Norco Search XR A2 or Triban RC 520

[midliferider]

I would be grateful for your advice.
I mam looking for a bike with a low gear ratio, preferably less than 1, to help with climbing. I am no longer interested in speed with advancing age.
I am not a mountain biker, but would like a bike with wider tyres to go on gravel paths specially during touring.
I am big fan of everything Decathlon. It suits my budget and requirements. So I was looking for a Triban RC 520. I was looking a for a second hand one under £500.

https://www.decathlon.com/products/road-bike-disc-105-rc-520?

While looking FB market place suggested that I have a look at Norco Search XR A2 which is similarly priced for a second hand bike. It has GRX derailleurs but shifters are Tiagra, brakes are mechanical disc.

https://www.norco.com/bikes/road/gravel/search-xr-aluminum/2023-search-xr-a2/

Websites links are not in UK but the bike is the same. Your views will be really appreciated.

 

[Dogtrousers]

They look like quite different animals. The Norco Search is a full on gravel bike with significantly lower gearing and will be able to take significantly bigger tyres than the Triban which is a straight up road bike.

A quick google tells me that the Triban will go up to 32mm tyres, but the Norco says it will go to 50mm.

Gearing wise - if I've understood the websites properly, the Triban is 50/34 + 11-32 11S and the Norco is 46/30 + 11-36 10S. So the Norco gives you much lower twiddly gears and if you're touring loaded and off road (and uphill!) this might be a good thing.

There's also the fact that the Triban is 11 speed and the Norco is 10 speed. In my experience this makes absolutely no noticeable difference whatsoever except for the need to post on here asking "what spacer do I need for an 11S cassette".

Speaking of touring you will need good rack mounts. I'm guessing that the Norco will give more flexibility there and that the Triban will be entirely adequate. But I've not really checked that properly.

I can't comment on the hydro vs cable disc distinction as it's not something I know about.

Personally I'd go for the gravel bike. But that's a statement rather than advice. The reason is I'm a bit curious as to what the whole business of fatter tyres is all about as my own bike is limited to 28mm.

Edit. A more directly comparable Triban bike might be the Triban GRVL 520 https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/gravel-bike-triban-grvl-520-sram-apex-grey/_/R-p-325895?mc=8588683

 

[Kingfisher101]

I've had that Decathlon bike and I'd steer well clear of it. Its very difficult to get the tyres off the rims as the rims are tubless ready and quite deep. If you have a puncture at the side of the road you will be stuffed. Decathlon took off all the negative revies on their site about this bike as well.
I don't bother buying from them now as I felt ripped off as the bike had problems. The paint job is very thin and comes off as well.

 

[T4tomo]

I would be grateful for your advice.
I mam looking for a bike with a low gear ratio, preferably less than 1, to help with climbing. I am no longer interested in speed with advancing age.
I am not a mountain biker, but would like a bike with wider tyres to go on gravel paths specially during touring.

You need to be looking at a gravel bikes with a 46-30 double chainset (vs the "usual" compact 50-34), that will you get low gears without having to have a a rear cassette that is both crazy expensive to replace and has large gaps between ratios. So the Norco fits your spec as do a good number other bikes.

We do a bit of light offroad leisure riding and fatter tyres on the gravel bikes are great for it, gives you a bit more all day comfort as you can run at 40-60psi vs 80+ psi, and grip for non tarmac surfaces, at the cost of a bit of outright speed, which isnt an issue for that sort of riding.

Those dual piston mechanical discs are fine - single piston are arguably best avoided.

 

[midliferider]

They look like quite different animals. The Norco Search is a full on gravel bike with significantly lower gearing and will be able to take significantly bigger tyres than the Triban which is a straight up road bike.

A quick google tells me that the Triban will go up to 32mm tyres, but the Norco says it will go to 50mm.

Gearing wise - if I've understood the websites properly, the Triban is 50/34 + 11-32 11S and the Norco is 46/30 + 11-36 10S. So the Norco gives you much lower twiddly gears and if you're touring loaded and off road (and uphill!) this might be a good thing.

There's also the fact that the Triban is 11 speed and the Norco is 10 speed. In my experience this makes absolutely no noticeable difference whatsoever except for the need to post on here asking "what spacer do I need for an 11S cassette".

Speaking of touring you will need good rack mounts. I'm guessing that the Norco will give more flexibility there and that the Triban will be entirely adequate. But I've not really checked that properly.

I can't comment on the hydro vs cable disc distinction as it's not something I know about.

Personally I'd go for the gravel bike. But that's a statement rather than advice. The reason is I'm a bit curious as to what the whole business of fatter tyres is all about as my own bike is limited to 28mm.

Edit. A more directly comparable Triban bike might be the Triban GRVL 520 https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/gravel-bike-triban-grvl-520-sram-apex-grey/_/R-p-325895?mc=8588683

This is extremely helpful. I love your comment about 11 speed.

 

[Tom B]

I'd have the Norco all day long.

Tiagra Shifter don't bother me, I've got some with 30k miles on used daily in all weathers. Hydraulic Brakes would be nice, but modern cables are much better beasts than the 1st generation cables disks from 15+ years ago.