New Bike-Triban 500 SE & Brake Upgrade (£450), MTB->Road.

wolfsbane2k

Hi.

I've decided that I'm going to transfer to a Road bike from a MTB for my daily commute, and looking to order the bike in the next few days. Given an all up price of £450, the 500 SE seems to be the sweet spot and leave some cash for repairs over a year.

However, at ~130kg, I'm nervous that the brakes (having come from disc brakes) appear notoriously bad, that the stopping distance just isn't going to be "safe", so I'm considering getting the 500SE and spending the difference on a better set of brakes , but I just don't know what.

I'd have had a lot more accidents due to stupid drivers pulling out on me going fast downhill were it not for the MTB brakes so I really don't want to lose that control.

Can anyone recommend a good set of brakes to replace the ones on the 500 SE?

Ta

lakesluddite

The Triban 500 SE looks to be £299 on the Decathlon website, not £450.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500-se-road-bike-black-id_8306187.html

For £450 you could go for the Triban 520 with Shimano Sora (rather than Microshift) and shimano brake calipers as well, which should be better than the Decathlon generic brakes on the 500 SE.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520-road-bike-sora-black-red-id_8322663.html#anchor_ComponentProductTechnicalInformation

Then just upgrade the brake pads to begin with, which will be the easiest and most cost effective option - Koolstop or Swisstop pads get the most favourable mentions in these parts.

timothyw

I've heard good things about the new Shimano 105 brakes, which can be had fairly cheap on merlin:
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-br-5800-road-bike-brake-callipers-silver-pair-72354.html

I haven't used them personally, although being similarly heavy I can relate entirely to your concerns - most of my day to day commuting is done on road bikes with disks (I can highly recommend the TRP Spyre cable disk calipers) although these are somewhat beyond your budget- I tend to only ride standard brakes if I can be certain of good weather on the commute, and give myself a bit more stopping distance - other road users unfortunately don't always respect this as you're aware.

wolfsbane2k

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682831#p19682831]LakesLuddite[/url] wrote:

The Triban 500 SE looks to be £299 on the Decathlon website, not £450.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500-se-road-bike-black-id_8306187.html

For £450 you could go for the Triban 520 with Shimano Sora (rather than Microshift) and shimano brake calipers as well, which should be better than the Decathlon generic brakes on the 500 SE.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-520-road-bike-sora-black-red-id_8322663.html#anchor_ComponentProductTechnicalInformation

Then just upgrade the brake pads to begin with, which will be the easiest and most cost effective option - Koolstop or Swisstop pads get the most favourable mentions in these parts.

I did want the 520 originally, but for some reason, despite being the same frame as the 500 but in a different colour they don't do it in the XXL frame size that I need, so I'm stuck with the 500

Thanks for the feedback on the brake pads manufacturers, i'll go look.

wolfsbane2k

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682840#p19682840]TimothyW[/url] wrote:

I've heard good things about the new Shimano 105 brakes, which can be had fairly cheap on merlin:
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-br-5800-road-bike-brake-callipers-silver-pair-72354.html

I haven't used them personally, although being similarly heavy I can relate entirely to your concerns - most of my day to day commuting is done on road bikes with disks (I can highly recommend the TRP Spyre cable disk calipers) although these are somewhat beyond your budget- I tend to only ride standard brakes if I can be certain of good weather on the commute, and give myself a bit more stopping distance - other road users unfortunately don't always respect this as you're aware.

Thanks - i'll go look at those 105s, a full replacement (including levers) would just be in my price bracket.

I'd love to instantly go disc brake but from what I can see the forks don't have the mounting points, so it would have to fork replacement as well which I can't afford at the moment, but maybe in a few years time.

Being almost twice the "measured" braking person of the British Standard for bikes always makes me worry/cry/cringe - and as you say, drivers think cyclists can stop on a dime

timothyw

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683045#p19683045]Wolfsbane2k[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19682840#p19682840]TimothyW[/url] wrote:

I've heard good things about the new Shimano 105 brakes, which can be had fairly cheap on merlin:
http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-105-br-5800-road-bike-brake-callipers-silver-pair-72354.html

I haven't used them personally, although being similarly heavy I can relate entirely to your concerns - most of my day to day commuting is done on road bikes with disks (I can highly recommend the TRP Spyre cable disk calipers) although these are somewhat beyond your budget- I tend to only ride standard brakes if I can be certain of good weather on the commute, and give myself a bit more stopping distance - other road users unfortunately don't always respect this as you're aware.

Thanks - i'll go look at those 105s, a full replacement (including levers) would just be in my price bracket.

I'd love to instantly go disc brake but from what I can see the forks don't have the mounting points, so it would have to fork replacement as well which I can't afford at the moment, but maybe in a few years time.

Being almost twice the "measured" braking person of the British Standard for bikes always makes me worry/cry/cringe - and as you say, drivers think cyclists can stop on a dime

Beware that with road bikes the gear shifters are part of the brake levers - if you buy 105 5800 levers they won't be compatible with your gears, I'd suggest trying just the calipers by themselves - I know they give a big warning about not being compatible with other levers but it's hard to see what could go wrong there.

kingofthetailwind

I had a Triban. The standard B'Twin calipers were fine. As above, the pads make more difference.

But you could have a disc braked road bike for around the same money:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-al-claris-2015/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti-substance-sora-2015/

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-cross-sport-disc-15?bct=browse%2fbicycles%2fcyclocross-bikes#sthash.b8sYZJpR.dpbs

wolfsbane2k

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683493#p19683493]KingOfTheTailwind[/url] wrote:

I had a Triban. The standard B'Twin calipers were fine. As above, the pads make more difference.

But you could have a disc braked road bike for around the same money:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-al-claris-2015/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti-substance-sora-2015/

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-cross-sport-disc-15?bct=browse%2fbicycles%2fcyclocross-bikes#sthash.b8sYZJpR.dpbs

Thanks for those, they look good - the verenti Substance feels like the winner from that lot, but I'm on the border of the recommended size limit.

I think i'll still go to Decathalon for sizing, and see what feels best, then read across.

wolfsbane2k

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19684373#p19684373]Wolfsbane2k[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19683493#p19683493]KingOfTheTailwind[/url] wrote:

I had a Triban. The standard B'Twin calipers were fine. As above, the pads make more difference.

But you could have a disc braked road bike for around the same money:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gt-grade-al-claris-2015/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti-substance-sora-2015/

http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-cross-sport-disc-15?bct=browse%2fbicycles%2fcyclocross-bikes#sthash.b8sYZJpR.dpbs

Thanks for those, they look good - the verenti Substance feels like the winner from that lot, but I'm on the border of the recommended size limit.

I think i'll still go to Decathalon for sizing, and see what feels best, then read across.

After a bit of riding around, decided on the 520 SE which I've just picked up and a set of brakes.

Lets hope it looks as pristine as it currently does for a while longer!