I doubt it... Decathlon bikes don't have any brand value. It's like riding a Halfords bike. Or Tesco value with the blue stripes. Brands like Giant and trek have tour de France pedigree.
@@hcw199 Decsthlon now has VanRysel snd a team in the Tour. The bike market is changing, major brands are struggling through over stocking, limited differentiation, confused product lines and high prices. Decathlon has found a niche that can provide most cyclists with a quality bike at significantly lower price themselves the main dream brands. Take s look how Skoda, Seat, Kia snd Hyundai succeeded and changed perceptions. Aldo look at how China is pulling its self out of the cheap and poor quality market. The world is changing and Decathlon sees that hence its success.
@@hcw199 Decathlon bikes have a pretty good rep in Singapore, it's everywhere here. From my experience, the everyday person care more about price point/value and quality>brand
I'm currently over 26000 KM on my Triban RC520. these bikes are incredible value and everything on them are made to widely available standards. easy and cheap to replace, upgrade. I can see myself doing at least 15000 more on this frame easily. Priced as a entry level bike, but in fact it can easily be a lifetime bike. Thank you Cade crew for working against the bias towards bling cycling.
How did your wheels do over such a distance? I bought the GRVL520 and last week the techs at Decathlon told me the freewheel is about to stop working and that they can’t get a replacement hub for me, forcing me to buy a new rear wheel.
@@diviscadilek1764 Ditch the Decathlon wheels. My freewheel broke after 2000 km. Instead of buying these wheels look at the Shimano rx010 in the same price range. Yet I love my rc 500 ❤❤
@@diviscadilek1764 In fairness, this is common with lots of bike brands. I have an Orbea road bike and also an Orbea Terra gravel bike, both in the region of £2k, and on both bikes the wheels were what I'd call 'disposable' and got replaced after one season
Come to Japan :-) Lots of great cycling here. Generally nice weather if you plan the season correctly. Good roads. Lots of variety. People are super friendly. Cars are courteous. Great scenery. Drink vending machines practically everywhere (even on top of Mount Fuji!) On the downside, you may have difficulty getting a lot of vegetarian food, especially in the countryside. You can definitely get options in any convenience store, but if you are strict about it, it might be extremely difficult in most restaurants. Another potential downside is that you have to put your bike in a bike bag to keep it in a hotel room. Not a big deal, but it means taking everything apart every day. Finally, the best part of Japan is the hot springs, but... tattoos are mostly no-go. It's getting a bit more relaxed these days, but it's still rare to find a place that allows it.
I can second that Japan is another top location to cycle. I rode out of Tokyo and only spent a few days in the mountains. I would JUMP at the chance to go again.
ppl are super friendly ? i read that japan is a racist country dont like strangers they wont kill you but will let you know that you are not from japan ive read many opinions like this
To sum that up, bikepacking is accessible to all on a budget and that is what we need in cycling more people able to get on bikes. Well done Decathlon!
Yes this is the message we need! My and 3 family members cycled the sea to sea route here in the UK, all bikes were second hand and 3 were second hand halfords own brand. My sister had a single layer tent she has had since she was 13 and a tarp from b&m to add an extra layer. We had a brilliant time, 1 puncture and no problems! You could watch several summers pass you by saving for a "good" bike or you could get out there and gooooo 👍
I've been riding the Triban RC520 since last summer and love it. My first road bike, use it with Zwift and outdoors and runs like a champ. Already had an accident, and was easily able to replace the rear derailleur hangar and re-index the gears myself. I've now just upgraded to 32mm Continental Sport iii tires and TPU inner tubes, and it's extremely comfortable. I had it fitted at Bicycle in Richmond and they were pretty shocked seeing Shimano 105 on a 850GBP bike.
Perhaps not as much of a secret now that this channel has picked up the Triban range (which was brilliant to see!), but what fantastic (value) bikes they are. Really enjoyed the Malaysia videos but completely missed that Francis was on a Triban! I've done tens of thousands of miles on my RC520 (including multi-day tours like the NC500) and, with a bit of looking after along the way, it's never missed a beat! Great bikes to work on and mess about with in terms of swapping components, too!
I own the GRVL 520 with 105 and two chainrings at front. It's just a great bike: reliable and tough. I traveled the entire lenght of Portugal and i crossed the pyrinees from Hendaye to Cap Creus on it. My latest "upgrade" was a 11-36 cassete in order to have a easier gear when loaded or in offroad . Decathlon makes great bikes in every price tag they are in, they just lack the "premium" sticker at the front. i'm fine with that as I prefer a nice build bike with nice equipment to ride than a posh name on the frame and pay more for a lesser bike
I have an older btwin alur 700 road bike bought from Decathlon new 8 years ago. £600. Semi integrated cabled aluminium frame. Upgraded a few parts over the years. Changed the crankset to have it a full shimano 105 5750 setup. Upgraded the direct mount brakes from 5700 to r7000 a few years back. Running fulcrum racing 400 wheels after I rode the rims off the original wheels. Got myself compact, and narrower bars. Must have near 30k miles on the frame now. Gone through numerous saddles. It's my trusty stead, and have overtaken plenty on bikes worth 20 times It's original value. As always. Its never the bike, it's the legs that are propelling it forward. They are great bikes, and if the brand name puts you off, you're only losing out due to brand snobbery. Very underrated bikes by many, and worth every penny. Thanks to the UK weather this year so far, its done many more miles than my Orro Venturi roadbike has, lol. Great to see them back in competition again.
Damn right brother, I enjoy riding my Boardman SLR 8.9 and already upgraded parts like wheelset, narrower handlebars(most recent one), and still on search regarding the saddle(struggling to find comfortable one), made it full shimano r7000 105 groupset and not regretting it, will last me a long time for sure. People really should give a thought to their own needs, most of us are just either casual weekend riders, commuters to work or someone who does bike-packing trips, do we need some aero and high speed racing bike? Don't think so.
Decathlon have made great bikes for years. I remember my friend having a mountain bike a good 18 years ago and we were all very jealous of how good it was.
About mounting a taifin directly to the frame. The bosses on some frames like these can only take a very limited amount of weight, over time the bosses will fatigue and possibly fail due to high amount of stress from especially when carrying excessive weight over a long period of time. This was what happened to my bike frame which had a braze on mudguard boss, which I mounted my tailfin to. The universal thru axle is possibly the best solution to mounting a tailfin rack since it's a replaceable piece of equipment, doing no damage to the bike frame if or when it fails
This is a good price point for a bike. It’s something most people can relate to, or envisage buying for daily driving duty. Thank you for keeping it real.
I ride myself a cannondale Topstone 4 with the Microshift Advent X mechanical groupset and I gotta say that it’s all I would ever wish for. Had to upgrade the breaks to TRP Spyre and got lighter wheels and it rides absolutely perfect now. You don’t need those fancy 3000$ bikes that they advertise for. You can have so much fun on an entry level bike.
5:00 My bike has full cable mechanical disc brakes and i can launch myself over the handlebars if i pull the levers too hard. Something just isn't right with his brakes, could be the cable housing is compressing too much soaking up most of the force you're putting into the brake lever, OR a long pull brake lever being paired with a short pull caliper, or maybe the braking pad material....
The Triban looks good but you should look at Dolan. For £1500 the RDX comes with fully hydraulic 105 and you can decide your crank length, stem length and bar width.
It's good that you use and review stuff that people can actually afford! And in this case it has been intensively used, meaning this is actually a good product.
I love my RC520. 5 years old and it does everything. From road racer, to gravel grinder to daily commuter - only with a swap of tires. If only they used a common headset standard so I could upgrade to a Chris King or Cane Creek!
Thanks Francis. Really found the info on the brakes interesting. Clearly a great option for home mechanics who don't want the issue of full hydraulic, or already have a set of full mechanical shifters.
The Panaracer Gravel Kings are amazing tyres, however, you had the lightest version with no puncture protection. I had these and shredded them in 3 months (4000 km) on UK roads (tubeless set up). Changed to the + version, they are a little heavier but far superior on puncture protection. Enjoying the videos, keep 'em coming.
i started biking again in 2019 on an e-mtb and got an triban gravel 120 in mai 2021 vor 629€ wich is now 799 (what a price jump) its a 1x10 setup with a pretty decent spread and mechanical disc brakes. i like it pretty much because its pretty sturdy and it traveld 5.500km so far with no issues! ok, i got some different drop bar bikes very soon after so that explains the low mileage on the triban bike. i only swapped the brake pads once! the only thing i had to complain are the stupid mechanical brakes and adjusting the brake pads and the very high weight. i got an xl frame with a weight of approx 14kg. it came equipped with the hutchinson override tires which have run the mileage with nearly no sign of wear so far - wonder how the do it. but they are not worth to be taken out on a ride in the wet. on the other hand they perfom really well on an indoor home trainer *lol*. really love that triban bike a lot :)
If someone was looking at the RC 520 or the Gravel 520, which would you recommend as an all rounder bike? Toss larger tires on the RC 520 to spec it more all roundish?
Malaysia was a fun series, really enjoyed that one, and the videos from your companions and MELVIN the legend of KL. I think you should try riding in Georgia, as it is a country that still seems to have some character of it's own and it is spectacular. Not the best grub there so that might not suit you, but you could learn to cook a sheep or soemthing, idk. Mexico has great food and some fantastic places, and you can chain together a south american series from Baja to Patagonia. That should keep you busy for a while!
I have my own little trick for powerful mechanical disc brakes. On my road/gravel levers, I still use calipers with the MTB cable pull ratio. This means they have to be set up just right to not rub and also not have a lot of lever throw, but I found out that Avid BB7's are perfect for this. They're very easy to adjust exactly perfectly, and keep them perfect when the pads wear. And that's it! Super powerful, great modulation, still great feel with compressionless housing. Stoppies for days!
My wife has the 520 GRVL with the 105 groupset in XS size... The original 42mm handlebars were too wide for her, changed to 38mm, the casette was a cheap and strange ratio 11-30 microshift one. changed that to 105 11-32. So far running the original 36mm Hutchinson's set up tubeless. She is loving it. Great value and performance for a weekend rider. 100% recommendation from us. (bought exactly 1 year ago, barely used 2nd hand for almost half the price, with papers and warranty).
