New Planet X Frame

drdodds

Does anyone know if there is a new replacement frame for the Planet X Pro SL anytime soon? I keep seeing comments refering to this possible but does anyone have any idea about timescales? I don't want to buy the current one if it's going to be replaced by a better one within a few weeks!

Thanks for the help

Stevo_666

Heard the rumour and saw this on the interweb, unfortunately it is for a TT frame:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=2402740;search_string=planet%20x;
If you Google it will throw up some other similar stuff...

passout

I don't know but this sample carbon frame is going on their website which suggests that they are at least looking at options....

http://www.planet-x-warehouse.co.uk/aca ... NCE69.html

alan_sherman

There is a picture in the CTT handbook and they (will be / were?) at the Tri show at Esher. So it is imminent. However the new bike will probably be more money and you'll get good deals on the old ones as they clear the stock.

TimoH

drdodds wrote:

Does anyone know if there is a new replacement frame for the Planet X Pro SL anytime soon? I keep seeing comments refering to this possible but does anyone have any idea about timescales? I don't want to buy the current one if it's going to be replaced by a better one within a few weeks!

I've understood that they will launch a new "nanocarbon" frame Soon. It may not replace the current Pro SL as the price will be higher. If my memory serves me right, they've stated that it will cost about 50% of a typical high-end frame.

NWLondoner

I do hope they release a new one this year.

I love my PX and am tempted to downgrade my current one to my winter stead and get a spanking new PX for my summer ride..

drdodds

I went to get fitted for an SL pro yesterday and there should be something available in about a month but as Timo said it will be a bit more expensive than the current one

donnie murdo

dr dodds

Did they give you any idea at all of what it was going to be and when?

thanks,

daveplanetx

The first batch of New frames arrive first week march - these should be available to buy from then .

Its a very very light semi compact frame weve called the nano carbon , theres a pretty limited supply - 300 frames , coming in a white / silver , and a black / powder blue .

The first batch of bikes will go to our 2010 sponsored riders but there will be plenty left over
though I dont think this batch will last too long

I think retail will be about 200 pounds up from the current model - so circa 599 pounds frame / fork (think that might incude headset) .

This frame is from a new manufacturer , very high quality , they produce for Merckx , Fondriest and Museeuw amongst others , and were very happy with their quality so far .

redddraggon

Is the geometry any good on the small frame now?

1 bottle cage just don't cut it.

fungus_the_muffin_man

The new bike is in the bikes tested in CP this month. It looks much nicer than the old version. Didn't score as well though!

Scrumple

when is the issue out? mine aint here yet!

rozzer32

I got my C+ yesterday and the new nano is in the bike test bike. for £2500 you get a full dura ace groupset. It looks a lot better then the old one and it is only semi compact. However the testers said that there was only clearence for 23 tyres and no bigger. Also the front end was flexy when spinting or descending. Because of this they only gave it 6 out of 10.

MICHAELCYCLES

6/10 is quite shit to be fair. What bikes was it up against ?

redddraggon

MICHAELCYCLES wrote:

6/10 is quite shoot to be fair. What bikes was it up against ?

Must be a really bad bike. C+ rarely give such damning reviews.

hopper1

They could have given it 10/10... I wouldn't be looking at it! :evil:

blorg

Bear in mind that the BikeRadar rating system has changed so they rank everything using the full range of stars rather than just the top two as in the past. Cycling Plus is the same organisation, I presume same goes for them?

Having said that clearance only for 23 is a bit much IMO and would certainly put me off.

bigmat

Seems a bit harsh the new frame getting a panning before most people even knew it existed?! Can't see the problem with the tyre clearance issue if its marketed as an out and out race bike, I only ever run 23mm tyres on my road bikes anyway over all kinds of dodgy road surfaces but I appreciate others like 25's or above. The frontal flex sounds more of a worry though, surprised if Planet X have sourced another flexy frame given that seems to have been one of the regular moans about the Pro SL frame?*

* I have no idea whether those moans were warranted - have ridden one briefly and felt comfy, maybe a bit less stiff than I'm used to but no "flex" to speak of, but wasn't exactly hammering it into turns / down descents.

rozzer32

It was up against 49 other bikes that fell within a £2500 budget. A cannondale 6 with 105 came out on top. If you get this months C+ there is a seperate mag inside with this big bike test. I was unsure about getting a felt f3 or a ribble scurro rs frame and build it up with sram force/red bits and both got 9/10 although the scurro rs they tested was with dura ace so Im still unsure.

blorg

MatHammond wrote:

Can't see the problem with the tyre clearance issue if its marketed as an out and out race bike, I only ever run 23mm tyres on my road bikes anyway over all kinds of dodgy road surfaces but I appreciate others like 25's or above.

25s is hardly too much to ask, most "out and out race bikes" will take them after all. I'm not looking for mudguard mounts. I run 23s in summer but 25s in winter. PX seem to have this thing with tight clearances, I have one of their track bikes and it won't even take many 23s! Now on a track bike I am not asking for 25s but 23s are not unreasonable. 25s fit fine on the current carbon bike BTW (I use one as my winter road bike.)

