Update: I received a new rear wheel from Decathlon after 2 months of waiting. No problem with the warranty, just a long wait for the stock to become available... :)
Hard to believe, but the rear wheel of my same bike had out of the box a significant out-of-round-radially! It is now in repair (Germany) due got told that the original rear wheel is not available for uncertain time
Hello, i had 3 times broken rear wheel. I have 130kg and 2m. Now i have broken frame, but they give me money back. So i am little bit sad. because bike is good. But not for my height and weight.
@@Zuckler455 That's a shame, as I also had problems with the rear wheel. Replaced under warranty but it does raise some questions about longterm reliability. I had the same problem with the rear wheel of my Surly Troll as well, so it might be because of my weight and a rather harsh riding style...
@@wombat.vision They told me that, this bike is for 170kg. I original wheel with 32 spokes was broken, after 2 months they gave me with 28, broken after 2-3 months and 1500km. So they give me some noname, probably decathlon own production. So i ride around 1000km. But one week ago i notice crack in frame, close to the seetpost. So i claimed bike and next day give me the money. I has around 9000km and i had it for more than one year. Honestly this bike was good, realy comfy for riding and also good price.
This is the best review (of all reviews) I have ever seen on CZcams. And I mean all reviews i.e. cars, motorbikes, electronics ...all reviews. Knowledge, experience, life wisdom, honesty all in one 17 minutes package. And last but not least humble approach with 100% integrity. Impressed.
The best 17 mins spent learning the key points to consider for a gravel touring bike! Very well presented, loved it! Thank you for sharing this honest review!
Hello Mat, I remember, in our meeting on your route through EDT, you told me your opinion about the original handlebar of the bicycle. The one I use in mine is the Richey Comp Beacon which I am pleased with the change I made. I also experienced wear on the fork on a muddy day... I managed to have more space between the fork and the tire by changing the 700 rims for 26.5. The space improved and the bike did not lose much height either. Oh, just to tell you that I was able to do a part of the EDT, Igualada-Darnius, I liked it a lot, although I must admit that some stretch of the route surprised me, very wild. Psychologically it was reassuring to know that a few days before you had passed, a normal person, not a superhero. ;). I'll tell you how it went. Greetings and thanks for your time. Ricard
Hi Ricard! It was very nice to meet you on the trail and I am glad you have a chance to do part of it yourself, it is very interesting! :) Very interested to hear how you liked it!
great in depth review. i am also waiting for the riverside 920 here in manila since last year and up to now no news on its availability. i own a riverside 900 medium (fast and agile) and a pinewood strive trail med 29ner mountain bike. i have no car and im 53 yo with decades of mountaineering/backpacking experience.
Hey Mats, great review! Bummer on the cracked rim. I wouldn't want to go with the same rim again. Consider taking the wheel to a bike mechanic and have the rim replace with something better. I like the good old rims with eyelets that seem to avoid the cracking. My Mavic XM719 Disc rims held up perfectly on the EDT (even when I badly crashed into a hidden pothole in one of the dark tunnels), and I recently discovered they also work fine in a tubeless setup (although the Mavic specs don't mention that). In terms of brakes, I used the Hope RX4+ calipers with my SRAM hydro brifters on the EDT. The Hopes are more like a proper MTB caliper. They are much beefier than the SRAM road-bike calipers, and always had enough power on the EDT even with my 160 mm rotors. Both the Mavic rims and the Hope calipers have been on the bike well before tackling the EDT. They are still "like new" after a few thousand kilometers of commuting and 1500 km of loaded touring on the Spanish EDT (yes, I changed the brake pads a few times, but that's it). I am very interested to learn what you have to say about the Rene Herse tires!
