Btwin Triban 3 Road Bike Review

Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication. Here's how we make money.

Last Updated on June 29, 2021

If you are a beginner, one bike that might have caught your attention is the Triban 3 bike. It is a type of road bicycle that never hit a newbie’s bucket list.

First off, the bike doesn’t have anything special besides decent riding, comfort, and smooth handling. However, from the look. One thing remains clear:

It's for first-time riders. 

In other words, if you are a professional athlete who needs the bells and whistles. Triban 3 will be a wrong choice. What makes it excellent road bike for beginners is the features, minimalistic design, and performance of the bike.

In this article, we want to answer why Triban 3 is an excellent bike for first-time riders.

Contents

Frame, Fit, and Comfort: How They Measure Up

Btwin Triban 3

Your first bike should be comfortable and make you fit well—no need to invest in a bike with a heavy frame and poorly built components. But for Btwin Triban 3, the story is made different.

The bike is built of an aluminum frame, a sign that it is durable and good value for the money. We noticed the frame is light which is an excellent thing because an average bike rider or a newbie won't need a two or three lbs  bike frame.

What we didn't find on this bike is the unwelcome detail of the frame. That means the finishing of the bike is superb. We also noticed that the bike had plenty of space for the bar and stem position adjustment.

Bear in mind that getting a bike with an aluminum frame and carbon fork would have been impossible a few years back. The carbon does an excellent job of impending minor irregularities on the road, which is ideal for your hands and arms.

For beginners, the aluminum frame and carbon fork make the bike light and ensures a comfortable ride. The carbon offers comfort, which is excellent because many bikes in this class and price don't offer that feature. If they're no other bikes providing this, then the Btwin Triban has broken the record.

Design and looks: Minimimasltic

The bike features neat glossy paint indicating that this is a bike for someone who loves minimalism. The bike comes in various colors, and its detailing is also great. With the  wide array of colors, you won't miss a color you like or adore.

The Gearing System: Here’s what we have

The Btwin Triban has a compact chainset and an 8-speed cassette. That means you'll be in a position to shift gears quickly towards either small or bigger sprockets. A great thing about Triban is that it has a Shimano gear system that you'll find in most high-end bikes. The 2300 Shimano is the smallest Shimano groupset spectrum.

The brifters shift up and go through the separate thumb tabs, and they won't be reached if you are on drops. If you are mainly on the drops, this may be a little bit disappointing.

 However, since you are a beginner, this won't be of much concern because you are not a professional rider. Most coaches tell bike students to ride in the drops if they want to corner first.

The low climbing gear is a 32t sprocket, which is an excellent choice for a road bike at that price. The rear cassette of the bike is a little bit heavy, which we don't find at fault because most of the rear cassettes are heavy.

 We are not sure how long the 2300 Shimano components will last, but its replacement is cheap. Thanks to the bike's triple chainset, you can ride it in the hills.

The Breaking and Steering on this Bike

Btwin Triban 3

The brakes on this bike are the Btwin brand which resembles Shimano. The brakes have metal shoes and separate pads, which are excellent for regular road bikes. The challenge we saw is that the brake levers are a bit heavy compared to Shimano brakes.

In other words, those brake levers won't provide you with a lot of braking power at high speed. However, the calipers, pads, and rubber work well on the bike, and we have no problem with that.

Our guess is braking on this bike can be improved. Our thoughts are that excellent brake pads will improve the stopping power at high speed.

The handlebars on this bike are built for a non-aggressive rider which is excellent for a newbie. The handlebar stem is compact, and the bar width perfects, which is ideal for your comfort.

Wheels/Tires: Ride quality

The wheels are made of Btwin brand, and they're a bit heavy. What's more, the Btwin wheels are better than what you'll see in most road bikes at the same price. Its 32 spikes are rust-less than the stainless steel you'll see in most average road bikes.

When riding on dry roads, the tires have an excellent grip. Although the wheels are not as good as what you'll see in most good bikes, they do not reflect the overall great riding experience you'll have with the bike. 

Bear in mind that, like all tires, this one won't last long. It only makes sense for you to replace them when they get old. The overall ride experience is balanced and smooth on dry surfaces. Thanks to the lightweight feature, you'll find yourself eating miles and competing on looks and speed.

Verdict: Our Honest thoughts

We found the Btwin Triban 3 to be an impressive entry-level road bike sold by Decathlon. The bike suits beginners looking for a perfect frame and Shimano gear system on their first bike. Of course, we can't dispute that you can buy upgrades to make it better, but the overall bike is excellent.

If you want to begin cycling, don't listen to folks who want you to spend a fortune on a new bike. You are not a professional rider. For people who want to first enjoy the thrill of cycling before making any worthwhile commitment, the Btwin Triban 3 is a great choice.

The overall ride is great because you can eat more miles with it. The bike fits the price tag for a first-budget road bike. For less than $300, you can have this bike. The only minus we have is that you'll have to buy or replace the brake pads if you want to improve the braking.



Harold Whitford

Follow me here

About the Author

My name is Harold Whitford, a husband, father, and avid cyclist with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Delaware. Having been in the industry for more than 15 years, I have a number of the road race and national time trial championships in my bag.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
>