NEW CARBON BTWIN FC 3.......any good?

♠ChumBucket♠

I'm soon to buy my first road bike after almost a year on MTB with slicks. After much pondering, reading, research etc etc I thought I had my choice narrowed right down to two bikes, which were

First choice-
http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

Second- http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

I would have to add £30 for delivery + whatever for pedals too. The other downside being it would be mail order with no chance to try before buying ( I would be ok with this though ).

THEN I SAW THIS- & it's thrown a spanner in the works! I can get to a Decathlon (50 miles away) so I could actually try the bike & pick the best size etc etc. Bear in mind that it comes with pedals & no delivery charge it's on par, price wise with my first choice above.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fc-3-black-r ... 21749.html


I don't have the luxury of a LBS, only a halfords. I'm 50 miles from Edinburgh & 70 from Newcastle so I can't just go & try bikes willy nilly if you see what I mean.


Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated, it's bloody torture trying to pick a first road bike!

arlowood

If you're willing to travel 50 miles to a Decathlon outlet then why not do 50 miles to Edinburgh and visit for example the Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative:-

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/

Dealers in Giant, Cannondale, Focus and many others. At least there you will have several brands to look at and sit on and also test ride. rather than just the BTwin on offer at Decathlon.

In your budget you could do worse than the Giant Defy 2:-

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... -defy-2-13

or perhaps the Cannondale CAAD8 Triple

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... -tiagra-13

or possibly the Focus Culebro which has 105 rather than Tiagra

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... 3-0-105-13

A host of options that widen your horizons a bit further than the BTwin

♠ChumBucket♠

Thanks for that.

The Giants just don't do it for me I'm afraid. The others are ok though, might have a trip up & go look at them all.

I have looked at EBC online before, nothing ever stood out to me though.

Shackster

If you don't mind mail order then this will beat the others for value by miles:

http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3073

♠ChumBucket♠

Shackster wrote:

If you don't mind mail order then this will beat the others for value by miles:

http://www.canyon.com/_en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3073

AAAARRRRRGGGGGGGG, it gets harder!!

Right, back to square one!! :P

lgs bike

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

I'm soon to buy my first road bike after almost a year on MTB with slicks. After much pondering, reading, research etc etc I thought I had my choice narrowed right down to two bikes, which were

First choice-
http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

Second- http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

I would have to add £30 for delivery + whatever for pedals too. The other downside being it would be mail order with no chance to try before buying ( I would be ok with this though ).

THEN I SAW THIS- & it's thrown a spanner in the works! I can get to a Decathlon (50 miles away) so I could actually try the bike & pick the best size etc etc. Bear in mind that it comes with pedals & no delivery charge it's on par, price wise with my first choice above.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fc-3-black-r ... 21749.html


I don't have the luxury of a LBS, only a halfords. I'm 50 miles from Edinburgh & 70 from Newcastle so I can't just go & try bikes willy nilly if you see what I mean.


Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated, it's bloody torture trying to pick a first road bike!

Hi,

What did you go for in the end? I take it from your sig that you bought a Triban 5A?

I currentle have the 2012 Triban 3 and was thinking of treating myself to the FC3.

Would be interested in any comments you have on it as my local Decathlon store doesnt have one to try.

♠ChumBucket♠

lgs bike wrote:

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

I'm soon to buy my first road bike after almost a year on MTB with slicks. After much pondering, reading, research etc etc I thought I had my choice narrowed right down to two bikes, which were

First choice-
http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

Second- http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2013.html

I would have to add £30 for delivery + whatever for pedals too. The other downside being it would be mail order with no chance to try before buying ( I would be ok with this though ).

THEN I SAW THIS- & it's thrown a spanner in the works! I can get to a Decathlon (50 miles away) so I could actually try the bike & pick the best size etc etc. Bear in mind that it comes with pedals & no delivery charge it's on par, price wise with my first choice above.
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/fc-3-black-r ... 21749.html


I don't have the luxury of a LBS, only a halfords. I'm 50 miles from Edinburgh & 70 from Newcastle so I can't just go & try bikes willy nilly if you see what I mean.


Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated, it's bloody torture trying to pick a first road bike!

Hi,

What did you go for in the end? I take it from your sig that you bought a Triban 5A?

I currentle have the 2012 Triban 3 and was thinking of treating myself to the FC3.

Would be interested in any comments you have on it as my local Decathlon store doesnt have one to try.

Yes I went for the T5a. Looked at the FC3 & it's beautiful. However, only a week in & I'm not sure "proper" road bikes are my thing. Thinking of selling the T5a & getting the equivalent flat bar version.

lgs bike

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

Yes I went for the T5a. Looked at the FC3 & it's beautiful. However, only a week in & I'm not sure "proper" road bikes are my thing. Thinking of selling the T5a & getting the equivalent flat bar version.

Thats ashame you are thinking of selling it. Before you do contact the Decathlon store where you purchased it and ask about an exchange. I have heard reports that they are very good at exchanging products. Even when they are slightly used. What is it you that makes you not sure that proper road bikes are your thing?

♠ChumBucket♠

lgs bike wrote:

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

Yes I went for the T5a. Looked at the FC3 & it's beautiful. However, only a week in & I'm not sure "proper" road bikes are my thing. Thinking of selling the T5a & getting the equivalent flat bar version.

Thats ashame you are thinking of selling it. Before you do contact the Decathlon store where you purchased it and ask about an exchange. I have heard reports that they are very good at exchanging products. Even when they are slightly used. What is it you that makes you not sure that proper road bikes are your thing?

I will be keeping the T5a.

I had just got so used to the mountain bike. Spent all Last year on it with road tyres. Then jumping on the T5, it just felt so weird that even trying to drink out of the bottle while riding seemed difficult!! :oops:

However, I jumped the gun with thinking of selling it. I've now made several changes/adjustments to the bike to suit/fit me better, & along with a few more rides under my belt I'm enjoying the experience much more!!

lgs bike

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

I will be keeping the T5a.

I had just got so used to the mountain bike. Spent all Last year on it with road tyres. Then jumping on the T5, it just felt so weird that even trying to drink out of the bottle while riding seemed difficult!! :oops:

However, I jumped the gun with thinking of selling it. I've now made several changes/adjustments to the bike to suit/fit me better, & along with a few more rides under my belt I'm enjoying the experience much more!!

Glad to hear it.