Trigon RQC-29 review

Until a few years ago, Taiwanese carbon fibre specialists Trigon only made frames and parts for other brands, including PRO and Pinarello. Then they realised they could use their expertise to produce a range under their own name, too.  

The race-focused RQC-29 boasts a high-value spec, including full-carbon wheels, and delivers a fast and aggressive ride. If you’re hung up on brand image, you’ll have to pay a lot more for something this good.

Ride & handling: Stiff, rewarding frame feels better and better the harder you ride it

The RQC-29 is a joy to ride hard and it deserves a name that better reflects its character – Piledriver perhaps, or Typhoon. Codes always obstruct the bond between a rider and a great bike. Even so, if you prefer to attack every ride rather than cruise, you’d still love the Trigon if it were called Cuthbert because it’s a beast! 

The frame is no lightweight at 1,190g (Trigon claim 1,100g for a 52cm without paint) but the huge tubes and junctions make it extremely stiff under load, and there’s a real spark to the acceleration when you dig in. The front end is similarly flex-free so when you’re out of the saddle and pulling on the bars there’s no sensation that you’re twisting the bike in the middle, only that you’re driving it forwards even harder. 

The deep-section carbon clincher wheels are stiff and light, and they definitely boost the Trigon, giving noticeably sharp acceleration. The rim depth gives a real aero benefit too. Don’t expect them to be as fast as Zipp 404s just because they’re 58mm, or as stable in crosswinds – the profile isn’t that advanced – but they definitely carry speed better than basic aluminium rims. 

With so much rigidity in the front end of the frame and the fork, tackling descents and corners at speed is big fun and never less than confident. The braking is strong too. The Trigon takes a bit of the sting out of poor road surfaces but it can’t absorb them like a more comfort-orientated bike. However, this is a bike that’ll appeal to riders who want the stiffest, meanest and most aggressive race bike possible, and they won’t care about a few bumps.

Frame & equipment: No corners cut in the spec, full-carbon clinchers save on upgrades

The RQC-29 uses Trigon’s advanced proprietary technology, including Venus C8 carbon fibre, a super-high modulus blend claimed to give an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. The full monocoque frame is cured using a high-pressure compaction method, dubbed ‘Hipact’, with a solid inner mould that produces denser material than conventional air-bladders.

The top tube and down tube are described as ‘trapezoidal’ and the head tube tapers from 1-1/8 to 1-1/2in. The cable routing is all external, although the rear brake cable is concealed in a channel under the top tube for aesthetic purposes.

The 400g fork uses the same spec carbon fibre as the frame, and its legs are straight from the crown to the integrated dropouts and also trapezoidal in cross-section for rigidity. Most of the build kit is also made by Trigon, starting with the 58mm full-carbon clincher wheels which are the obvious bonus on the spec sheet. You can also choose 38mm rims or tubular versions of either.

The very light monocoque, single-bolt carbon seatpost is Trigon’s, too, as is the dramatic one-piece carbon bar/stem combo. The latter can’t be adjusted but you can choose from three bar widths and five stem lengths. The cockpit manages to be both vibration dampening and stiff, and the wing-shape tops give a large area to rest your palms.

A complete SRAM Red groupset is fitted, with a 53/39-tooth crankset and an 11-25t cassette. Trigon do make their own saddles but they’re somewhat quirky so it was a smart choice on their part to fit a premium brand saddle instead. The Prologo Nago Evo Nack matches the bike perfectly and this is even the super-light carbon-railed version. Colour-matched Jagwire cables and two good carbon fibre bottle cages finish the bike off to a high standard.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine.