00:00The Triban RC520 has been on the market for a while now, but we still feel like it goes
00:06slightly overlooked in the budget road bike category. Perhaps it's down to the fact that
00:12it's sold by Decathlon and there could be some consumer snobbery around brand names,
00:16but when it's being sold at such an attractive price point, you cannot ignore it. That's not
00:22to say the bike is perfect. Of course, it has its drawbacks, but it's up to you on whether or
00:28not
00:28those drawbacks are something you can compromise on. I'm going to look at all of the pros and all
00:34of the cons and then leave it up to you to decide whether or not you think this bike could
00:39be right
00:40for you. I'm going to run through the spec, ride impressions, and finally give you my verdict.
00:45One of the biggest muscles that the RC520 has to flex is the specification of the bike.
00:51It comes with a partial Shimano 105 groupset, which by anyone's measure is good.
00:58Shimano 105 is often chosen by very keen amateurs and is often found on bikes costing much more.
01:05The reason why I say partial is because only the shifters and derailleurs are at the 105 level,
01:11but arguably these are the components you'd actually want to be of the higher 105 level.
01:17The brakes come courtesy of TRP. These calipers are cable-actuated hydraulic brakes,
01:24which I know sounds like a whole lot of gibberish, but to break it down, what that means is that
01:30we
01:30have a cable running from the brake levers down to the caliper, which then activates a hydraulic system,
01:36which then applies the brake. The reason why this is better than a standard cable-actuated brake
01:41is because both brake pads move to engage with the rotor rather than just one pad, meaning that these
01:48are more powerful. Of course, these aren't quite as good as fully hydraulic systems, but I think this
01:54is a fair compromise when considering the price. Lastly, when looking at spec, the rest of the build
02:00is actually pretty straightforward. It's an alloy-framed bike with alloy handlebars, stem,
02:05seatpost, and wheels. It does have a hybrid carbon alloy fork, which is quite a nice touch.
02:12Now, a good spec is nothing if a bike feels rubbish to ride. I'm going to put the seemingly good
02:19value
02:19of the build itself to one side and just focus on the ride itself. Resident bike tester Joe has been
02:25out riding this bike on his usual roads in Oxfordshire, which consists of some longer flat sections
02:31and then, of course, plenty of climbs. After several rides now, he's gotten a very good understanding
02:37of how the bike feels and says that it does feel good, but there are a few caveats to consider.
02:43Firstly, one aspect which has a big impact on how the bike feels is the weight. This is not a
02:50light
02:50bike. The claim weight from Decathlon is 10.5 kilos. On the flat sections of tarmac, you don't notice it
02:58so much. Compared to other bikes which sit within this price bracket, it doesn't take a noticeable amount
03:03of extra energy to get it up to speed. However, when you start climbing is when you start to feel
03:10the extra timber that this bike is carrying. This weight is counteracted to some extent by a pretty
03:16decent spread of gears. But, say compared to a specialised Alley, which is one of this bike's
03:22competitors, albeit the Alley does cost a whole lot more, you will find that this bike is a little
03:28bit more at home in the hills thanks to the lower weight. When I rode the RC520 and got it
03:34up to some
03:35higher speeds on the descents and through some corners, it felt planted and stable. It wasn't
03:41subject to feeling jittery or twitchy. To be honest, this is probably one of the benefits of it weighing
03:46a little bit more. The only thing I would consider though is switching out the tyres. As one of the
03:52more
03:52affordable upgrades, a fresh set of rubber would go a really long way to greatly improving how the bike
03:58feels. And I'm talking better grip and less feedback coming through the frame. What could be easy to do
04:04is write the RC520 off as just being a road bike. And I think that would be a mistake. It
04:11also works
04:12really well as a commuting bike and as an adventure bike. Decathlon did not shy away from loading up the
04:18frame with mounting points. So, if you want to mount panniers and mudguards to take the abuse of the
04:23daily commute, or perhaps you aren't a huge cyclist but want something really versatile to do a little
04:29bit of everything, then I think that's where this bike really shines. It's available in a flat bar
04:35version too. So, if drop bars aren't your thing, then you're also catered for. It was only a few weeks
04:41ago that I was in Decathlon for the launch of their first Van Riesel store opening. What I noticed is
04:47that
04:47a lot of the entry-level bikes are losing their tri-band logos in lieu of a fresh paint scheme
04:52and a
04:53van Riesel decal instead. So, while aesthetics of the bike will change, I believe this model will
04:59continue to be made. You might just have to ask what its new name is. Overall, the RC520 brings together
05:06so much of what the majority of new cyclists are looking for. Good value, better than the rest
05:13specification, and a very versatile frame for all sorts of riding. The biggest drawbacks are its weight
05:20and cheap tyres, but the latter can be changed and the former will just make you a bit fitter.
05:27As sub ÂŁ1,000 bikes go, I think this is the best.
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