Hey Matthias, I'm still waiting for Decathlon to replace the rim but it might be a good idea to go for something else if I want to do something as rough as the EDBT again, especially if I am carrying gear for several months. But I am rebuilding the Riverside 920 Touring as more of a gravel bike, built for lighter trips and I hope to be trying some completely different wheels. More on that to come... Just published a quick review of the Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge tires, short version: Recommended! :)
I mounted an 11-46 cassette without any problems but even that is outside the recommended range. I doubt that an 11-50 would work. But I can't be sure... :)
Hi again. I was wondering if you could help me with the specifics of how you upgraded your 920 from 11-42t to 11-46t? What type of cassette set did you get (the make and model)? Did you need to add a derailleur extension? If not, are there any changes to the way it cranks? Again, I’m all new to this. Yesterday I rode my 920 for 64+ KM with a killer elevation gain of 1153 meters. It was brutal with the stock cassette set. 😅
I used a Sunrace 11-46 cassette and it went on and shifted without any problems. I believe the cog spacing is not 100% correct but I had no issues and only needed to slightly adjust the B screw on the derailleur. I no longer have the 920 but the new owner has not reported any long term problems. I have made the same mod on my Kona Libre, changing from a SRAM 11-42 cassette to a Sunrace 11_46 cassette and it is working perfectly as well, at least so far! :)
I was wondering if you ever managed to upgrade the gears on your 920. And if so, how has the change been? I recently got mine and have been riding it up some rather steep areas on Mt Etna in Sicily, with some effort. I’m considering upgrading them although I’ll be moving to the Cadiz area in Spain next month where I’m guessing it’ll be flatter. Regardless, since I’m a novice I’d love to know your thoughts.
Yeah, I changed the rear cassette to a 11-46 and that worked perfectly without me having to change anything else! The other option is to fit a smaller front chainring but then you will get a lower top speed (if that matters to you). You might possibly need to do both if you want really low gearing.
Thx mate - was really insightful! After two years of waiting and waiting i was recently lucky to get mine now in a few days! :-) It was launched last saturday and in my size 'M' it was already sold out again until midnight! Because i didn´t know at all if and then to get, i ordered only a few days before already for savety´s sake another travel bike (need it for trips over several days) - a 'Polygon Bend R5' with seemingly similar great budget. Hmm ... which of them retain now ? Maybe best ... both!?! (You must know i have no car at all, so i can probably allow myself :-/) 🙂 Greetings from Berlin!
Great review! to me it really looks a good deal, with the only negative point being the handlebar. Do you think it is easy to change it with a flat mtb handlebar, or would you need to change many other things (and spend much money) in doing that? ...and do you think it would be possible to swap the front fork with a suspension-fork, without changing the wheel and giving up on the dynamo?
Před 21 dnem
To change to a flat handlebar you would need to change the shifter and brake handles which might get expensive. The easiest swap would be to a better-designed drop handlebar. The frame is not suspension-corrected so you should probably only fit a fork with gravel-type suspension length, otherwise, you will be affecting the steering geometry. That said, there are suspension forks with 12mm through-axels so that would work with the dynamo. It is a great value bike but making too many changes will cost money and I would consider if there are other bikes that are more like what you want to begin with. That is often not the case, though; sometimes you just have to fiddle around to get the bike you want. :)
First thing i thought was what on earth are those "drop" bars for? 😂 I've just bought a touring 900 which looked very good value and is the same frame and rear rack as your 920 I think. Do you know what the diameter of the tubes is on the rear rack?
I believe the frame on the 920 and 900 is the same, it is only the fork that is different. The 900 is probably a better choice as a touring bike as it has wider gearing and racks as standard. I’m not sure of the diameters of the racks tubes but they are thicker than a standard Tubus rack. I’ll check the diameter next time I get close to the rack, it is not mounted on the bike at the moment and is in a storage space.
Hi there. If you still have this bike. Can you measure me axle to crown? I mean - is this frame is ready for 400mm travel gravel suspencion fork? Thanks and regards form Poland :) Marcin
Před 8 měsíci
I'm afraid that I no longer have the bike, but I believe that the frame is not suspension-corrected at all.
@ Thank You. Meanwhile I found information in official polish Decathlon site that total lenght of this fork (without steere tube) is 439 mm what could correspond of 30-40mm travel of suspension form. But all gravel forks have tire width limitation to 45mm i guess... So the cake's not worth the candle :) Regards from Gdynia city in Poland
Hello Mats! Thanks for the fantastic review. Info regarding this bike is really hard to come by. 🙏 I am on the market for an all-around bike: weekend ride (road / dirt), bike touring, & potentially bike packing (storage space for apartments is quite limited 😄). Would the 920 fit the bill? I am mostly thinking of the 1x groupset and it’s versatility on non-gravel roads. You seem to suggest in the review that you actually had a great time on the touring sections. Could you elaborate on that?
