have i committed a cardinal sin???

zoltansocrates

aeons have passed and the research has been carried out at phd style intensity. it started with a wilier iozard xp, i thought that is the one for me! then as the days passed and the research continued, just to see mind you, it changed and suddenly it was a bmc sl01, then a fuji roubaix, then a pinarello, a giant, i even considered a spesh cross.
the missus, despite her encouragement, was sick of my hogging the laptop all night looking at bikes, i looked at lbs and i looked at halfords and, recently, i started looking at btwin - damn superchain shops i thought, these prices are garbage, too good to be true, they are at it! so i bought some of their gear for 'nothing special' rides, it was good, no giordana but for the price it was more than adequate.

i changed again and thought to myself, carbon x 4 year old = hotwheels lodged in frame disaster scenario so i decided, i need alu with a tickle of carbon, the fp uno was back on the list- thats the one for me! and lbs bought, pass me the halo, im a good boy. wait for the ppi and im talking italian

as you wait, you surf the net, how many bike favourites on my toolbar ? dunno i go through them all daily though, when im not on the turbo, or, er, playin with the wee man
searched btwin again, new bikes - triban seven tiagra 10 sp carbon stays and fork alu frame - looks good that how much....what? 600 squid? eh thats good
went to see it, went to see the italian one, went back to decathlon and got it, im chuffed, its under 9kg with my aksiums on it and i know itll do me, it fits perfectly, i dont race so tiagra is more than adequate

but i cant help feelin im a bad boy, i wont be fashionable with my btwin livery, idgaf about that though - ive been riding a claud butler for the last ten years and the sneers can only be heard for so long as they drop off into the distance, but i bought a bike from a superchain, after all that, nearly a year of humming and hawing, i bought a btwin!am i going to hell?
(ps their staff are brilliant and no i dont work for them, lol)

pride4ever

You bought a solid cheap bike... congratulations.

Wirral_paul

^^^ and with the money you saved, you can buy some really good quality cycling shoes, shorts, rest of the clothing etc - which will probably make a bigger difference to your cycling than the bike.

canny_lad

After a year of umming and ahhging you've bought the bike you want at what looks like a very decent price. Congratulations, hope you enjoy riding it once this crap weather does one.

zoltansocrates

thats the thing paul, ive got all that, decent quality giordana, gore, endura, bit of biemme (remember them?) - in the world of bike snobbery i really should, and originally was, looking at the 2k end of the market, but since becoming a dad..confession time... i cant justify the big expenditure anymore, not b/c lack of wallet, the overwhelming guilt of coming home with a dogma 2 would kill me, honestly it would - he needs a consistent stream of hotwheels, spiderman, star wars and lego!!!
tbh the money saved went on another set of 105 spd sl and an ant+computer with hrm and cadence but i still walked out wiht change from 720 quid - but from a chain!!! i let my locals down.....or did they let me down, mmmm, interesting

Inutero

Nothing wrong with Btwin imo. I've had a Triban 3 for about 7 months now. Haven't had one problem, gears are still smooth, brakes still stop. Apart from some accessories, the only thing i have changed is new brakes pads because the others wore out and some conti 4GPS tyres, oh and SPD SL pedals.

Really looking at the Triban 5a atm. Looks very good for the price.

chrisaonabike

zoltansocrates wrote:

the overwhelming guilt of coming home with a dogma 2 would kill me, honestly it would - he needs a consistent stream of hotwheels, spiderman, star wars and lego!!!

Wrong on both counts. But enjoy the bike, anyway

elderone

Sounds sensible to me,you have a bargain there so enjoy it.

Philly8mt

elderone wrote:

Sounds sensible to me,you have a bargain there so enjoy it.

Sounds great. I spent £550.00 on a 2013 Specialised Allez, I'm happy enough .. But .. Knowing what I know now I'd have def plumped for one of those.

Enjoy ...

zoltansocrates

LOL - WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS - i know what you are saying, I do spoil him and itll be my fault in years to come but i cant help it - hes my mini me and making him happy is as good as riding the pyranees as far as im concerned

i know id love the dogma, obviously, but i couldnt be one of those guys riding a 4k bike and not doing the bike justice

marylogic

What a heart warming story.

