We put B'Twin by Decathlon's Triban 540 through its paces - here's what we found

If you’re planning on climbing one of the most iconic ascents in Spain then it’s fair to say that a B’Twin Triban 540 wouldn’t be your first port of call, particularly with its gear shifters very much designed for slightly flatter terrain, undulating at best.

But then what better test of a decent sub-grand bike than taking it up such a climb?

So that’s exactly what we did.

Granted it would have been preferably to have a slightly larger range of gears when tackling the Lagos de Covadonga ascent, but the Triban 540 held its own, even on the sections approaching 20%.

The B’Twin by Decathlon range has been a crucial part of Eurosport’s Average Man series to-date, with its models offering the very best combination of performance and affordability to fit into that Average Man idea.

In fact, the bikes themselves have been far more impressive than our Average Man himself, who weighs in at over 90kg to really test the bikes’ durability.

Yes the Triban 540 won’t be Geraint Thomas’ number one choice for the 2019 season, but then that’s not what this bike sets out to be. And as our tests have proven, this is a bike that can cope with some of the most demanding tests in cycling, even though its design is aimed far more at an everyday use for commuters and UK leisure cyclists.

Btwin by Decathlon have rapidly become a major player in the UK bike scene, and it’s not hard to see why. The French company have clearly invested a lot of time and effort into designing bikes that combine comfort, performance, reliability and affordability. The result is a range of good-looking bicycles with higher spec and rideability than would normally be expected at their entry-level prices.

At the sub £700 range it's going to be hard to find any bike that will outperform the Triban 540.