I'm riding a btwin forme 1 I bought in 2009. Most parts got upgraded over time but it still is a solid bike and still enjoy riding it. As a 7x it is a great commuter and winter bike
I followed this trip like my life depnded on it! LOL. Great visuals and great entertainment. Next trip.... Maybe visit Nick's homeland and ride from Cape Town to Knysna around 550km along the East Coast? Thanks for the videos.
The "Algarviana" route in the Algarve could be a possibility. Only 3 hours away, it's quick and cheap to get here. Great weather too. Could be a smaller adventure in between the big exotic ones.
One suggestion: Get the Gravelking + series. They have way higher puncture resistance and weigh about 100 grams more per tire. I had two sets of SK tires and both had issues with punctures. Talked to the racer at the LBS where i bought my bike and he recommended heavier grade tires. I'm now on Maxxis Refuse 40mm tires fur gravel. They are file tread and ok for type 1 and 2 gravel. Forget type 3 and type 4 is "right out". As to size, unless you are carrying your own spares, stick to 700C.
Decathlon really did a good job in putting together that bike, brand doesn't say much about quality, especially on entry-level bikes. I just got a Ridley gravelbike in a similar price range. OK, you get hydraulic GRX in all the range but if you don't opt for the better wheels the bike comes with (Shimano) rims that aren't tubeless ready - odd choice on a gravel bike. Plus mine had some quality issues from assembly: terribly noisy 12-speed (KMC?) chain that didn't want to work with the GRX cassette on largers cogs. After solving that, the bombproof Shimano BB had its drive-side bearing implode within the first 100 km riding the bike. I think it is heavier, too.... 12 kg in size S with pedals and mudguards.
I totally agree on the brakes, I upgraded my mechanical disc brake calipers to the Hy/Rd and the braking is so much better! If you can't afford to upgrade to full hydraulics, this is a good upgrade for a reasonable price, it's not cheap (for me), but it's not a wallet breaker either.
Where next? Denmark. Brilliant mix of fantastic coastal riding - dedicated bike infrastructure and OOOODLES of gravel. The West Coast of Jutland north of Esbjerg all the way to the tip of Denmark at Skagen would be a good start. But the riding in the islands too is also superb. Been on a few bikepacking trips round it drop me a message for routes and tips 🙂
Wondering if it was not annoying to have to take off the full back including the rack, as you had the Aeropack. Wouldn't the rack plus separate back have been the better option? Also doing bike packing trips with hotels/Airbnb...and wondering what option I should get....as I want to upgrade from my seat bag...
Come to Brazil do the trip Rio - Florianópolis, it will take you a month probably but it's a great excuse to come see the Carnaval, the people and the nature! Its gonna be hot but not as hot as Malaysia (i guess)
nice vid. by Georgetown you mean Penang. Gtown is flat as a roti ;) Penang however does have extremely steep hills. I used to live there and the daily ride around the island is lovely. The saddle... using a new saddle on a two week trip is a gamble as you know.
As a person with a RC500, I like this review, however being this is my first nice bike, at least it is for me, IE I only had cheep Raleigh's and Walmart bikes, I bought a small and I'm 5'6, I'm trying to figure out how I can ajust the reach on this bike but other than that I love my Triban, thanks for the review, love Cade media. Cheers.
It’s no surprise that the growing trend of mainstream (dull) bike brands like Specialized and Trek charging £3k+ for bang average gravel bikes wouldn’t be sustainable.
I have the exact same bike with the original saddle and that one sucks as well (for me at least). I love the bike though, I've had it for almost a year and no regrets so far.
Francis--Could you comment more specifically on your bike sizing choices? I've heard you and Bike Fit James say that you ride 51 cm frames there or there abouts, despite you both being 5'10". Are you optimizing bike geometry based around top tube length, specifically, or also taking into account other geometry figures? I'm surprised because many bike shops I've been to recommended bikes in the 54 cm range, despite me being only 5'7". Curious what you and/or Bike Fit James priotize first when it comes to bike geometry. Love the videos--keep up the great work.
Great summary video Francis 👏. It shows you dodon't nt need to spend a lot of money to get a good specced bike 👍. A summer tour of Scandinavia maybe? Or an early autumn north to south Portugal trip?
Why are you riding a small frame ? I’m only just over 6ft tall and ride a large that fits like a glove at 5’10 shouldn’t you be in the medium size ? Is it personal preference or are sizes a bit funky ?
Love the channel. Can I have your thoughts on triban rc520 (non gravel) vs Domane frame - AL2 or 4. Which would you buy? Also, I’m also considering rim Emonda ALR 5 (105). Do you know max max tire clearance? Can it fit 32c Looking to buy second hand vs new triban rc520. Appreciate your insight!
What upgrades would you recommend to take this bike to the next level? This looks perfect for me as an entry level bike, but I have a few hundred pounds more to invest in upgrades if you'd recommend that? A new seat, for instance? Thanks
The best saddle Fizik ever made in me and my brother's opinion is the Kurve. It is awesome! But, for some reason it never sold well and they stopped making it. I guess becuase it doesn't have a see through cutout. It has a cutout but it is covered.