TimoH

rozzer32 wrote:

Also the front end was flexy when spinting or descending..

Is the fork still the same that's being offered with SL Pro? The "front flex" may be attributable to the fork.

I have the SL Pro Carbon. The flexing of the front end does not really bother me, but nevertheless, I'm planning some day to mate the frame with e.g. the Easton EC70 fork and see if there's a substantial difference.

bazbadger

Presume this is what it looks like? Spotted over on the Tri-Talk pages....

The reviews in C+ seem to be inconsistent, so maybe give it time...?

greasedscotsman

bazbadger wrote:

Presume this is what it looks like? Spotted over on the Tri-Talk pages....

The reviews in C+ seem to be inconsistent, so maybe give it time...?

Looks quite good, nice to see bolder graphics, always thought the previous PX logos look a bit naff...

TimoH

bazbadger wrote:

Presume this is what it looks like? Spotted over on the Tri-Talk pages....

Quite possibly. This image answers my previous question about the fork. The fork seems to be a new one.

moonshine

that fork looks very similar to the stealth fork i have sitting beside me.

rozzer32

The forks on the picture in C+ are different to the ones on the current planet X. So i dont think that is the problem. Although I think we will have to wait til they are out and people can ride them to get a good collection of peoples thoughts on them.

daveplanetx

Mmmm , interesting .

We had Mark lovatt one of our key testers ride this bike for 2 months before the cycling plus test (it was actually that test bike). Hes one of our key test riders and has won (I think) more premier calendar races than any other rider (17 ?) , basically said its the best bike hes ridden (believe me when i say mark wouldnt just say this because we wanted to hear it ).

Hes a 6 time winner of the Tour of the peak - Marks feedback was extremely positive , but make no mistake this is a pure race bike , its very very light , and handles very fast - so its no a bike for all day sportives or audax riders , its a lightweight race bike .

Comparing this bike to a Cannondale specced with 105 is a bit questionable , , all our 2010 sponsored riders will be racing this bike , 23mm tyres , ultralightweight , fast racing bike , so it really needs to be tested in a like for like test , by a top level rider who is used to competing and knows what to look for in a race bike

blorg

@Dave- it is a minor issue but I wonder why the ultra-tight clearances. Does it really make that much difference? Most major manufacturers' top frames will take 25s.

To be honest I have never actually put 25s on my main race bike but it will take them. If I didn't have the luxury of having lots of bikes and wanted a single bike that I could race on and do other stuff too you are ruling yourselves out of that. I am at the 10 bike mark now (2 of which are carbon PXes) but do all my sportives on the same bike I race on, I don't see the need for a "sportive" geometry bike, frankly I am most comfortable on my race bike whether for racing or for anything else. The other bikes are wider tyres, cross, touring, commuter, MTB, track, etc.

This is not about wanting a sportive or audax bike, I am happy doing long distances on my normal racing bike with the same position. But I have racing friends doing the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix Sportives and if they were unfortunate to only be allowed one bike... it would want to take 25s!

At 599 frame, if that is going to be the pricing, I could see people wanting it as a really good bike that will do it all. I have lots of bikes myself so it is not so much an issue if my cross bike won't take a water bottle as I have another frame that does but most people have to be somewhat more parsimonious and make one bike go further. I think you can still market a frame that takes 25s as a top end race bike. IMHO.

daveplanetx

let me physically double check exact clearances tomorrow , id like to do a physical check with 25mm stelvios , and 24mm grand prix 4000 .

We dont have anything against 24mm and 25mm tyres - our preferred tyre to spec is conti gp4000 24mm

For sure a top end race bike can still be marketed and take 25mm tyres - we sell plenty of carbon road with 25mm stelvios , and it just makes the ride a bit comfier / plusher , without increasing rolling resistance .

Our top end artisan silk tubulars ride very ride , and ian cammish reckons rolling resistance is actually lowest on 25mm tyres

edhornby

tbh I think that the 25s thing really isn't an issue..... if I was going to have a no half measures road bike I would put 23s on it and that would be it.

how many people are going to look at the new planetx machine and think 'right, I'm going to commute on it, ride it to the pub and the shops, put it on the turbo, ride ir through the winter training sessions and race it in the summer' frankly I think that anyone buying a bike of that price would have a winter bike as well, which would have the option of wider tyres on

I ride my fixed gear year round on 23s

blorg

edhornby wrote:

how many people are going to look at the new planetx machine and think 'right, I'm going to commute on it, ride it to the pub and the shops, put it on the turbo, ride ir through the winter training sessions and race it in the summer' frankly I think that anyone buying a bike of that price would have a winter bike as well, which would have the option of wider tyres on

I know people who do have one road bike and while that doesn't mean they commute/ride it to the shops it does mean they will race, do sportives and ride the bike all winter as well. As to "a bike of that price", £599 is not exactly crazy money, £200 more than the current PX frame, I am presuming complete bikes can be brought in under £1,500. And as Dave alludes even full on race tyres now are coming in wider sizes; the GP4000s he mentions and the GP Force rear is also 24mm.