Btwin or Boardman for £500

[Trigger369]

Hi all . You are probably sick of these questions but Ile ask anyway.
Going for my first road bike and will have £500 budget . Looking at the btwin Triban 520 at £479 or the Boardman road sport at £500. Can't decide as I'm new to these bikes usually ride a hybrid. The btwin has sora gears and Boardman has claris .maybe you can help me decide which would you choose and why . Many thanks

 

[vickster]

What wheels does the Btwin have?
Have you test ridden and can't decide?
Sora is the level up but still chunky hoods and a slightly clunky gear change

 

[MiK1138]

Personal preference is the boardman, decent frame that you can upgrade at your leisure

 

[smokeysmoo]

What wheels does the Btwin have?

The BTWIN has own brand wheels, the BOARDMAN has Mavic CXP.

@Trigger369 - My preference, (without a test ride that is), would be the Boardman, but that's based, (maybe unfairly), on poor reports of Decathlon wheels in the past, all be it on the original Triban 3. This was easy enough to fix by re-greasing the bearings, but not something you'd expect to have to do as quickly as people did. To be fair this may well be wholly resolved, and may not have affected any other Decathlon wheels, but it sticks in my mind never the less.

If you can hang on a wee bit you might get some good run out deals on other bikes as 2018 models will be introduced in the not too distant future.

 

[midlife]

Boardman Road Sport 2016 currently at £400.....

 

[Trigger369]

Just got back from the shop with the cycling weekly mag . They have done a review of them both and the btwin got 9/10 and the Boardman 10/10 .

 

[Trigger369]

After reading this review they favour the Boardman but I'm hinting more to the btwin because of the sora group set . Is there really much didference between the Claris and sora?

 

[Drago]

Ride them. The paper spec difference is minor in terms of indicating potential performance, so its going to come down to which feels comfiest under your behind and which gives the liveliest response to your pedal input. No spec list can determine that.

 

[Trigger369]

Cheers for all ur replys must get out and have a look at them them

 

[NorthernDave]

I'd also go for the Boardman.

And if you choose the Boardman, joining British Cycling beforehand (from £22/year) will get you 10% off virtually everything at Halfords --- so that's £50 off the Boardman...

 

[Cycleops]

The Triban has a triple up front as well as mounts for racks back and front so you could tour on it. The Boardman has smoothed frame welds which look neater as does the internally routed rear brake cable. Don't know if any of this is important to you.
Which one floats your boat?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Is there really much difference between the Claris and sora?

I very much doubt it from past experience of other Shimano groupsets.

 

[Trigger369]

The Triban has a triple up front as well as mounts for racks back and front so you could tour on it. The Boardman has smoothed frame welds which look neater as does the internally routed rear brake cable. Don't know if any of this is important to you.
Which one floats your boat?

The one that floats my

The Triban has a triple up front as well as mounts for racks back and front so you could tour on it. The Boardman has smoothed frame welds which look neater as does the internally routed rear brake cable. Don't know if any of this is important to you.
Which one floats your boat?

I do like the Boardman for its colour. Having neater welds. Internal cables .

I like the btwin for the triple chain ring up front . And the sora gears .

Tho after reading the reviews in cycling weekly they prefer the Boardman overall and all your thoughts I'm hinting more fore the Boardman now .

 

[Drago]

I'd be inclined to disregard anything that chipwrapper spouts. Theyve been doing it so long they believe their own rubbish.

 

[Trigger369]

I'd be inclined to disregard anything that chipwrapper spouts. Theyve been doing it so long they believe their own rubbish.

Chipwrapper lol