Spend some of the money you saved on a tag a long (+/- hack bike) so he can join you

hipshot

Always thought Btwins were cool. They are French and only clued up people buy them.

Anonymous

hipshot wrote:

Always thought Btwins were cool. They are French and only clued up people buy them.

They seem (have not managed to get to a UK Decathlon yet) to be a good option for sure and agree with them having more Kudos than the usual Trek,Specialized,Giant route newbies often take.

I might be more tempted to say that clued up newbies buy them rather than clued up people though, and they may well become the new Trek etc. because of that anyway.

What I mean by that is that it might become more of a brand decision via word of mouth, rather than a straight forward spec/value reason for purchase.

I think the 3 is a no brainer for £300 full stop, but there are possibly better options for the others IMO.

To the OP. I found that you spend a lot less on a second child (partly because you have some stuff, but mainly because you realise you did not need half as much of it in the first place!) so you can get another bike then if you want one

finlayson99

Welcome to the Btwin Massive 8)

Entry only for those in the know

Enjoy............

Anonymous

The 7a can only be ridden for 3 hours max according to the description.
What happens after 3 hours?

smoggysteve

Carbonator wrote:

The 7a can only be ridden for 3 hours max according to the description.
What happens after 3 hours?

Not sure I could stomach more than 3 hours even looking at a Btwin never mind ride one

goonz

You passed up a Willier for a BTwin!???! BURN!!!!!

Only kidding, you pick whatever you like and its still a great bike so you are onto a winner!

smoggysteve

Cannot actually remember anyone have a bad word about them who ride one. Sure are a solid bike TBH. Aesthetically they are a bit on the dull side but you don't look at it when your sat upon it.

Anonymous

SmoggySteve wrote:

Aesthetically they are a bit on the dull side but you don't look at it when your sat upon it.

I do (on my bling'd up Focus) if I go past a big glass window.
Once I even thought YEAH BABY, YEAH out loud :oops:

smoggysteve

Carbonator wrote:

SmoggySteve wrote:

Aesthetically they are a bit on the dull side but you don't look at it when your sat upon it.

I do (on my bling'd up Focus) if I go past a big glass window.
Once I even thought YEAH BABY, YEAH out loud :oops:

If you have time to look at yourself in shop windows , you aint going fast enough! I try to avoid my own reflection as I think I look stoopid in my Giro Aeon.

zoltansocrates

goonz wrote:

You passed up a Willier for a BTwin!???! BURN!!!!!

Only kidding, you pick whatever you like and its still a great bike so you are onto a winner!

LOL I know man, believe me i have wrestled with this but im 38, my racey days are behind me, still wanted a new bike mine being 10 year old and the bonus is that the GRAND i save not get the willier gets the MR2 back on the road after being SORN'D for the last 6 years (damn recession!!!!) so double score there, now can anyone tell me where i can get a roof stand for the bike thatll fit an MR2 Mk 2??? lol

update: i picked it up this morning, the decathlon boys were great, they changed the wheels, cassettes, reindexed the gears on both bikes, gave me a bit of grease where i need it on claud - now the turbo bike, crucially DIDNT fit the kit i bought along with the bike, thats my fun, and my fun alone! and gave me a wee update on indexing as i was running 3300 from 2002, so tonight is retaping handlebars, fitting the pedals (any novices want a pair of wellgo's on the cheap if you are thinking about going clipless give me a shout spd-sl compatible), sorting the computer
i rode it for five minutes, edinburgh was 1.5c today and with wind chill well into the minus' but it felt relatively comfy, front end a bit flexy but i have no yardstick having never ridden with carbon b4 and i believe aksiums are pretty flexy anyway so good for the cobbles on the royal mile to put a positive spin on it, missed the gear improvements of the noughties though, blame that on the ps3 HD phenomena im afraid to confess, but the tiagra 2013 on it is pretty nice, better than expected tbh, the btwin wheels are straight on to the turbo bike but the seem ok actually , theyll do as spares but they just look like my aks with different stickers - i wonder...
only miles will tell though

♠ChumBucket♠

zoltansocrates wrote:

goonz wrote:

You passed up a Willier for a BTwin!???! BURN!!!!!