Should come to the province of Quebec in Canada. Lots of choices in cycling. There's urban (Montreal?) or more scenic such as the Gaspésie peninsula or the rolling hills of the Eastern Townships. Friendly folks and good eating.
Great videos, I really enjoyed them. I notice you have a very long @TailfinCycling top tube bag. I can't find this on their website; is it a prototype they've given to you to try or can they be purchased elsewhere?
i ride the RC520 road version and iam not happy with the trp brakes... and i cant unterstand the decision to take them. based on regular listprices by trp an shimano, the hydraulic 105 setup cost nearly the same as the hy-rd an the mechanical 105 leaver. for the rest, its a great bike. mine will now get replaced after over 30.000km in 4 years.
I don't know if I've missed the part how Franz and the guys did lack the bikes before checking them in. I intend to go on long bike Trekking journeys and I'm not really sure what's the best way to ship the bike back and forth. Please help
do south to north Quebec, the scenery change is going to be incredible and its a good way add some exposure to inuit and first nations to your audience!
Saddle, try a Brooks Swift or a leather saddle of any brand, Gilles Berthoud, Selle Anatomica, I've got a Spa Cycles Aire TI railed job, besides, it will probably annoy your mates.
I did always ride Decathlon Mountain bikes, in the last year i did go for a Triban 500 doing 36km per day for work. Last 2 weeks on my new "RACEFIETS NCR CF RIVAL AXS ETAP 12 S" and i had last week a very heavy week being truly exhausted, thinking to go sleep all friday. so exhausted. instead because of love.. decided to ride 71km to my bf in 2.51h which i am really proud. i would not have been able to do this if it was on my triban i think, but also made me love the bike so much more. ❤❤
The decathlon bike does the job, nothing fancy needed, the brakes seem a decent upgrade for any disc-braked bike. Next trip: Japan with Ben & James as well as you & Loz.
I am curious about if this is better or a cube nuroad in the same price point? And is this worth 400 euros more than an RC 520 with gravel tires on it?
Wow, this must have been a great adventure, and after this video series the cycling world will perhaps finally learn that there are more than 7 countries on the planet. :D (not only France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and UK)
Hey everyone. I think Canada could be a great place to do a tour. There are lots of great paths from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Mostly flat here but you could also go to British Columbia if you want the mountains
With bikes like that, Decathlon will really make the mainstream brands weep and refocus on what makes a good bike for 90% of cyclists.
I doubt it... Decathlon bikes don't have any brand value. It's like riding a Halfords bike. Or Tesco value with the blue stripes. Brands like Giant and trek have tour de France pedigree.
@@hcw199 Decsthlon now has VanRysel snd a team in the Tour. The bike market is changing, major brands are struggling through over stocking, limited differentiation, confused product lines and high prices. Decathlon has found a niche that can provide most cyclists with a quality bike at significantly lower price themselves the main dream brands. Take s look how Skoda, Seat, Kia snd Hyundai succeeded and changed perceptions. Aldo look at how China is pulling its self out of the cheap and poor quality market.
The world is changing and Decathlon sees that hence its success.
@@hcw199 Well, decathlon will have one of their bikes on Tour de France this year.
Got a Triban RC120 off these guy's recommendation and even the fancy bike people in my ride group are impressed at what I got for 850$ CAD.
@@hcw199 Decathlon bikes have a pretty good rep in Singapore, it's everywhere here. From my experience, the everyday person care more about price point/value and quality>brand
Update: Decathlon UK have confirmed this bike will remain at £999 until July.
Whats the clothing gear you‘re wearing. Great video 🤩
Hey man great video!
the link in description does not direct you to the bike directly though! just for u to know ;)
If you bought the bike at decathlon in malaysia, it will only set you back £700 or myr3999. Either way, stupendous value for money.
I'm currently over 26000 KM on my Triban RC520. these bikes are incredible value and everything on them are made to widely available standards. easy and cheap to replace, upgrade. I can see myself doing at least 15000 more on this frame easily. Priced as a entry level bike, but in fact it can easily be a lifetime bike. Thank you Cade crew for working against the bias towards bling cycling.
I also planning to buy TRIBAN RC 520.... In India 😊 Is it good for racing...
Love my RC520 too. It feels like a bike that can handle anything I throw at it. And at great price.
How did your wheels do over such a distance? I bought the GRVL520 and last week the techs at Decathlon told me the freewheel is about to stop working and that they can’t get a replacement hub for me, forcing me to buy a new rear wheel.
@@diviscadilek1764 Ditch the Decathlon wheels. My freewheel broke after 2000 km. Instead of buying these wheels look at the Shimano rx010 in the same price range. Yet I love my rc 500 ❤❤
@@diviscadilek1764 In fairness, this is common with lots of bike brands. I have an Orbea road bike and also an Orbea Terra gravel bike, both in the region of £2k, and on both bikes the wheels were what I'd call 'disposable' and got replaced after one season
i was waiting for an update on the fake supacaz bar tape too
Come to Japan :-) Lots of great cycling here. Generally nice weather if you plan the season correctly. Good roads. Lots of variety. People are super friendly. Cars are courteous. Great scenery. Drink vending machines practically everywhere (even on top of Mount Fuji!) On the downside, you may have difficulty getting a lot of vegetarian food, especially in the countryside. You can definitely get options in any convenience store, but if you are strict about it, it might be extremely difficult in most restaurants. Another potential downside is that you have to put your bike in a bike bag to keep it in a hotel room. Not a big deal, but it means taking everything apart every day. Finally, the best part of Japan is the hot springs, but... tattoos are mostly no-go. It's getting a bit more relaxed these days, but it's still rare to find a place that allows it.