I believe that the 920 is a great all-round bike. You can tour, commute and gå gravel bashing without any problems. For longer tours with more equipment I would recommend changing the gearing. I have changed to a 11-46 rear cog and wish I would have done that before heading out on the EDBP... It is not the lightest bike, but if you aren't racing, that is not a problem. :)
Hi Matt, I'm Ricard I'm looking for a gravel bike to buy, a few days ago mine was stolen... After seeing your review I am considering buying the Riverside Touring 920, but after a while, I would like to know if your opinion has changed, and if you would now opt for other bikes. Greetings, I'm following you on your channel
Hi Ricard, I actually don't have the 920 anymore, I sold it. But I would very much recommend it to anyone who wants a more rugged gravel touring bike. I was very pleased with it and think it is very good value, if you can find one in stock! It is more rugged than many gravel bikes, getting close to a mountain bike with drop bars. Plenty of mounting points and great tire clearance. The only thing I hate about the bike is the standard handlebars, but they are easy to change! :)
I assume you used an oiled chain ? This may not work for you but check out immersive waxing on Adam Kerin's YT channel Zero Friction Cycling and as a starting point possibly the video czcams.com/video/TwXdeOBXlBQ/video.html . For touring you would have to use the hybrid approach of immersive wax at home then compatible wax drip lube on the road or take a spare waxed chain. I've never cycled as far as you in one trip ( only a few hundred km at a time ) so only immersive wax and don't need the wax drip lube but the wear rate is impressive and my chain is very quiet. It works because dirt does not stick to wax well unlike with oil or any wet lube. Also the wax being a semi solid is more effective at blocking wear particles getting inside chains. Water reduces the lifespan but this happens with any lube. Anyway it's just a thought !
Two seconds in and I notice no mudguards (fenders). [It's a touring bike Jim, but not as I know it; don't ride it in the rain, or after heavy rain or muddy soft ground because you'll... continued page 94.]
Před měsícem
I think you might have missed what sort of "touring" bike this is. It is an off-road, bikepacking bike where fenders often are more in the way rather than a nice accessory. I certainly would not have wanted mudguards while I was struggling through the peanut butter mud on some of the gravel roads in Spain.
If the video was labelled as about a gravel bike or for bikepacking (off-road or not) I wouldn't have clicked on it. Perhaps there is another marketing niche opening up which will confuse the staff of bike shops even more than they are already.
Those handlebars aren’t set up properly, they should be bent, slightly forward with the bars that you have almost going vertically down, pulled back slightly
Před 6 měsíci
Unfortunately, that doesn't work for me. If I get the top of the bars to a comfortable position, then the drops are just wrong! :)
They are setup properly. If you rotate them more downwards, then the ergo of on the hoods will be messed up. They are just badly designed in the first place.
Update: I received a new rear wheel from Decathlon after 2 months of waiting. No problem with the warranty, just a long wait for the stock to become available...
:)
Hard to believe, but the rear wheel of my same bike had out of the box a significant out-of-round-radially! It is now in repair (Germany) due got told that the original rear wheel is not available for uncertain time
Hello, i had 3 times broken rear wheel. I have 130kg and 2m. Now i have broken frame, but they give me money back. So i am little bit sad. because bike is good. But not for my height and weight.
@@Zuckler455 That's a shame, as I also had problems with the rear wheel. Replaced under warranty but it does raise some questions about longterm reliability. I had the same problem with the rear wheel of my Surly Troll as well, so it might be because of my weight and a rather harsh riding style...
@@wombat.vision They told me that, this bike is for 170kg. I original wheel with 32 spokes was broken, after 2 months they gave me with 28, broken after 2-3 months and 1500km. So they give me some noname, probably decathlon own production. So i ride around 1000km. But one week ago i notice crack in frame, close to the seetpost. So i claimed bike and next day give me the money. I has around 9000km and i had it for more than one year. Honestly this bike was good, realy comfy for riding and also good price.
