Single test 2016: Decathlon BTwin - Price breaker: Decathlon BTwin in the TOUR-Check

A bargain? Or money thrown away? I can't really tell when I push 400 euros over the counter to the cashier at the Decathlon store in Leipzig-Paunsdorf. That's how much, precisely 399 euros, the racing bike I've just bought costs: a Triban 500 from Decathlon's own brand B-Twin. A 10.6-kilo bike with a sturdy aluminium frame and steel fork, both of which appear to be well made. But I'm still sceptical, mainly because of the equipment. The 3 x 8 drivetrain with old-fashioned looking shift brake levers comes from the little-known manufacturer Microshift from Taiwan. I've never seen them on a production bike. The lettering on the cranks, hubs and rims don't mean anything to me. At least the handlebars and saddle make a decent impression. The tyres are even adorned with the renowned name Hutchinson.

The right feeling

First positive surprise: because the bike is a demonstration model with slight signs of wear, I get more change than expected. I end up paying 359 euros. The consultant had previously informed me that all inspections within the first year would be free of charge. Combined with the lifetime warranty on the frame, fork, handlebars and stem, that sounds like a fair deal. The advice was not quite as convincing. For my height of 1.80 metres, the salesperson strongly advised me to get an XL frame. After a short test ride in the shop with the seat post sticking far too far into the seat tube, I followed my instincts and chose the L frame.

Back in Munich, I check all the screw connections before the first test ride. The assembly is okay, only the seat clamp bolt could have been tightened more firmly. The seat position is quickly adjusted, the aluminium seat post with an unusual 29.7 millimetre diameter has a practical scale; the head tube is quite short, but thanks to the six spacer rings of five millimetres each, I can easily adjust the handlebars to my height. I quickly swapped the hook pedals that were fitted at the time of purchase for clipless pedals, inflated the tyres and off I go.

What can I say? After just five minutes, I've forgotten that this is by far the cheapest road bike I've ridden in the last 25 years. The bike just works. The handlebars are bent the way I want them to be: the top bar is angled slightly towards the rider, nice and thick and wrapped in grippy tape. I'm also happy with the saddle. It's a tad too narrow for long tours, but I've sat worse on more expensive bikes.

Endurance test over 216 kilometres

The real surprise is the shifting system. The cables emerging from the sides of the Microshift levers are reminiscent of older STI levers from Shimano. However, the mechanics work differently to Shimano. There are two shift levers behind the brake levers, similar to the shift buttons on the electric Di2. A large lever is used for upshifting and a small one for downshifting, both of which can be reached from the lower handlebars and the brake levers. The lever travel is short, the operating forces are not too high and the shifting precision is impeccable.

The only thing that bothers me is the somewhat wide-legged riding feel. However, this is less due to the triple cranks, where the pedal spacing is naturally somewhat greater than on double cranks. Rather, the square axle is longer than necessary. If it were 15 millimetres shorter, the cranks and chainrings would still easily turn past the chainstays. Conclusion of the maiden voyage: no special incidents; the slight lateral runout on the rear wheel is quickly centred out.

Now, 40 kilometres is not a load for a new bike. To find out what the Triban 500 can really take, after a few more rides I decide to take it on my first longer tour of the season: a 200-kilometre brevet between the Altmühltal and the Danube. What a contrast to my 2015 season highlight at Paris-Brest-Paris! The bike I was riding at the time had an aero frame from Scott with carbon wheels and electronic shifting, all together costing a good 10,000 euros. Now the Triban 500 costs just a thirtieth of that. Something I would never have thought possible: I can't say that I have much less fun. Of course, the bike is heavier, less aerodynamic and slower than the Scott. I've also ridden more comfortable bikes. But everything is within tolerable limits. After 216 kilometres in just under nine hours of riding, the Triban 500 works as well as it did at the start. I can't believe it. Apart from the high weight, is there really nothing to justify the favourable price?

True luxury

Well, the Triban 500 does offer some potential for improvement. Wider tyres that roll more easily and offer better suspension than the extremely narrow clincher tyres would not be a bad thing. There would be plenty of room for this under the reliable no-name brakes. The teeth on the black anodised chainrings are shiny silver after a total of 400 kilometres. This could be an indication that the chainrings are wearing out quickly. I wouldn't swear by whether the shift levers would survive a group ride in the rain without damage, with the spray splashing into the exposed mechanism. But for 400 euros, you can overlook such minor weaknesses. If you don't mind the weight, you'll get fair value for money. "A racing bike, comfortable for rides of up to three hours" - that's how Decathlon advertises the Triban 500. The bike fulfils this promise - and draws attention to what is perhaps the true luxury: time to pursue your hobby with passion.

OVERALL SCORE 2.7

Price complete wheel 399 Euro
Weight 10.6 kilos

Info www.decathlon.de

Weight frame/fork/steering bearing* 2,039/1,139/32 grammes
Frame sizes** 45, 48, 51 (up to 51 cm each with 26-inch barrel), 54, 57, 60, 63 cm
Seat/top tube/head tube 510/565/169 mm plus 5 mm headset cap
Stack/Reach/STR 564/394/1,43

Equipment
Bottom bracket Prowheel Ounce (50/39/30 t., BSA)
Brakes/gears B-Twin/Microshift R8
Wheels/tyres/weights B-Twin Aerosport/Hutchinson Equinox 23 mm (front/rear: 1,395/1,935 grams)

Measured values
Steering head stiffness 110 Nm/°: 1.0
Bottom bracket stiffness 87 N/mm1.0Side stiffness fork 76 N/mm: 1.0
Fork travel 115 N/mm: 5.0
Suspension travel seat post 190 N/mm: 2.3

**Weighed weights.
***Manufacturer's specification, test size bold.
****Stack/Reach projected vertical/horizontal measurement from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube; STR (Stack to Reach) 1.36 means a very stretched, 1.60 an upright riding position.