Only kidding, you pick whatever you like and its still a great bike so you are onto a winner!

LOL I know man, believe me i have wrestled with this but im 38, my racey days are behind me, still wanted a new bike mine being 10 year old and the bonus is that the GRAND i save not get the willier gets the MR2 back on the road after being SORN'D for the last 6 years (damn recession!!!!) so double score there, now can anyone tell me where i can get a roof stand for the bike thatll fit an MR2 Mk 2??? lol

update: i picked it up this morning, the decathlon boys were great, they changed the wheels, cassettes, reindexed the gears on both bikes, gave me a bit of grease where i need it on claud - now the turbo bike, crucially DIDNT fit the kit i bought along with the bike, thats my fun, and my fun alone! and gave me a wee update on indexing as i was running 3300 from 2002, so tonight is retaping handlebars, fitting the pedals (any novices want a pair of wellgo's on the cheap if you are thinking about going clipless give me a shout spd-sl compatible), sorting the computer
i rode it for five minutes, edinburgh was 1.5c today and with wind chill well into the minus' but it felt relatively comfy, front end a bit flexy but i have no yardstick having never ridden with carbon b4 and i believe aksiums are pretty flexy anyway so good for the cobbles on the royal mile to put a positive spin on it, missed the gear improvements of the noughties though, blame that on the ps3 HD phenomena im afraid to confess, but the tiagra 2013 on it is pretty nice, better than expected tbh, the btwin wheels are straight on to the turbo bike but the seem ok actually , theyll do as spares but they just look like my aks with different stickers - i wonder...
only miles will tell though

Edinburgh? According to their website, both the triban 5a & 7a are unavailable at the Edinburgh store.
I'm waiting for them to get the triban 5a in but I've only been checking the website, did you notice any 5a's????

Wirral_paul

zoltansocrates wrote:

LOL I know man, believe me i have wrestled with this but im 38, my racey days are behind me, still wanted a new bike mine being 10 year old and the bonus is that the GRAND i save not get the willier gets the MR2 back on the road after being SORN'D for the last 6 years (damn recession!!!!) so double score there, now can anyone tell me where i can get a roof stand for the bike thatll fit an MR2 Mk 2??? lol

I've got an MR2 mk1 myself - and after looking for a roof rack, decided that the roof was too short for it to be secure. A Saris Bones will fit on the back though - will go comfortably over the standard spoiler.

NITR8s

I suppose if you draw some wiggly lines on the 7a it could kinda look like the FP Uno.

zoltansocrates

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

zoltansocrates wrote:

goonz wrote:

You passed up a Willier for a BTwin!???! BURN!!!!!

Only kidding, you pick whatever you like and its still a great bike so you are onto a winner!

LOL I know man, believe me i have wrestled with this but im 38, my racey days are behind me, still wanted a new bike mine being 10 year old and the bonus is that the GRAND i save not get the willier gets the MR2 back on the road after being SORN'D for the last 6 years (damn recession!!!!) so double score there, now can anyone tell me where i can get a roof stand for the bike thatll fit an MR2 Mk 2??? lol

update: i picked it up this morning, the decathlon boys were great, they changed the wheels, cassettes, reindexed the gears on both bikes, gave me a bit of grease where i need it on claud - now the turbo bike, crucially DIDNT fit the kit i bought along with the bike, thats my fun, and my fun alone! and gave me a wee update on indexing as i was running 3300 from 2002, so tonight is retaping handlebars, fitting the pedals (any novices want a pair of wellgo's on the cheap if you are thinking about going clipless give me a shout spd-sl compatible), sorting the computer
i rode it for five minutes, edinburgh was 1.5c today and with wind chill well into the minus' but it felt relatively comfy, front end a bit flexy but i have no yardstick having never ridden with carbon b4 and i believe aksiums are pretty flexy anyway so good for the cobbles on the royal mile to put a positive spin on it, missed the gear improvements of the noughties though, blame that on the ps3 HD phenomena im afraid to confess, but the tiagra 2013 on it is pretty nice, better than expected tbh, the btwin wheels are straight on to the turbo bike but the seem ok actually , theyll do as spares but they just look like my aks with different stickers - i wonder...
only miles will tell though