This is the best review (of all reviews) I have ever seen on CZcams. And I mean all reviews i.e. cars, motorbikes, electronics ...all reviews. Knowledge, experience, life wisdom, honesty all in one 17 minutes package. And last but not least humble approach with 100% integrity. Impressed.
Wow, thanks for all the kind words!
The best 17 mins spent learning the key points to consider for a gravel touring bike! Very well presented, loved it! Thank you for sharing this honest review!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent review - exactly what I was looking for and covering what I missed in other reviews on this bike. Thanks!
Thank You!
Really great review, thanks for helping people to choose their bike.
Thanks!
Super and very helpful review, thanks a lot for sharing
Thank you, glad it was helpful!
Hello Mat, I remember, in our meeting on your route through EDT, you told me your opinion about the original handlebar of the bicycle.
The one I use in mine is the Richey Comp Beacon which I am pleased with the change I made.
I also experienced wear on the fork on a muddy day... I managed to have more space between the fork and the tire by changing the 700 rims for 26.5. The space improved and the bike did not lose much height either.
Oh, just to tell you that I was able to do a part of the EDT, Igualada-Darnius, I liked it a lot, although I must admit that some stretch of the route surprised me, very wild. Psychologically it was reassuring to know that a few days before you had passed, a normal person, not a superhero. ;).
I'll tell you how it went.
Greetings and thanks for your time.
Ricard
Hi Ricard!
It was very nice to meet you on the trail and I am glad you have a chance to do part of it yourself, it is very interesting!
:)
Very interested to hear how you liked it!
Great video,thanks Mats
My pleasure!
great in depth review. i am also waiting for the riverside 920 here in manila since last year and up to now no news on its availability. i own a riverside 900 medium (fast and agile) and a pinewood strive trail med 29ner mountain bike. i have no car and im 53 yo with decades of mountaineering/backpacking experience.
I would have liked to try the 900 as well, but I really wanted to stay with one-by gearing...
Hey Mats, great review! Bummer on the cracked rim. I wouldn't want to go with the same rim again. Consider taking the wheel to a bike mechanic and have the rim replace with something better. I like the good old rims with eyelets that seem to avoid the cracking. My Mavic XM719 Disc rims held up perfectly on the EDT (even when I badly crashed into a hidden pothole in one of the dark tunnels), and I recently discovered they also work fine in a tubeless setup (although the Mavic specs don't mention that). In terms of brakes, I used the Hope RX4+ calipers with my SRAM hydro brifters on the EDT. The Hopes are more like a proper MTB caliper. They are much beefier than the SRAM road-bike calipers, and always had enough power on the EDT even with my 160 mm rotors. Both the Mavic rims and the Hope calipers have been on the bike well before tackling the EDT. They are still "like new" after a few thousand kilometers of commuting and 1500 km of loaded touring on the Spanish EDT (yes, I changed the brake pads a few times, but that's it).
I am very interested to learn what you have to say about the Rene Herse tires!
Hey Matthias,
I'm still waiting for Decathlon to replace the rim but it might be a good idea to go for something else if I want to do something as rough as the EDBT again, especially if I am carrying gear for several months.
But I am rebuilding the Riverside 920 Touring as more of a gravel bike, built for lighter trips and I hope to be trying some completely different wheels. More on that to come...
Just published a quick review of the Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge tires, short version: Recommended!
:)
Hi there, very well done review. Thank you. Do you think I could mount a 11v 11-50 cassette with this derailleur? Thanks a lot
I mounted an 11-46 cassette without any problems but even that is outside the recommended range. I doubt that an 11-50 would work. But I can't be sure...
:)
Hi again. I was wondering if you could help me with the specifics of how you upgraded your 920 from 11-42t to 11-46t? What type of cassette set did you get (the make and model)? Did you need to add a derailleur extension? If not, are there any changes to the way it cranks? Again, I’m all new to this. Yesterday I rode my 920 for 64+ KM with a killer elevation gain of 1153 meters. It was brutal with the stock cassette set. 😅
I used a Sunrace 11-46 cassette and it went on and shifted without any problems. I believe the cog spacing is not 100% correct but I had no issues and only needed to slightly adjust the B screw on the derailleur. I no longer have the 920 but the new owner has not reported any long term problems.