I would love to spend a week or 2 cycling in Japan! I know I would have to wear sleaves everywhere, but wouldn't mind
I can second that Japan is another top location to cycle. I rode out of Tokyo and only spent a few days in the mountains. I would JUMP at the chance to go again.
Shimanami kaido is a must. Oh, and the Shimano museum in the suburbs of Osaka
ppl are super friendly ? i read that japan is a racist country
dont like strangers
they wont kill you but will let you know that you are not from japan
ive read many opinions like this
@@statom985I cycled Japan last year for five weeks (on a triban btw) and it's one of the most friendliest countries I've ever been to.
To sum that up, bikepacking is accessible to all on a budget and that is what we need in cycling more people able to get on bikes. Well done Decathlon!
Yes this is the message we need! My and 3 family members cycled the sea to sea route here in the UK, all bikes were second hand and 3 were second hand halfords own brand. My sister had a single layer tent she has had since she was 13 and a tarp from b&m to add an extra layer. We had a brilliant time, 1 puncture and no problems! You could watch several summers pass you by saving for a "good" bike or you could get out there and gooooo 👍
Would be great to see a Decathlon bicycle R&D and factory tour to see what goes into designing and building a mass produced bike.
Tailfin have a quick release option for the frame bolts too. See their "Frame Mounts + Fast-Release Dropouts" option.
I've been riding the Triban RC520 since last summer and love it. My first road bike, use it with Zwift and outdoors and runs like a champ. Already had an accident, and was easily able to replace the rear derailleur hangar and re-index the gears myself. I've now just upgraded to 32mm Continental Sport iii tires and TPU inner tubes, and it's extremely comfortable. I had it fitted at Bicycle in Richmond and they were pretty shocked seeing Shimano 105 on a 850GBP bike.
Perhaps not as much of a secret now that this channel has picked up the Triban range (which was brilliant to see!), but what fantastic (value) bikes they are. Really enjoyed the Malaysia videos but completely missed that Francis was on a Triban! I've done tens of thousands of miles on my RC520 (including multi-day tours like the NC500) and, with a bit of looking after along the way, it's never missed a beat! Great bikes to work on and mess about with in terms of swapping components, too!
I own the GRVL 520 with 105 and two chainrings at front. It's just a great bike: reliable and tough. I traveled the entire lenght of Portugal and i crossed the pyrinees from Hendaye to Cap Creus on it. My latest "upgrade" was a 11-36 cassete in order to have a easier gear when loaded or in offroad . Decathlon makes great bikes in every price tag they are in, they just lack the "premium" sticker at the front. i'm fine with that as I prefer a nice build bike with nice equipment to ride than a posh name on the frame and pay more for a lesser bike
go any where with Ben. He is amazing I would like to see more of him on your channel.
I have an older btwin alur 700 road bike bought from Decathlon new 8 years ago. £600. Semi integrated cabled aluminium frame. Upgraded a few parts over the years. Changed the crankset to have it a full shimano 105 5750 setup. Upgraded the direct mount brakes from 5700 to r7000 a few years back. Running fulcrum racing 400 wheels after I rode the rims off the original wheels. Got myself compact, and narrower bars. Must have near 30k miles on the frame now. Gone through numerous saddles. It's my trusty stead, and have overtaken plenty on bikes worth 20 times It's original value. As always. Its never the bike, it's the legs that are propelling it forward. They are great bikes, and if the brand name puts you off, you're only losing out due to brand snobbery.
Very underrated bikes by many, and worth every penny. Thanks to the UK weather this year so far, its done many more miles than my Orro Venturi roadbike has, lol. Great to see them back in competition again.
Damn right brother, I enjoy riding my Boardman SLR 8.9 and already upgraded parts like wheelset, narrower handlebars(most recent one), and still on search regarding the saddle(struggling to find comfortable one), made it full shimano r7000 105 groupset and not regretting it, will last me a long time for sure.
People really should give a thought to their own needs, most of us are just either casual weekend riders, commuters to work or someone who does bike-packing trips, do we need some aero and high speed racing bike? Don't think so.
Boardman ADV 8.9 at £100-200 more, full hydraulic, GRX groupset, thru axles, full carbon fork. It’s a winner in my book.
Decathlon have made great bikes for years. I remember my friend having a mountain bike a good 18 years ago and we were all very jealous of how good it was.
