Decathlon launch a new entry-level gravel bike, the Triban RC 120

Launched quietly in February, the Triban RC 120 Gravel Adventure bike offers an aluminium frame, carbon fork, 1X drivetrain with 10-speed clutch rear mech and plenty of mounting options for racks and mudguards. At £499.99, this could be a smashing entry-level gravel option.

Decathlon says that their new gravel bike has been designed “make it easy to discover gravel riding.” Decathlon says that this means that the priority for the Triban RC 120 was to be affordable and focus on features like a 1X drivetrain, a flared bar, disc brakes and tubeless tyres.

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The frame is made from 6061 T6 aluminium with what Decathlon says is a “Comfort-oriented geometry.” This includes a taller headtube than their road bikes and a slightly longer top tube leading into a shorter stem. This, Decathlon claims, will give the bike a planted feel over rougher surfaces. The aluminium handlebar also gives a nod to control on rougher surfaces with the drops flaring out by 16°.

With tyre clearance up to 38mm, the Triban RC 120 seems to be aimed at less gnarly gravel and riders looking to mix road and off-road sections. The Triban tubeless-ready wheels are shod with Hutchinson Override tyres. These feature a closely-spaced, low-profile tread pattern in the centre of the tyre that expands and gets deeper as it moves out to the shoulder of the tyre.

A gravel bike at this price is always going to have some compromise areas. One of these can be found at the brakes which are cable-actuated Promax discs rather than a hydraulic system. While you may lose out on some power and modulation when compared to a hydraulic system, being disc brakes means that you should at least get consistent stopping power in changeable weather.

Gearing comes in the form of a single 38T chainring paired with an 11-42T 10-speed Microshift cassette. Controlling the brakes and gears are Microshift shifters. Decathlon says that this setup is “precise and very sturdy” with “very comfortable ergonomics.” 170mm cranks are used on all sizes.

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A carbon fork with an aluminium steerer has QR dropouts rather than thru-axles, though there are mounts for mudguards should you want to use the RC 120 as a commuter.

You’ll also find a QR dropout at the rear of the bike along with a post-mount for the disc calliper. But again, you'll find mounts for mudguards with the bonus of a rack mount too. Front and rear rotors are 160mm.

The Triban RC120 comes in both a men’s and a women’s version with sizes running from XS-XL for the men’s and XS-M for the women’s. Decathlon claims that a men's size medium weighs in at 10.95kg. Prices for both men's and women's are £499.99.

The Triban RC 120 is currently out of stock on Decathlon’s website. When we contacted Decathlon about this, they were very honest about the delays caused by the current pandemic. But they say that the bike will be in stock soon. As soon as we can get our hands on one for testing, we will.

decathlon.co.uk