Hello from Pompey

[Ruudy]

Hello all.

A quick summary of my biking past: I'm Dutch. Enough said
From a young age I've been riding bikes, all of it to get to places rather than exercise.
To school, football practice, friends, work and ofcourse pubs and clubs. I'm rather good at keeping my balance in the meanwhile, no matter how intoxicated
Exercise wise I've mostly been using a mountain bike to go for trips on the road, back home in the Netherlands and recently also in England.. Since I'm also commuting to work by bike now I've decided to get a road bike which I can use to get to work during the week and in the weekends I can take it for a spin, mostly on the hilly South Downs.
I've ordered a B'Twin Triban 3 as this fitted in my budget and seemed to be the most decent bike for this kind of budget.
I've also entered a (sprint) triathlon in which I'm planning to use this bike.
Furthermore I do (if injury free) a bit of running and keep fit in the gym.

 

[Ruudy]

About my newly ordered BTwin Triban 3.
I'm quite new to the concept of owning a road bike, but I've done my research and am quite sure I've got the right size (frame size: 57, me:length: 5'10" or 178cm, inside leg 31"'
Although, when I measured the frame size from center of crank/bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube it was only 52cm!
I rang the shop and they said check the stickers etc. which, I admit, all say size 57.
Am I being stupid, measuring wrong or assuming wrong things. Or is there something else going on here.
Btw, I rang the shop and they told me that the measurement is right for this frame, but couldn't really tell me why it was 52 where it should be 57 according to me.
Can someone please prove me wrong
It just feels I have to put my saddle up really high (22cm from top tube to saddle bottom) to get in a racing position.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Ruudy. Answers to all your questions shall come along shortly, no doubt.

 

[Ruudy]

Thanks for the welcome Pat!

Just to clarify. The dimension I'm talking about is the one indicated below as ST. On my bike this is 52cm. On a bike which is sized 57cm

I'll post this question in the technical bit as well, maybe there's some roadbike experts there who can tell me more about it.

 

[StuAff]

Hello from a local, Ruudy: sizing information on road bikes usually refers to the top tube length (actual or, as often in the case of compact geometry frames, virtual). Seat tube length often isn't given in sizing info as it often varies even more than top tube dimensions. From the pictures the Triban looks like a compact rather than standard geometry frame- in other words, the top tube slopes down towards the seat tube rather than being perpendicular. If it fits right (and I'd suggest you get that checked out just to be on the safe side), don't worry about it. Compact frames are very popular among bike manufacturers because they give more scope for fit adjustment, so it's perfectly possible that this size is the right one for you with this bike.

 

[Ruudy]

Thank StuAff.

I've rang the shop again (apparently there was a customer yesterday with the same question ) and what they said is that I have to get the point at the top of the stem group / head group (top of HT in the picture). And 'draw' a horizontal line' to my seat stem. Then get the measurement from the centre of the crank to that point on the seat stem.
Does this make sense to you roadies out there? He seemed to pretty convinced, so I took his word for it as I lack knowledge on this subject.
I also asked him what would happen if I did get a bigger bike. He said this will make the stretch to the drop bars to big and my back will hurt because I will be in the wrong position.
As I was contemplating a return to the shop I haven't tested my bike yet (especially not in this dirty british summer), so am not quite sure if it's a comfortable sit.
I'll bike it to work 2moro to see how it fits.

p.s Some of you might wonder why I ordered a bike online and didn't go to a shop and try a few out. I'm on a bit of a budget and this bike seemed the best deal by far for the money. I spent a few weeks browsing and looking through loads of reviews before I made this decision as I'm a bit wary of making big purchases online, normally.

 

[Ruudy]

Fitted a bike computer today. Cheapish thing from BTwin, wireless. Can't wait to take it for a spin 2moro, just waiting for this crappy weather to clear up a little

 

[Part time cyclist]

Hi and welcome, I can't answer your questions but I hope it fits and you enjoy riding your new bike

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I had one of the Triban's immediate predecessors, the B'twin Sport. It looks like the old €300 B'twin is pretty much the same (compact) frame as the £300 Triban 3, only with carbon forks. My bike was also a little undersized for me but I had a few thousand happy miles on it without any real discomfort. In fact, my major complaint with it was the harsh road vibration and twitchy handling, which the carbon forks will have improved greatly on the Triban. If that's how the Triban rides, then it should be an excellent value for money bike.

I look forward to reading your impressions of UK riding after your pub-to-pub day-to-day ''utility'' riding background. There's a fair number of road warriors over here

 

[Ruudy]

Did a 20 mile ride last sunday, after going for a swim earlier in the morning. It was supposed to be a test ride, but I have trouble taking it easy
It went quite well, although my average was a bit lower than I hoped for (about 15m/hr, did that before on the mtb a few times on similar but slightly shorter routes). I'm gonna blame it on getting lost and stopping to find out where I was. Smartphone to the resuce!
The bike performed well and it was lovely climbing up the South Downs with a bike weighing in at about 10kg. Did about 3 miles of climbing on a cat. 5 going up about 856 ft according to the mapmyrun app.
I think I'm going to enjoy this. But definitely have to get some miles in for the (sprint )triathlon, as that will be a very hilly route with loads of climbing.

 

[Kelvin_C-J]

Hi Ruddy,

I apologise for intruding on your thread.

I ordered one of these last Tuesday (still waiting for it to be delivered though!) in frame size 51cm, and will let you know my 'results' from a similar measurement as to what you have done regarding the ST length. I am hoping, for it to be around 45cm.

Time will tell.

Glad you are enjoying your Triban anyhow.

 

[Kelvin_C-J]

My apologies 'Ruudy' for my error in the above post. I know how much I hate it when people use 'Kevin' rather than 'Kelvin'.

I have just measured the ST length on my 51cm frame and it is indeed around 43/44/45cm - much less than the frame size of '51cm'.

Fortunately my bike has a few marks on already so I cannot 'ruin the shiny new bike' - two scrapes with something have eroded the red paint to a white silvery aluminium beneath. My order to arrive time was 8 days.

 

[Ruudy]

My apologies 'Ruudy' for my error in the above post. I know how much I hate it when people use 'Kevin' rather than 'Kelvin'.

I have just measured the ST length on my 51cm frame and it is indeed around 43/44/45cm - much less than the frame size of '51cm'.

Fortunately my bike has a few marks on already so I cannot 'ruin the shiny new bike' - two scrapes with something have eroded the red paint to a white silvery aluminium beneath. My order to arrive time was 8 days.

No dramas Kelvin,

The frame size is what they call a compact frame so in a way it all makes sense. It's also a bit easier getting on and off the bike because the top frame bar is a bit lower, saving you from collisions with the sometimes padded part of your bike shorts, the frame and the bits that are being padded
Only thing is that the frame is a bit less rigid, but for a beginner that can't make any difference. I know it doesn't for me.

I hope you'll like the bike. I've really come to like mine.