About mounting a taifin directly to the frame. The bosses on some frames like these can only take a very limited amount of weight, over time the bosses will fatigue and possibly fail due to high amount of stress from especially when carrying excessive weight over a long period of time. This was what happened to my bike frame which had a braze on mudguard boss, which I mounted my tailfin to. The universal thru axle is possibly the best solution to mounting a tailfin rack since it's a replaceable piece of equipment, doing no damage to the bike frame if or when it fails
looking out for the bricks 🧱
I find it amazing that you do all this content on entry level bikes! The market is far too skewed on top end which most can't afford.
This is a good price point for a bike. It’s something most people can relate to, or envisage buying for daily driving duty.
Thank you for keeping it real.
I ride myself a cannondale Topstone 4 with the Microshift Advent X mechanical groupset and I gotta say that it’s all I would ever wish for.
Had to upgrade the breaks to TRP Spyre and got lighter wheels and it rides absolutely perfect now. You don’t need those fancy 3000$ bikes that they advertise for. You can have so much fun on an entry level bike.
5:00 My bike has full cable mechanical disc brakes and i can launch myself over the handlebars if i pull the levers too hard.
Something just isn't right with his brakes, could be the cable housing is compressing too much soaking up most of the force you're putting into the brake lever, OR a long pull brake lever being paired with a short pull caliper, or maybe the braking pad material....
Congrats on the trip. Nice video and your choices well explained..
I'm really enjoying my Triban RC520. All around bike. Thanks for the very good content!
The Triban looks good but you should look at Dolan. For £1500 the RDX comes with fully hydraulic 105 and you can decide your crank length, stem length and bar width.
It's good that you use and review stuff that people can actually afford! And in this case it has been intensively used, meaning this is actually a good product.
I love my RC520. 5 years old and it does everything. From road racer, to gravel grinder to daily commuter - only with a swap of tires.
If only they used a common headset standard so I could upgrade to a Chris King or Cane Creek!
Thanks Francis. Really found the info on the brakes interesting. Clearly a great option for home mechanics who don't want the issue of full hydraulic, or already have a set of full mechanical shifters.
Good review! I'm looking forward to Tailfin releasing that longer TT bag!
cant find it anywhere. they only have much shorter in their offer. is it pre-release product?
The Malaysia trip looked epic. Great videos. I’m biased but I highly recommend coming here to Norway for a trip. So many road and/or gravel routes!
The Panaracer Gravel Kings are amazing tyres, however, you had the lightest version with no puncture protection. I had these and shredded them in 3 months (4000 km) on UK roads (tubeless set up). Changed to the + version, they are a little heavier but far superior on puncture protection.
Enjoying the videos, keep 'em coming.
i started biking again in 2019 on an e-mtb and got an triban gravel 120 in mai 2021 vor 629€ wich is now 799 (what a price jump) its a 1x10 setup with a pretty decent spread and mechanical disc brakes. i like it pretty much because its pretty sturdy and it traveld 5.500km so far with no issues! ok, i got some different drop bar bikes very soon after so that explains the low mileage on the triban bike. i only swapped the brake pads once!
the only thing i had to complain are the stupid mechanical brakes and adjusting the brake pads and the very high weight. i got an xl frame with a weight of approx 14kg.
it came equipped with the hutchinson override tires which have run the mileage with nearly no sign of wear so far - wonder how the do it. but they are not worth to be taken out on a ride in the wet. on the other hand they perfom really well on an indoor home trainer *lol*.
really love that triban bike a lot :)
Excellent. This is you and your channel at its best. Thanks.
If someone was looking at the RC 520 or the Gravel 520, which would you recommend as an all rounder bike? Toss larger tires on the RC 520 to spec it more all roundish?
Malaysia was a fun series, really enjoyed that one, and the videos from your companions and MELVIN the legend of KL. I think you should try riding in Georgia, as it is a country that still seems to have some character of it's own and it is spectacular. Not the best grub there so that might not suit you, but you could learn to cook a sheep or soemthing, idk. Mexico has great food and some fantastic places, and you can chain together a south american series from Baja to Patagonia. That should keep you busy for a while!
I have my own little trick for powerful mechanical disc brakes.
On my road/gravel levers, I still use calipers with the MTB cable pull ratio. This means they have to be set up just right to not rub and also not have a lot of lever throw, but I found out that Avid BB7's are perfect for this.
They're very easy to adjust exactly perfectly, and keep them perfect when the pads wear.
And that's it! Super powerful, great modulation, still great feel with compressionless housing. Stoppies for days!
My wife has the 520 GRVL with the 105 groupset in XS size... The original 42mm handlebars were too wide for her, changed to 38mm, the casette was a cheap and strange ratio 11-30 microshift one. changed that to 105 11-32. So far running the original 36mm Hutchinson's set up tubeless. She is loving it. Great value and performance for a weekend rider. 100% recommendation from us. (bought exactly 1 year ago, barely used 2nd hand for almost half the price, with papers and warranty).
I'm riding a btwin forme 1 I bought in 2009. Most parts got upgraded over time but it still is a solid bike and still enjoy riding it. As a 7x it is a great commuter and winter bike
I followed this trip like my life depnded on it! LOL. Great visuals and great entertainment. Next trip.... Maybe visit Nick's homeland and ride from Cape Town to Knysna around 550km along the East Coast? Thanks for the videos.
Thank you for visiting Malaysia!
Admittedly it was the hottest time when you lot came for the bike packing trip.
