What to upgrade on the Triban 3?

[redcard]

If I was to buy a Triban 3 as an entry level road bike, what would be the best bang-for-the-buck upgrades to carry out over the next year or so?

Also, why are there no proper reviews of this bike? Even on Youtube there's nothing.

frame - aluminium with integrated headset.
groupset - Shimano 2300
wheels - Btwin sport
pedals - pedals with toe clips.
fork - carbon with aluminium pivot tube.
bike wheels size: 54 - 57- 60 - 63 - B'twin FRC stiff bead.
weight in size 57 - 10.5kg.

 

[smokeysmoo]

IMO wheels are the best bang for buck upgrade you can carry out to any bike. After that you'll probably want to upgrade the Shimano 2300 at some point. The rest are just bits - saddle, bars, stem etc, and these are all easily changed should you need to.
I would say, if you are thinking about upgrades before you even buy a bike, then perhaps you'd be better served buying a used bike, (I know you have made some enquiries about used bikes). That way you get more bang for buck from the get go. I'm not knocking the Triban 3 for a second, but the £300 price of that new bike would get you a significantly superior used buy. However, you need to know what your looking for, what your looking at when you see something, be prepared to wait if need be, and perhaps be ready to travel to get the best out of buying a used bike.

 

[redcard]

I've been looking around for used bikes, but I'm not really coming across anything in my price bracket that's catching my eye.

Can you recommend any bikes that go for circa £300 used?

Regarding the 2300, what benefits would I get from upgrading this?

 

[vickster]

I don't know but is 2300 the one with the changers on the bars? I don't know that makes changing to full STI tough? The saddle looks pretty cheap and nasty but that's an easy change. Wheels and tyres seem to be the thing to change but a couple of hundred quid

 

[smokeysmoo]

I've been looking around for used bikes, but I'm not really coming across anything in my price bracket that's catching my eye.

Can you recommend any bikes that go for circa £300 used?

Regarding the 2300, what benefits would I get from upgrading this?

Pretty impossible to state a bike that sells for a set price. I've seen bikes sell for vastly different prices despite being virtually identical. In my case being 6' 5" severely limits the choice of bikes available in my size. As such I've had no success buying used, but my mate who rides a 56cm frame has had all sorts of bargains. Full Ribble winter bike for £160, and a Specialized S Works alu frame bike for £300 are two that spring to mind.
If you have a bike in mind you can use ebay completed listings to try and gauge what they are selling for. Also with ebay, look for listings that are ending at stupid o'clock on weekdays, this limits the odds of people bidding at the death and makes bargains more likely, (though obviously not guaranteed).

Upgrading 2300 would give smoother, crisper shifting and reduce the amount of tinkering required to keep changes crisp. IME cheaper groupsets require far more tweaking as they seem to lose their indexing more often then higher end versions.

I don't know but is 2300 the one with the changers on the bars? I don't know that makes changing to full STI tough? The saddle looks pretty cheap and nasty but that's an easy change. Wheels and tyres seem to be the thing to change but a couple of hundred quid

I don't know about these shifters either TBH, but I didn't consider him upgrading them with him looking at a flat bar, but it shouldn't stop you upgrading the mechs when the time comes.

 

[redcard]

I don't know but is 2300 the one with the changers on the bars? I don't know that makes changing to full STI tough? The saddle looks pretty cheap and nasty but that's an easy change. Wheels and tyres seem to be the thing to change but a couple of hundred quid

I dunno. In some places it's referred to as Shimano 2300 STI. No idea if this differs from a regular 2300.

 

[vickster]

Have you been to Decathlon - presumably going to check them for size etc? Maybe it's Sora with the funny shifters? I think with one you have STI for one direction and little buttons for the other? I am easily confused...looks like it is the 2300, shift between chain rngs with a lever http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/t...01/SI-5LY0A-001-ENG_v1_m56577569830673813.pdf

Have you decided on drops then now?

 

[redcard]

Have you decided on drops then now?

Yeah, pretty much set that's what I'm getting.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Forget the flat bar comments, got confused.com!
The bike has 8 speed shifters. (24 gears means 3 chain rings up front and an 8 speed cassette on the rear wheel - 8 x 3 = 24), no offence, I don't mean to patronise.
However, what Vickster querying is if these shifters would work with upgraded mechs, (that right Vickster?). If not then you'll be into a full groupset, which if you take 105 as an example will currently set you back £400 for from JE James; http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/shimano-56005-groupset-black-53-39t-id49723.html

 

[redcard]

Forget the flat bar comments, got confused.com!
The bike has 8 speed shifters. (24 gears means 3 chain rings up front and an 8 speed cassette on the rear wheel - 8 x 3 = 24), no offence, I don't mean to patronise.
However, what Vickster querying is if these shifters would work with upgraded mechs, (that right Vickster?). If not then you'll be into a full groupset, which if you take 105 as an example will currently set you back £400 for from JE James; http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/shimano-56005-groupset-black-53-39t-id49723.html

All getting a bit technical for me!
So the main benefits i would get would be smoother operation and less maintenance? Got an LBS just down the road, so probably best just to take it in every 6 months for a service.

I've saw some 2300 demonstration videos on Youtube and the operation seems pretty smooth. Though, my last experience of riding is almost 10 years ago!

 

[redcard]

I would say, if you are thinking about upgrades before you even buy a bike, then perhaps you'd be better served buying a used bike.

How's this compare to the Triban?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPECIALIZ...UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item19cd24bde7#ht_705wt_1398

 

[smokeysmoo]

How's this compare to the Triban?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPECIALIZ...UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item19cd24bde7#ht_705wt_1398

Pretty similar IMHO. That's quite a good example of pricing. I'd have thought that bike sell for about £200, but the seller, (and buyer obviously) had other ideas. My mate, (the bargain bastard) finds bikes that are local(ish), then emails the seller and arranges to go and view it, then he turns up with cash money and if the bikes right it's surprising what people will agree to when they can actually smell the wonga! That's how he 'stole' the S Works bike

 

[smokeysmoo]

I can't remember what size frame you're after, but a quick ebay search narrowed down to 54cm frames brings back 53 results. Straight away this one in Leeds ends in just over 6 hours and looks a decent bike but will push your budget,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pinarello...0950219296?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item3cc1d85a20
This could be worth watching to, ends on Wednesday night at 22:10. Pick up only, buy any seller worth their salt will package it and you can arrange a reverse collection with APC Overnight for approx £25-£30.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Specializ...0667116543?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item43ad1c37ff
Then there's this one, not pretty but could be very cheap,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/claud-but...0847142835?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item4ab3fadfb3


[EDIT] I'd seriously watch that Specialized, it's a very well specced bike, and presuming everything works as it should it's pretty much future proofed as far as upgrades are concerned.

 

[vickster]

The OP is in Scotland...depends if he can get to Merseysde to collect? Always the issue with fleabay

 

[Sittingduck]

1. Tyres
2. Wheels
3. Anything else, as it wears out (chain, then cassette etc etc)