough vibration from the surface.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - saddle.jpg

Wheels and tyres

Triban supplies the wheels, with tubeless-ready alloy rims and disc hubs. They are 24mm deep and are laced up with 28 spokes front and rear in a two-cross pattern.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - tyre and rim.jpg

They're a bit weighty at 2kg stripped, but they seem to be pretty tough and I had no issues with them throughout testing. They arrived true and remained so even after plenty of abuse on the gravel trails.

They do only have an internal rim width of 17mm, which is quite narrow, so the 35mm tyres don't sit with quite as good a profile as on some other gravel wheels we see that are 6-7mm wider.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - clearance.jpg

The RC 520 Gravel gets a pair of Hutchinson Overide tyres in a 35mm width, which saves you about 120g over the tyres that come as standard on the RC 520 Road, which makes cruising along on the road a pleasurable experience.

They are pretty slick for a gravel tyre, though, and only really work on hardpacked gravel and dry trails, but they are robust and didn't submit to the puncture fairy.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - seat stays.jpg

Decathlon supplied us with an extra set of wheels with knobbly tyres on and they made a real difference to gravel riding, although obviously that restricted road use fun.

The Triban will work well with something like the Panaracer GravelKing SK tyre if you are switching between surfaces throughout the ride.

> Buyer's Guide: 18 of the best gravel & adventure tyres

For gravel use, I find a lightly treaded tyre of around 40-42mm works best for most conditions, so it's a shame that the Triban is restricted to just 36mm. Reading the small print at the bottom of the website, it look as though this is more down to bigger tyres causing toe overlap at the front wheel (when you turn the front wheel at slow speeds while pedalling and the front of your shoe stops the wheel from turning). If you know what you are doing then it isn't an issue, and you should be able to squeeze a 40mm tyre into the front and rear of the bike.

Triban RC 520 Gravel - front.jpg

Value

As it stands, the RC 520 Gravel is very decent value.

Competitors like the Saracen Levarg SL will set you back £1,350 for an alloy frame, SRAM Apex 1x groupset and 650B wheels sporting WTB tyres. That is pretty much the same build the 520 Gravel Ltd is going to get, but for £500 more. It's nearly half a kilo heavier too.

The Boardman ADV 8.8 has risen in price to £800 and it is a very good bike indeed. For that money, though, you are only getting a 9-speed Shimano Sora groupset, although it does come with some excellent Schwalbe G-One tyres. I'd say it comes down to how much you want those extra two sprockets as they are very similar bikes.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best gravel and adventure bikes

The one competitor the Triban Gravel does come up against is its own sibling, the equivalent road model. As I said earlier, at first glance it's pretty much the same bike but with the Gravel getting a flared bar and upgraded tyres, but when you also take into account the more complex paint job and other details it explains the £120 difference.

Conclusion

Overall, the Triban is a very good bike. It offers most of what you'd want from an entry-level gravel/adventure bike, all for a very good price, plus its weight is similar to bikes we are seeing at £500-£600 more. It's only 900g heavier than the £4,500 Pinarello Grevil I'm currently testing.

If you want one bike to do a little bit of everything – touring, gravel, commuting, adventure, rides with the family – then it is definitely worth considering.

A point of note is that the scoring in the report below is how I perceived the bike to perform on the gravel tracks; if you are interested from a road perspective, take a look at the RC 520 Road review mentioned at the start of this review.

Verdict

A great entry-level gravel/adventure bike that is fun and easy to ride off road

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Triban RC 520 Gravel

Size tested: Medium

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

From Decathlon:

FRAME

New Triban Evo frame in 6061 T6 aluminium, comfort-oriented geometry with adapted sloping

Weight: 1780g in size M

Strong, versatile frame: you can attach mudguards and a pannier rack. Normative compatibility with tyres with a cross-section of up to 36. The special work done on the frame enables good lateral rigidity and good vibration dampening. Because of this, our quick-release (QR) wheel system is more accessible, and guarantees good rigidity.

FORK

New Triban Evo fork with carbon blades and aluminium 1"1/8 Aheadset steerer tube. This fork combines comfort, low weight, and precision.

The carbon has been machined to provide good lateral rigidity and good filtering of frontal vibrations.