Edinburgh? According to their website, both the triban 5a & 7a are unavailable at the Edinburgh store.
I'm waiting for them to get the triban 5a in but I've only been checking the website, did you notice any 5a's????

chumbucket - DONT BELIEVE THEIR ONLINE STOCK STATUS - there are LOADSof T5A, T5, T3, T7 in stock at the moment - get yer erse up there!!!!

zoltansocrates

Wirral_Paul wrote:

zoltansocrates wrote:

LOL I know man, believe me i have wrestled with this but im 38, my racey days are behind me, still wanted a new bike mine being 10 year old and the bonus is that the GRAND i save not get the willier gets the MR2 back on the road after being SORN'D for the last 6 years (damn recession!!!!) so double score there, now can anyone tell me where i can get a roof stand for the bike thatll fit an MR2 Mk 2??? lol

I've got an MR2 mk1 myself - and after looking for a roof rack, decided that the roof was too short for it to be secure. A Saris Bones will fit on the back though - will go comfortably over the standard spoiler.

Ah, an AW10 man? hows it running these days? loved the MK1 but i have to say I made a promise to myself when the SW20 came out(when i was 19!) that one day....
as far as roof rack is concerned....NO. Got the targa roof so that screws it, anyway if im going anywhere WITH a view to biking its the sportage, korean i know but does the job, the MR2 is/was/will be my sunday car, when im not on the bike you understand, obviously :shock:

zoltansocrates

NITR8s wrote:

I suppose if you draw some wiggly lines on the 7a it could kinda look like the FP Uno.

thats the irony that prompted my question really, i looked at the pina or should i say halfa-rello and the prospect of buying from them put me off a little, i think my local lbs stopped pinas because of halfords, and yet here i am puchasing a bike fom a chain that, globally, are probably bigger and more faceless lets say
BUT they were great, the bike boys knew thier onions and were more than happy to chat away - thats a big deal in buying anything i think

ill just warm up the front forks a little and wiggle them into a wavey shape and call it my zolta fork!

NITR8s

zoltansocrates wrote:

NITR8s wrote:

I suppose if you draw some wiggly lines on the 7a it could kinda look like the FP Uno.

thats the irony that prompted my question really, i looked at the pina or should i say halfa-rello and the prospect of buying from them put me off a little, i think my local lbs stopped pinas because of halfords, and yet here i am puchasing a bike fom a chain that, globally, are probably bigger and more faceless lets say
BUT they were great, the bike boys knew thier onions and were more than happy to chat away - thats a big deal in buying anything i think

ill just warm up the front forks a little and wiggle them into a wavey shape and call it my zolta fork!

Even so, I still dont regret buying my FP uno instead of the 7a, £1050 bargin

Anonymous

I think that Tribans and decathlon seem to be a great part of a diverse cycling community.
To me they are both great for newbies and also another option for the more informed among us looking for maybe a second bike or just good value (I would question the value of all but Triban 3 personally though).

I think its a great thing that there are good options for people who are not confident about going into a LBS or buying a bike online. People who may otherwise have bought an old clunker from Halfords (they sell both nice bikes and clunkers) or Argos/Tesco etc.
Decathlon is like the Wickes of cycling. People like going into Wickes that would feel intimidated in a builders or plumbers merchant.

Decathlon is great as part of the community. I am probably not going to buy a bike there, but embrace it and am supportive of people who do.
It seems that a lot of people who buy bikes there have a different attitude towards the rest of the community sadly though, and almost want to draw battle lines!

Just buy the bike and ride it. Accept it for what it is rather than feeling the need to justify it and/or pat yourself on the back.
If people draw battle lines with other bikes/bike riders. A/ they will lose. B/ They will alienate themselves C/ They will either have to ride Tribans for all eternity or look a plank when/if they buy a better bike.

goonz

Is it just me or do those Pinarellos just not look nice?

Anonymous

goonz wrote:

Is it just me or do those Pinarellos just not look nice?

Of course it is not just you. Some people will agree with you, some will not. It is well documented on here as I thought you would have known :roll:

IMO some Pinarello's look very nice, and some do not.

Is it just the forks you do not like?
Can you name some other bikes you do not like the look of or is it just Pinarello's?