I have made the same mod on my Kona Libre, changing from a SRAM 11-42 cassette to a Sunrace 11_46 cassette and it is working perfectly as well, at least so far!
:)
I was wondering if you ever managed to upgrade the gears on your 920. And if so, how has the change been? I recently got mine and have been riding it up some rather steep areas on Mt Etna in Sicily, with some effort. I’m considering upgrading them although I’ll be moving to the Cadiz area in Spain next month where I’m guessing it’ll be flatter. Regardless, since I’m a novice I’d love to know your thoughts.
Yeah, I changed the rear cassette to a 11-46 and that worked perfectly without me having to change anything else! The other option is to fit a smaller front chainring but then you will get a lower top speed (if that matters to you). You might possibly need to do both if you want really low gearing.
Thx mate - was really insightful!
After two years of waiting and waiting i was recently lucky to get mine now in a few days! :-) It was launched last saturday and in my size 'M' it was already sold out again until midnight!
Because i didn´t know at all if and then to get, i ordered only a few days before already for savety´s sake another travel bike (need it for trips over several days) - a 'Polygon Bend R5' with seemingly similar great budget.
Hmm ... which of them retain now ? Maybe best ... both!?! (You must know i have no car at all, so i can probably allow myself :-/) 🙂
Greetings from Berlin!
Yeah, the biggest problem seems to be getting hold of one.
I'll be very interested to see which one you decide to keep!
@@wombat.vision Actually both! :-) I simply try to imagine having bought only one some more expensive bike :-/
The perfect number of bikes is N + 1, where N is the number of bikes you already have!
😁
Great review! to me it really looks a good deal, with the only negative point being the handlebar. Do you think it is easy to change it with a flat mtb handlebar, or would you need to change many other things (and spend much money) in doing that? ...and do you think it would be possible to swap the front fork with a suspension-fork, without changing the wheel and giving up on the dynamo?
To change to a flat handlebar you would need to change the shifter and brake handles which might get expensive. The easiest swap would be to a better-designed drop handlebar.
The frame is not suspension-corrected so you should probably only fit a fork with gravel-type suspension length, otherwise, you will be affecting the steering geometry. That said, there are suspension forks with 12mm through-axels so that would work with the dynamo.
It is a great value bike but making too many changes will cost money and I would consider if there are other bikes that are more like what you want to begin with. That is often not the case, though; sometimes you just have to fiddle around to get the bike you want.
:)
Thank you very much for the accurate and swift response, great feedback!
I've bought this handlebar to mount it on my MTB, maybe if you tilt it toward it may be better. I will try to do this after I receive my drop bars.
I just never really found an angle that worked for me...
First thing i thought was what on earth are those "drop" bars for? 😂
I've just bought a touring 900 which looked very good value and is the same frame and rear rack as your 920 I think. Do you know what the diameter of the tubes is on the rear rack?
I believe the frame on the 920 and 900 is the same, it is only the fork that is different. The 900 is probably a better choice as a touring bike as it has wider gearing and racks as standard. I’m not sure of the diameters of the racks tubes but they are thicker than a standard Tubus rack. I’ll check the diameter next time I get close to the rack, it is not mounted on the bike at the moment and is in a storage space.
Hi there. If you still have this bike. Can you measure me axle to crown? I mean - is this frame is ready for 400mm travel gravel suspencion fork? Thanks and regards form Poland :) Marcin
I'm afraid that I no longer have the bike, but I believe that the frame is not suspension-corrected at all.
@ Thank You. Meanwhile I found information in official polish Decathlon site that total lenght of this fork (without steere tube) is 439 mm what could correspond of 30-40mm travel of suspension form. But all gravel forks have tire width limitation to 45mm i guess... So the cake's not worth the candle :) Regards from Gdynia city in Poland
great review! I bought this bike at the end. which 11-46 cassette did you buy? it looks like the stock rear hub has non-XD driver body.