Inserts on blades for mounting a front pannier rack. Maximum load on the fork: 8 kg,

Eyelets on the wheel axle for attaching a mudguard

Compatible with tyres measuring up to 36 mm

HANDLEBAR / STEM / STEERING

Triban aluminium gravel handlebars with a 16° flare for better grip and excellent comfort.

Handlebar width (axle-to-axle):

XS / S: 420 mm.

M / L: 440 mm.

XL: 460 mm.

Stem:

XS / S: 80 mm.

M: 100 mm.

L: 110mm.

XL: 120mm

DRIVETRAIN

Shimano 105 R7000 shifters

Shimano 105 R7000 front derailleur

Shimano 105 R7000 rear derailleur with 11 speeds and long screed

Total weight: 843 g

So-called "Shadow" rear derailleur for better protection when gravel biking. The derailleur remains under the cassette and does not spring up and hit the chain stay, reducing the risk of it coming off.

CRANKSET / CASSETTE

Microshift CS-H110 11S 11/32 cassette

(11/12/13/14/15/17/19/21/24/28/32).

Shimano RS 510 compact bottom bracket in 50/34.

Crank length varies according to size of bike:

XS, S: 170mm.

M: 172.5mm.

L, XL: 175mm.

BRAKES

TRP HY/RD disc brakes.

Cable-operated hydraulic pistons, ensuring reliability and efficiency

160mm disc at the front and rear

Anti-compression Jagwire housing to ensure braking precision and efficiency

Semi-metallic TRP pad (M515/M525 version)

WHEELS

Triban Tubeless Ready Light wheels*

6106T6 aluminium.

ETRTO dimension: 622 x 17c.

Height 24mm for increased lateral rigidity.

Crossed steel spokes for greater rigidity (28 front and 28 rear).

Sealed cartridge bearings.

Weight per pair (without cassette and QR): 2000 g

*Conversion kit required (not supplied), including 2 tubeless valves + 2 rim strips + bottle of anti-puncture liquid.

TYRES

Hutchinson Overide 35 Tubeless ready tyres

350 grammes

Skinwall folding bead

HardSkin puncture-proof fabric over the entire tyre

Durable carcass: 66 TPI.

Dimensions: 35c-622 / 700 x 35c

Min pressure: 3 bar / 43 psi

Max pressure: 5.5 bar / 80 psi

Mounted pressure with inner tube: 4.5 bar front, 5 bar back (75 kg rider)

SADDLE / SEAT POST

New Triban ErgoFit saddle.

Hammock design for greater comfort.

Aluminium Triban seat post.

Easy seat adjustment

Diameter: 27.2mm.

Length: 350 mm in M / L / XL, 250 mm in XS / S

The natural flex of the 27.2 diameter seat post dampens vibrations and shocks for added comfort

PEDALS

Platform pedals included with the bike.

We recommend either flat or SPD pedals

TYRE SIZES

Please be aware of the risk of tyres that are over 36mm.

Even if the clearance between the wheel and the fork and frame is enough for 40 mm tyres, there is a risk of you coming off your bike in the event that your shoe comes into contact with the front tyre. This can happen at low speeds on tight turns, and will depend on the size of the frame and how you've got your SPD cleats set up on your sole.

TYRE COMPATIBILITY

700x36 or 650x42 tyres can be fitted on the wheel

Tell us what the bike is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

Triban says, "We have designed and tested this gravel bike for regular rides. It will ensure comfort and performance on trails and rolling terrain

"Discover Gravel! Its wide handlebars with 16° flare, 700 wheels and size 35 Tubeless Ready tyres, Shimano 105 R7000 and compact 50/34 will provide comfort and performance on rolling trails"

The Triban makes a great entry to gravel riding, as well as being a competent commuter for all weathers.

Where does this model sit in the range? Tell us briefly about the cheaper options and the more expensive options

This is currently the only gravel model in the range, although there is a Ltd model arriving circa July '19 which will have a 1x11 groupset and 650B wheels for the same money.

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
7/10

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

Finish and quality are as I'd expect for the money. The welding is neat enough and the paint/clear coat finish looks good.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

The frame is made from 6061-T6 aluminium alloy while the fork has carbon fibre legs and an alloy steerer.

