First TT build - Ribble or Planet X frame?

jon208
jon208 Posts: 335
edited June 2009 in Road buying advice
I'm planning to build up my first TT bike and was going to go for a Ribble Carbon Aero frame but given they are now saying they won't have any large frames in stock until the end of June (which I suspect may be subject to further revision) I've decided to look at other options. The Planet X Stealth frame looks almost exactly the same - in fact the geo charts suggest they're VERY similar, plus it costs a bit less too.

The Planet X misses out on internal cable routing but I'm sure that's neither here nor there for a TT beginner like myself.


Anyone got any opinions of the relative merits of these two frames? I gather Planet X are better in the customer service department, plus they're only a few junctions down the M1 so I could nip down and collect it.

Any thoughts welcome.

Jon

Comments

  • mtbhenry888
    mtbhenry888 Posts: 287
    go for the PX frame, i like planet x/on one, easy to deal with good customer service and great products, ribble have had bad press in the past but i have used them with no issues before. I would still go for the PX though, bit nicer than the ribble IMO, just that little more refined i think
    Carbon fibre, it's all nonsense. Drink beer. Ride a steel bike. Don't be a ponce.
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I've bought from Ribble & Planet X and found them both good. Value wise they are very similar & sell decent bikes & wheels. But it Ribble are out of stock....
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • chriskempton
    chriskempton Posts: 1,245
    PX Stealth Carbon Pro is excellent value IME. I got one for this year and it's made a worthwhile improvement to my 'performances'. Lack of internal cables is a gripe, but a minor one. I find it very solid through the BB - I really feel all my effort goes to the back wheel.

    I'd not wait for the Ribble. As you say, one delay leads to another. And another. Ribble used to be good, but it does sound like they've lost the plot a bit lately.
  • jon208
    jon208 Posts: 335
    Well I may have just had my decision made for me. I emailed Ribble two weeks ago to ask a couple of questions about their frame, still no reply from them. Plus the inner tubes I ordered for last Saturdays Bike Radar Sportive are yet to arrive (ordered last Tuesday).

    I emailed Planet X at 9am this morning to ask a few questions about their frame, received a reply about one hour later which has to rank as probably the most helpful contact I've ever had with a customer service department ever, in any area of life. Answered all my questions (of which there was quite a list) and more.

    Guess who I'm going to be spending around £600 with........
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    jon208 wrote:
    Well I may have just had my decision made for me. I emailed Ribble two weeks ago to ask a couple of questions about their frame, still no reply from them. Plus the inner tubes I ordered for last Saturdays Bike Radar Sportive are yet to arrive (ordered last Tuesday).

    I emailed Planet X at 9am this morning to ask a few questions about their frame, received a reply about one hour later which has to rank as probably the most helpful contact I've ever had with a customer service department ever, in any area of life. Answered all my questions (of which there was quite a list) and more.

    Guess who I'm going to be spending around £600 with........
    This is exactly my experience, Ribble lost £1000 of my money because of this, Planet-X always replied within 2 hours - chalk and cheese!

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