I found the OEM seat on the 520 to be fine. Just swapped it out after 3 years because the rails got bent
Have this bike since 2021 with shimano 105, best purchase I made. So many great memories created on bike trips I rode.
Great video, but I especially (and unironically) love the big ad banner in the beginning. Very transparent, setting a good example!
The "Algarviana" route in the Algarve could be a possibility. Only 3 hours away, it's quick and cheap to get here. Great weather too. Could be a smaller adventure in between the big exotic ones.
I use these panaracers for the last two months. They are a nightmare.
Great to see you and the boys back on bike packing trips
Loved watching the journey!
this tailfin top tube bag - cant find it anywhere. top tube bags in their offer is dark color and much smaller - yours is more like frame bag size.
One suggestion: Get the Gravelking + series. They have way higher puncture resistance and weigh about 100 grams more per tire. I had two sets of SK tires and both had issues with punctures. Talked to the racer at the LBS where i bought my bike and he recommended heavier grade tires. I'm now on Maxxis Refuse 40mm tires fur gravel. They are file tread and ok for type 1 and 2 gravel. Forget type 3 and type 4 is "right out".
As to size, unless you are carrying your own spares, stick to 700C.
Decathlon really did a good job in putting together that bike, brand doesn't say much about quality, especially on entry-level bikes. I just got a Ridley gravelbike in a similar price range. OK, you get hydraulic GRX in all the range but if you don't opt for the better wheels the bike comes with (Shimano) rims that aren't tubeless ready - odd choice on a gravel bike. Plus mine had some quality issues from assembly: terribly noisy 12-speed (KMC?) chain that didn't want to work with the GRX cassette on largers cogs. After solving that, the bombproof Shimano BB had its drive-side bearing implode within the first 100 km riding the bike. I think it is heavier, too.... 12 kg in size S with pedals and mudguards.
I totally agree on the brakes, I upgraded my mechanical disc brake calipers to the Hy/Rd and the braking is so much better!
If you can't afford to upgrade to full hydraulics, this is a good upgrade for a reasonable price, it's not cheap (for me), but it's not a wallet breaker either.
Where next? Denmark. Brilliant mix of fantastic coastal riding - dedicated bike infrastructure and OOOODLES of gravel. The West Coast of Jutland north of Esbjerg all the way to the tip of Denmark at Skagen would be a good start. But the riding in the islands too is also superb. Been on a few bikepacking trips round it drop me a message for routes and tips 🙂
Wondering if it was not annoying to have to take off the full back including the rack, as you had the Aeropack.
Wouldn't the rack plus separate back have been the better option? Also doing bike packing trips with hotels/Airbnb...and wondering what option I should get....as I want to upgrade from my seat bag...
I’m an owner of an RC520…. Ridden hard in Thailand. For the price and spec…. I am VERY happy
Come to Brazil do the trip Rio - Florianópolis, it will take you a month probably but it's a great excuse to come see the Carnaval, the people and the nature! Its gonna be hot but not as hot as Malaysia (i guess)
nice vid. by Georgetown you mean Penang. Gtown is flat as a roti ;) Penang however does have extremely steep hills. I used to live there and the daily ride around the island is lovely. The saddle... using a new saddle on a two week trip is a gamble as you know.
As a person with a RC500, I like this review, however being this is my first nice bike, at least it is for me, IE I only had cheep Raleigh's and Walmart bikes, I bought a small and I'm 5'6, I'm trying to figure out how I can ajust the reach on this bike but other than that I love my Triban, thanks for the review, love Cade media. Cheers.
It’s no surprise that the growing trend of mainstream (dull) bike brands like Specialized and Trek charging £3k+ for bang average gravel bikes wouldn’t be sustainable.
User tip: this derailleur with long cage can take 11-46 cassette easily. Then its a very different story with 40t chain ring.
I have the exact same bike with the original saddle and that one sucks as well (for me at least). I love the bike though, I've had it for almost a year and no regrets so far.
i wish DECATHLON had more options for the taller rider. at 6ft4 inches there is only 2 bikes available on there site.
Francis--Could you comment more specifically on your bike sizing choices? I've heard you and Bike Fit James say that you ride 51 cm frames there or there abouts, despite you both being 5'10". Are you optimizing bike geometry based around top tube length, specifically, or also taking into account other geometry figures? I'm surprised because many bike shops I've been to recommended bikes in the 54 cm range, despite me being only 5'7". Curious what you and/or Bike Fit James priotize first when it comes to bike geometry. Love the videos--keep up the great work.
Great summary video Francis 👏. It shows you dodon't nt need to spend a lot of money to get a good specced bike 👍. A summer tour of Scandinavia maybe? Or an early autumn north to south Portugal trip?
Come to Ciclovia Alpeadria guys! It's a stunning cycle route from Salzburg to the Adriatic Sea, 400 km of pure beauty
Why are you riding a small frame ? I’m only just over 6ft tall and ride a large that fits like a glove at 5’10 shouldn’t you be in the medium size ? Is it personal preference or are sizes a bit funky ?
Next trip, come to Western Australia and ride the Munda Biddi trail. 1100km of off-road trails through beautiful bush.