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

Pretty much spot on for a gravel bike, with a relaxed head angle and tall head tube for a more upright position. The extended wheelbase and long chainstays give it a very stable feel when off road.

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

This medium has a stack of 569mm and a reach of 379mm, which is about where I'd expect to see it. The ratio of that is 1.5, which is actually slightly more aggressive than I've seen on some endurance road bikes.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Yes, pretty much. It's not one of the most refined alloy frames out there, but for the money it is difficult to fault from a ride quality point of view.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

For what is expected from it I didn't have any issues.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Yeah, reasonably efficient. I could get the bottom bracket area to flex if I really stamped on the pedals, but nothing major.

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so was it a problem?

No.

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively neutral or unresponsive? On gravel it is largely neutral, with just a little hint of fun added to the mix.

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

On the road the Triban is quite relaxed and at times a little ponderous, but on the gravel it has a decent blend of feedback and speed to the steering. It's perfect for beginners or those who don't want a massive adrenaline hit.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

The Triban saddle does a good job of taking the sting out of the terrain.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

All the components offer a good all-round balance of stiffness.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

Lighter wheels at some point would increase the overall efficiency, and treaded tyres would improve grip off-road.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
6/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
 
6/10

The drivetrain

Rate the drivetrain for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the drivetrain for value:
 
8/10

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

It's good to see some quality here, like the Shimano 105 R7000 shifters and mechs, and it all works fine with the other components.

Wheels and tyres

Rate the wheels for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the wheels for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for weight:
 
6/10
Rate the wheels for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the wheels for value:
 
5/10

Tell us some more about the wheels.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels? If so what for?

Solid performers that do the job. You could go lighter but for the money there is nothing wrong with them.

Rate the tyres for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the tyres for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the tyres for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the tyres for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the tyres for value:
 
6/10

Tell us some more about the tyres. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the tyres? If so what for?

Decent tyres that work on the road and hard packed trails, but for anything slippery or loose you'll need something with more tread.

Controls

Rate the controls for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for value:
 
6/10

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

I was a big fan of the flared bar, which gave plenty of stability.

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

How does the price compare to that of similar bikes in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

For what you are getting it does look quite the bargain with this spec level. Nothing much else comes close, although some, like the Boardman ADV 8.8, do have the edge when it comes to the frame.

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
8/10

Use this box to explain your overall score

Only a couple of little niggles keep the score down for the RC 520 Gravel, although the gearing issues could be rectified by the Ltd model coming soon. At first glance the RC 520 Road version looks better value for money, but taking into account Decathlon's explanation, on the whole the package you are getting with the Gravel is still very good against the opposition.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

18 comments

Avatar
bikeman01 | 3 years ago
1 like

I like the finish but as someone who has been plagued by uneven disc pad wear and disk rub I would never again buy a disk braked bike that doesn't have through axles.

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Well fitted bike, a few lower specified items, but at that price very good.   A Boardman ADV8.9 with 48/32 crank, full hydro brakes and wider tyres is a better purchase for the little extra with 10% BC discount

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 4 years ago
0 likes

I'm not sure it's worth the uplift over the road version. £120 will buy you most of a set of gravel tyres a tubeless conversion kit and some change for mudguards if you want them. Or a flared bar.

The different rear mech benefits are dubious.

The QR's also mean there is a huge range of lighter wheelsets available on eBay.

Then it just comes down to frame colour,

Avatar
zero_trooper replied to Secret_squirrel | 4 years ago
1 like
Secret_squirrel wrote:

…Then it just comes down to frame colour,

Like a true roadie 

If Roadcc still have the original 520 they could do a little project ‘converting’ it as suggested. Then compare like-for like-for Ltd.

Triban gravel mega-review!

Avatar
Sriracha | 4 years ago
3 likes

"... you should be able to squeeze a 40mm tyre into the front and rear of the bike."

It would have added value to this review if you had gone the extra mile and checked whether you could do as you suggest. And with mudguards, etc?

Avatar
Stef Marazzi | 4 years ago
0 likes

The upcoming "Ltd" version of this looks like it will be a belter! Will you be also reviewing this version? Or updating the review?

Avatar
Prosper0 | 4 years ago
1 like

I think the build is a bit of a miss on this bike, blame Shimano maybe. 

