Which entry level road bike to go for..?

[Tin Pot]

Hi all, I'm a total newb when it comes to road cycling, however having started to get into triathlons (in a very un-serious way) using a hybrid, I am looking to buy an entry level road bike.
Budget is very limited, under £400, and I've been looking at the ribble prime shimano, merlin performance pr7 (2016 model) and BtwinTriban 500 SE
Can anyone give any advice on which is better please? Or are they all pretty similar?
Any help would be much appreciated.

I did the same thing two years ago.

I did my first sprint tri on a Halford full suspension mountain bike, bought the week before for £79.

The other competitors were quite polite about it as every single person passed me.

I completed it.

I bought a road bike.

I would strongly recommend against buying a hybrid, you need a road bike. The tribans are supposed to be good.

Good luck, and let us know what event you go for.

 

[Saluki]

When I was on a serious budget and looking for a road bike, I would have loved to have had the Triban option. I really would have done. In the end, I broke the budget and got a Defy and didn't regret it for a second.

If I was suddenly in your position and looking for an entry level roadie, I would be straight along to my nearest Decathlon Store and trying those B'Twins in a second.
If you can ride before you buy, I would highly recommend it. It might look great on paper but if you haven't ridden it, you won't know how it feels.