DECATHLON'S BIKE BRANDS HAVE long had a reputation for producing high-quality bikes at prices most of its competitors - even online-only brands can only dream of. This is true of its racier Van Rysel-branded bikes, but even more so of Decathlon's more entry-level Triban machines, and our £400 RC120 isn't even Triban's least expensive bike. It's also the only one of our budget-friendly quartet with rim brakes - which will probably please as many as it will disappoint. And while we say it costs £400, it's an even more bargainous £350 as we go to press - the same price as it was in 2019
The drivetrain's a mixture of Shimano and Microshift 02
Fancy fork
The RC120 is based around a 6061 aluminium semi-compact frame and a carbon-bladed fork with a 1sin steerer. The slim round-profile top-tube and down-tube are accompanied by a boxy down-tube and quite chunky-looking seatstays. Its value and versatility are maximised by fittings not only for front and rear mudguards - with clearance aided by the deep-drop brakes but there are mountings for a rear rack, with the front fork drilled for a low-rider rack with a 9kg capacity. The 'comfort' geometry means the frame has a shortish top-tube giving a fairly upright riding position. This will be ideal for commuting and all-round riding, or a handy, non-aggressive year-round trainer
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Cycling Plus UK.
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This story is from the March 2023 edition of Cycling Plus UK.
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Air Apparent - Pollution hasn't gone away. It's still there in every lungful, even if we can't see it in the air or on the news. But there are reasons to breathe easier, thanks to pioneering projects using cycling 'citizen scientists'. Rob Ainsley took part in one...
The toxic effects of pollution have been known about for years. 'Just two things of which you must beware: Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air!' sang 1960s satirist Tom Lehrer.Over recent decades, though, pollution has dropped down our list of things to worry about, thanks to ominously capitalised concerns such as Climate Change, AI, Global Conflict, Species Collapse, etc. That doesn't, unfortunately, mean the problem has expired. Air quality often exceeds safe limits, with far-reaching and crippling effects on our health.
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