The Sram version with 1x and 650 wheels for the same price is the one to get and should be a cracker. 

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 4 years ago
4 likes

Did we really need a mention for the dubious benefits of  Thru Axles - especially on this type of bike? 

MTB's had 9mm QR's for at least a decade before some marketing genius came up with them.   Unless you want the absolute rigidity because you are a running a massive travel fork they are just a gimmick to sell new frames and wheelsets.

Avatar
cdean replied to Secret_squirrel | 4 years ago
1 like
Secret_squirrel wrote:

Did we really need a mention for the dubious benefits of  Thru Axles - especially on this type of bike? 

MTB's had 9mm QR's for at least a decade before some marketing genius came up with them.   Unless you want the absolute rigidity because you are a running a massive travel fork they are just a gimmick to sell new frames and wheelsets.

 

I have two "road" bikes with discs, one with thru axles and one with QR's, and I much prefer the thru axles because there's no faffing when taking the wheel off and replacing it – I always take them off when cleaning. With the thru axle bike, the rotor ends up in the right place every time. THe QR bike can be more hit and miss. I can't say that I can see a huge benefit beyond that though for the riding I do.

Avatar
antigee replied to cdean | 4 years ago
1 like
cdean wrote:
Secret_squirrel wrote:

Did we really need a mention for the dubious benefits of  Thru Axles - especially on this type of bike? 

MTB's had 9mm QR's for at least a decade before some marketing genius came up with them.   Unless you want the absolute rigidity because you are a running a massive travel fork they are just a gimmick to sell new frames and wheelsets.

 

I have two "road" bikes with discs, one with thru axles and one with QR's, and I much prefer the thru axles because there's no faffing when taking the wheel off and replacing it – I always take them off when cleaning. With the thru axle bike, the rotor ends up in the right place every time. THe QR bike can be more hit and miss. I can't say that I can see a huge benefit beyond that though for the riding I do.

not so sure personally wouldn't consider myself an aggressive or heavy rider or late and hard braker but have managed to move a qr disk front wheel a couple of times - the ting ting ting of the disk gives it away - pretty sure the mtb world was looking for a solution to the problems of heavy braking and the physics that says pulling the axle out of the fork is the consequence of inadequate friction...cotic used to have a nice piece on their website looking at the forces and explaining why their early roadrats had the disk caliper mounted to the front of the fork ...bikes so some % marketing but I wouldn't dismiss it as a potential issue for some riders with some frame/wheel/disk/qr combinations

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 4 years ago
5 likes

Interesting that you rate the wheels a 6 for weight and state that they are "a bit weighty at 2kg", yet your review of the Specialized  Diverge 2 weeks ago https://road.cc/content/review/261346-specialized-mens-diverge you rated their wheels a 7, said the  Axis Sport wheels  "aren't massively heavy and don't hamper the ability of the bike at all" yet the Axis wheels are 100g heavier including rim strips. Given the Diverge is 2.4 times more expensive and overall only just a few hundred grams lighter despite the carbon FACT9R frame it' doesn't seen fair in your assessment between the two.

Would you like to make a comment on how a £2k bike with heavier wheels gets a better rating in that dept than an £850 bike?

I've ridden 18mm rims with 42mm tyres, in fact that was the standard tyre size for Specialized's do it all flat bar hybrid the 'Globe' which is adept on road as it is off road, I wouldn't have to much concern. As it happens I wouldn't want to go that wide on a drop bar 'gravel' bike anyway.

Overall this bike is very good value compared to pretty much most other offerings, it's a nice looking bike plus it also has mudguard and rack mounts which is a bonus when you want to take a bag or keep your arse dry when using the bike for other duties.

I think some manufacturers think everyone can afford or have space for n+1, making a bike that is good at all things, can carry your stuff without having to bodge and still not break the bank is probably going to do very well indeed.

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zero_trooper replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 4 years ago
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BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

I've ridden 18mm rims with 42mm tyres, in fact that was the standard tyre size for Specialized's do it all flat bar hybrid the 'Globe' which is adept on road as it is off road, I wouldn't have to much concern. As it happens I wouldn't want to go that wide on a drop bar 'gravel' bike anyway.

Overall this bike is very good value compared to pretty much most other offerings, it's a nice looking bike plus it also has mudguard and rack mounts which is a bonus when you want to take a bag or keep your arse dry when using the bike for other duties.