I used a Sunrace 11-46 cassette. It is not 100% correct as it doesn’t have the right cog spacing but it has worked flawlessly for me.
Hey, why did you decide to buy this bike instead of ones from cannondale and other brands?
@@Lookingforamiracle I sold it after one season, found a good deal on used canyon grizl
@@vasilykorf9191 do you think it’s worth buying it? Taking in mind that now you bought another bike?
@@Lookingforamiracle it is. given that it costs me same amount as decathlon bike
Hello Mats! Thanks for the fantastic review. Info regarding this bike is really hard to come by. 🙏
I am on the market for an all-around bike: weekend ride (road / dirt), bike touring, & potentially bike packing (storage space for apartments is quite limited 😄). Would the 920 fit the bill? I am mostly thinking of the 1x groupset and it’s versatility on non-gravel roads. You seem to suggest in the review that you actually had a great time on the touring sections. Could you elaborate on that?
I believe that the 920 is a great all-round bike. You can tour, commute and gå gravel bashing without any problems.
For longer tours with more equipment I would recommend changing the gearing. I have changed to a 11-46 rear cog and wish I would have done that before heading out on the EDBP...
It is not the lightest bike, but if you aren't racing, that is not a problem.
:)
Hi Matt, I'm Ricard
I'm looking for a gravel bike to buy, a few days ago mine was stolen...
After seeing your review I am considering buying the Riverside Touring 920, but after a while, I would like to know if your opinion has changed, and if you would now opt for other bikes.
Greetings, I'm following you on your channel
Hi Ricard,
I actually don't have the 920 anymore, I sold it.
But I would very much recommend it to anyone who wants a more rugged gravel touring bike. I was very pleased with it and think it is very good value, if you can find one in stock!
It is more rugged than many gravel bikes, getting close to a mountain bike with drop bars. Plenty of mounting points and great tire clearance.
The only thing I hate about the bike is the standard handlebars, but they are easy to change!
:)
May ı learn your bikes size and your height with your leg length?
The bike was Large, I am 183cm tall and have a 32-inch inseam.
:)
How tall are you mate, if you don't mind? I'm 6.2 and 100kg and considering this bike. Thanks
I'm 6 foot (183cm)
:)
@@wombat.vision Thank you and thanks for the in depth review. Have a good weekend :)
I assume you used an oiled chain ? This may not work for you but check out immersive waxing on Adam Kerin's YT channel Zero Friction Cycling and as a starting point possibly the video czcams.com/video/TwXdeOBXlBQ/video.html .
For touring you would have to use the hybrid approach of immersive wax at home then compatible wax drip lube on the road or take a spare waxed chain. I've never cycled as far as you in one trip ( only a few hundred km at a time ) so only immersive wax and don't need the wax drip lube but the wear rate is impressive and my chain is very quiet.
It works because dirt does not stick to wax well unlike with oil or any wet lube. Also the wax being a semi solid is more effective at blocking wear particles getting inside chains. Water reduces the lifespan but this happens with any lube.
Anyway it's just a thought !
Two seconds in and I notice no mudguards (fenders). [It's a touring bike Jim, but not as I know it; don't ride it in the rain, or after heavy rain or muddy soft ground because you'll... continued page 94.]
I think you might have missed what sort of "touring" bike this is. It is an off-road, bikepacking bike where fenders often are more in the way rather than a nice accessory. I certainly would not have wanted mudguards while I was struggling through the peanut butter mud on some of the gravel roads in Spain.
If the video was labelled as about a gravel bike or for bikepacking (off-road or not) I wouldn't have clicked on it. Perhaps there is another marketing niche opening up which will confuse the staff of bike shops even more than they are already.
Those handlebars aren’t set up properly, they should be bent, slightly forward with the bars that you have almost going vertically down, pulled back slightly
Unfortunately, that doesn't work for me. If I get the top of the bars to a comfortable position, then the drops are just wrong!
:)
They are setup properly. If you rotate them more downwards, then the ergo of on the hoods will be messed up. They are just badly designed in the first place.