Is The Triban RC 520 Road Bike The Ideal Winter Road Bike?
The Triban RC 520 Road Bike has a nice racing bike look with the shape of the thin frame and handlebars.
Triban also promises that this is the “most comfortable road bike we’ve ever designed”.
This is a big claim and there are hopes that the bonus features will enhance the bike further, so are riders happy with what they receive here?
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The Pros and cons of this Triban RC 520 Road Bike.
Pros:
- The frame is generally of high quality and light enough to suit most road riders.
- The brand has tried hard to provide plenty of comfort features.
- It handles pretty well with a nice rigid feel.
- The bike is adaptable to allow for mudguards and pannier racks and has lights and a bell.
- Many find that this is just what they were looking for in a winter bike.
Cons:
- One reason that this is many users’ winter bike is the lack of speed.
- The specification isn’t the most high-end with a lot of brand-specific components.
- Some users feel the need to swap o the tyres.
The Triban RC 520 Road Bike has a nice feel and enough of a response to the road to become a reliable winter bike.
Let’s start with that idea of comfort. To say it is the most comfortable ever is hard to judge.
But, they have certainly gone out of their way to create more comfort with the geometry of the bike, the shape of the ergonomic saddle, and the soft grips on the handlebars.
Riders seem happy enough with what they get, with no mention or people making adjustments here.
The feel of the bike more generally on the road is also an aspect that gets plenty of praise. There are riders really happy with the response of the bike on the road and the rigid feel of the Triban Evo fork.
There also seems to be enough stopping power in the TRP HY/RD disc brakes and the 17.8kg aluminium frame helps too. Many say that this has become their winter bike of choice.
Another selling point is that this is adaptable to suit personal needs. You have the chance to mount a pannier rack and mudguards – with many taking advantage of the latter on those winter rides.
The bike also comes with pedals, lighting, and a bell in the box ready for use.
There are limitations in the specification that stop this Triban RC 520 from being the first-choice bike all year round.
While many people are loving this for those winter months, this does mean that they don’t see the potential in this as a year-round option.
One reason cited here is the lack of speed. The 11-speed gear system is fine for when they need to keep things a little more gentle but not for racing around training in the summer.
Another potential problem here is the tyres provided by the company.
You get Triban Resist+ tyres, which some have swapped out for something better. The good news here is that the bike is compatible with 700×36 and 650×40 tyres so you can work to your own preferences.
This use of own-brand tyres is in line with a lot of the specifications for this bike. You will see the Triban name a lot and while this is fine for a lot of elements, there may be others where the quality or feel isn’t as hoped for.
You do at least get Shimano 105 R7000 shifters, so it isn’t a clean sweep.
Could this Triban Road Bike still prove to be the right option for your training later in the year?
The final verdict on this bike is that it could prove to be a great choice as long as you are looking for that secondary winter bike rather than something for the whole year.
As long as you don’t expect to race around on a high-end spec and are happy to play with the modifications, you could find that there is fun to be had here.
So, give the Triban road bike a second look when it comes to searching for a road bike at the end of the year.
Find more reviews about the Triban RC 520 Road Bike on Decathlon here.