Love the channel.
Can I have your thoughts on triban rc520 (non gravel) vs Domane frame - AL2 or 4.
Which would you buy?
Also, I’m also considering rim Emonda ALR 5 (105).
Do you know max max tire clearance? Can it fit 32c
Looking to buy second hand vs new triban rc520.
Appreciate your insight!
Also… in above case. The triban is 300 usd more expensive given am comparing it with used Domane and Emonda alr.
What was the verdict on hte bar tape comparison!?
What upgrades would you recommend to take this bike to the next level? This looks perfect for me as an entry level bike, but I have a few hundred pounds more to invest in upgrades if you'd recommend that? A new seat, for instance? Thanks
The best saddle Fizik ever made in me and my brother's opinion is the Kurve. It is awesome! But, for some reason it never sold well and they stopped making it. I guess becuase it doesn't have a see through cutout. It has a cutout but it is covered.
Great video on simple things that work well for a good touring ride
Good bike for the money, I have a set of the TRP Hy-rd very happy with them.
Should come to the province of Quebec in Canada. Lots of choices in cycling. There's urban (Montreal?) or more scenic such as the Gaspésie peninsula or the rolling hills of the Eastern Townships. Friendly folks and good eating.
Great videos, I really enjoyed them. I notice you have a very long @TailfinCycling top tube bag. I can't find this on their website; is it a prototype they've given to you to try or can they be purchased elsewhere?
Come to New Zealand. Next year to do the Sounds to Sounds ride. I am doing next year.
Definitely Nova Scotia Cabot Trail , even my car struggled with the ups and downs on this trail . Some of the most spectacular views you will find to
I really hope we will soon see more fully hydraulic disc brake setups. The upgrade to a new fully hydraulic 105 setup (brakes + sti + tubes...) is
@cade_media great video as always. What is the name of the white Tallfin top tube bag you have been using. I cannot find it on their website.
Where is the supacaz handle bar tape review? Comparing legit vs fake. 😊
i ride the RC520 road version and iam not happy with the trp brakes... and i cant unterstand the decision to take them. based on regular listprices by trp an shimano, the hydraulic 105 setup cost nearly the same as the hy-rd an the mechanical 105 leaver. for the rest, its a great bike. mine will now get replaced after over 30.000km in 4 years.
I don't know if I've missed the part how Franz and the guys did lack the bikes before checking them in. I intend to go on long bike Trekking journeys and I'm not really sure what's the best way to ship the bike back and forth. Please help
Would the trip have been more comfortable with the same titanium bike? Decathlon has the same model in titanium. Could you test this version...
That tailfin full length top tube bag is great. Is it prerelease? Cannot find it on their website.
Is it grvl 520? How many HD/RD brake did they bought>? From rc520 to grvl 520 all of them are trp brake.
Is Microsoft R10 are good ? They like Shimano 105 ? Now triban 520 has MR10 not Sh 105
Great video about the bike ... Where is the video about the trip ?
do south to north Quebec, the scenery change is going to be incredible and its a good way add some exposure to inuit and first nations to your audience!
Apologies if this has been asked numerous times previously; what does Decathlon UK equate to in the US?
Saddle, try a Brooks Swift or a leather saddle of any brand, Gilles Berthoud, Selle Anatomica, I've got a Spa Cycles Aire TI railed job, besides, it will probably annoy your mates.
I did always ride Decathlon Mountain bikes, in the last year i did go for a Triban 500 doing 36km per day for work.
Last 2 weeks on my new "RACEFIETS NCR CF RIVAL AXS ETAP 12 S"
and i had last week a very heavy week being truly exhausted, thinking to go sleep all friday. so exhausted.
instead because of love.. decided to ride 71km to my bf in 2.51h which i am really proud. i would not have been able to do this
if it was on my triban i think, but also made me love the bike so much more.
❤❤
The decathlon bike does the job, nothing fancy needed, the brakes seem a decent upgrade for any disc-braked bike.
Next trip: Japan with Ben & James as well as you & Loz.
If you are looking for left field options. Def try Buenos Aires to Santiago.
Really enjoyed your bike packing trip guys!! You need to do a bike packing trip in Scandinavia next 💛🚵🏻🚵🏻🚵🏻🇸🇪🇳🇴🇩🇰
I am curious about if this is better or a cube nuroad in the same price point?
And is this worth 400 euros more than an RC 520 with gravel tires on it?
Can you confirm which Tailfin rack/pack you used? Rack or AeroPack?
Thanks.
I never clicked with such an engagement in order to watch a video.
I loved decathlon rc520 cause it suits to my cycling with extra baggage for gravel andd picnic ride
How did you get on with the real v’s fake bar tape as they both looked as if they lasted the trip?
Wow, this must have been a great adventure, and after this video series the cycling world will perhaps finally learn that there are more than 7 countries on the planet. :D (not only France, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and UK)
Hey everyone. I think Canada could be a great place to do a tour. There are lots of great paths from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Mostly flat here but you could also go to British Columbia if you want the mountains
Next trip. Come to Tasmania, we’d love to see you here.
North Coast 500 Francis. But I think Lawrence has already done it, from memory.