I think some manufacturers think everyone can afford or have space for n+1, making a bike that is good at all things, can carry your stuff without having to bodge and still not break the bank is probably going to do very well indeed.

Hey BTBS you should get together with one of those journos from Roadcc and write an article on what alternatives are out there to the Spesh Globe and Tricross.

IIRC the Diverge, which replaced the Tricross at the start of the ‘gravel scene’, is a big seller for Spesh. But to get a decent spec, it’s expensive. 

How about it?

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to zero_trooper | 4 years ago
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zero_trooper wrote:
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

I've ridden 18mm rims with 42mm tyres, in fact that was the standard tyre size for Specialized's do it all flat bar hybrid the 'Globe' which is adept on road as it is off road, I wouldn't have to much concern. As it happens I wouldn't want to go that wide on a drop bar 'gravel' bike anyway.

Overall this bike is very good value compared to pretty much most other offerings, it's a nice looking bike plus it also has mudguard and rack mounts which is a bonus when you want to take a bag or keep your arse dry when using the bike for other duties.

I think some manufacturers think everyone can afford or have space for n+1, making a bike that is good at all things, can carry your stuff without having to bodge and still not break the bank is probably going to do very well indeed.

Hey BTBS you should get together with one of those journos from Roadcc and write an article on what alternatives are out there to the Spesh Globe and Tricross.

IIRC the Diverge, which replaced the Tricross at the start of the ‘gravel scene’, is a big seller for Spesh. But to get a decent spec, it’s expensive. 

How about it?

Nah, I just wanted to point out the discrepency in reviewing scores and that in real world use the width of the rim on the Triban is not an issue with respect to using wider tyres. I mean what does "the 35mm tyres don't sit with quite as good a profile as on some other gravel wheels we see that are 6-7mm wider" actually mean, is that aesthetically they don't look as good profile wise or there is a performance loss from that, the reviewer doesn't say why what they've said is in any way relevant.

It comes across that the reviewer doesn't understand and/or doesn't have much experience with wheel/tyre interface over a broad spectrum and is fixated on spec sheets and their limited experiences instead of actually seing what was used before.

Hybrids such as the globe and others were using similarly  'wide' rims and fitted wider tyres and it not be a problem, how does the reviewer not know this, it's not as if it's a lifetime ago, this is recent and from big names.

As for the Diverge being a replacement for the Tricross, it isn't, that's the Sequoia, the Tricross was a very good all rounder and in the top end models better frames than the Sequoia and a shed load cheaper. Sure it's 10 years on but the Sequoia istwice as expensive and lower quality overall.

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Daveyraveygravey | 4 years ago
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Nice to see one manufacturer not flowing the sheep and fitting a proper transmission!

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fukawitribe replied to Daveyraveygravey | 4 years ago
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Daveyraveygravey wrote:

Nice to see one manufacturer not flowing the sheep and fitting a proper transmission!

Which one ? The 50/34 11-32 or the 44 11-42 ?

 

I'm also slightly concerned about the morality of flowing the sheep....

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Daveyraveygravey replied to fukawitribe | 4 years ago
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fukawitribe]</p>

<p>[quote=Daveyraveygravey

wrote:

Nice to see one manufacturer not flowing the sheep and fitting a proper transmission!

 

Which one ? The 50/34 11-32 or the 44 11-42 ?

The 44 11-42 is meant to be "limited"(edition?) so I wasn't thinking of that version.   Although with a 1x, it would be more limited than the one with the proper transmission! 

fukawitribe wrote:

I'm also slightly concerned about the morality of flowing the sheep....

Got me there...

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Jetmans Dad | 4 years ago
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I have been looking at the RC520 as a possible upgrade from my 500SE as it approaches 10,000 miles (and I fancy the 105), but it is just a pity that so many bikes come without colour choices. 

I don't do enough off-roading to really need a gravel bike, and my hybrid copes with what I do do quite happily, but I much prefer this paint job to the dark blue of the road version. 

First world problems, eh. 

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kil0ran | 4 years ago
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That's going to get some admiring glances - people will assume it's a Ti frame I think. The upcoming LTD model sounds like the perfect canal path warrior

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