Planet X SL Pro Carbon and Boardman Team Carbon Differences?

S0rin

Are there many differences between these two bikes?

I've searched through the forum but cannot find any threads. Checked the bikeradar reviews too. Also checked the website, but with my limited knowledge I cannot tell that much difference between them.

forward_loop

completely different geometry & probably finishing kit. look at the basic lines and angles - both available on the respective sites - everything else is bells and whistles.

Chip \'oyler

A lad in our club has a Planet X. He finds it flexy. In fact he's having problems with his chain dropping off the big ring when he's putting big efforts in.

Have a look at the Ribble carbon frames. My bro has a Scuro. Very light and stiff for the money.

alfablue

Hmm, zero flex on mine (I am a heavy rider with a masochistic passion for hills!), maybe the BB or crank setup is suspect. I think the forks, which are very lightweight, may be less sure-footed than some, but that is easily upgradable if it is a problem (not found it so).

Ribble were more attractive to me at first, but the very rude "service" put me off buying. P-X were a breath of fresh air in comparison (for example, I needed a mech hanger, they were temporarily sold out, but 3 different P-X staff were on the case within hours and took one off a frame and sent it next day). It shouldn't be a decider on which bike to buy, but realistically if they were that s*it before purchase I had little faith they would ever deal with after sales service in a satisfactory way. Others have been luckier with Ribble, and their products are clearly of good quality and have a strong following, but I have learned in the past to have a less stressful life by avoiding companies that give me warning signs!

S0rin

Forward loop wrote:

completely different geometry & probably finishing kit. look at the basic lines and angles - both available on the respective sites - everything else is bells and whistles.

Is one geared more towards comfort than the other?

rake

the boardman is much better is the main difference.

S0rin

rake wrote:

the boardman is much better is the main difference.

I'm torn between the two, any reason you prefer the Boardman?

alfablue

The Boardman frame is a more recent design. Many happy owners, many people put off by Halfords, sometimes justified sometimes not. P-X frame, tried and tested, been selling quite a few years, many happy owners, some people put off by the very compact frame (esp in small = 1 bottle mount), and some put off because it's a P-X not a Trek/Spesh/Giant etc.

rake

S0rin wrote:

rake wrote:

the boardman is much better is the main difference.

I'm torn between the two, any reason you prefer the Boardman?

it has a lot in common with the boardman pro frame which goes to race prepared level, i think it looks a much nicer shape (personal preferance) , someone mentioned the planet x was a bit flexy ive never heard such a comment about the boardman, mine handles like a dream pinpoint accuracy and very stable, good for plummeting down hills.

pabloweaver

rake wrote:

S0rin wrote:

rake wrote:

the boardman is much better is the main difference.

I'm torn between the two, any reason you prefer the Boardman?

it has a lot in common with the boardman pro frame which goes to race prepared level, i think it looks a much nicer shape (personal preferance) , someone mentioned the planet x was a bit flexy ive never heard such a comment about the boardman, mine handles like a dream pinpoint accuracy and very stable, good for plummeting down hills.

as does my Planet X...

pabloweaver

Chip \'oyler wrote:

A lad in our club has a Planet X. He finds it flexy. In fact he's having problems with his chain dropping off the big ring when he's putting big efforts in.

He is either Sir Chris Hoy's bigger brother or the front mech needs adjusting....flex is one thing.....,.made of rubber is another!

TimoH

Chip \'oyler wrote:

A lad in our club has a Planet X. He finds it flexy. In fact he's having problems with his chain dropping off the big ring when he's putting big efforts in.

I recently had such problem with mine but the reason was a faulty chain.

In my experience, there's no noticeable flex in the rear end of the frame or in the bottom bracket area. I'm a rather big guy (93kg) with some tendency of using brute force when climbing.

The forks could be stiffer. If the original feels a bit "twitchy", an upgrade to Easton EC70 forks makes the problem go away.

warrior4life

I've owned both, the planet x felt better on steep climbs, maybe a little more comfort, the boardman was a more agressive and better on the flat. I had both in large and i found the PX a little small.
Both great bikes, i never really noticed much flex with either..

For £1500 you get sram red on the px and for £1600 you get sram force on the boardman.
The planet x is lighter and you do get far more options, Bar width, stem length, crank length, compact or standard.
You can really tailor the planet x to you where as the boardman comes as it comes.
The finish kit on the boardman is a big name but the planet x finishing kit is pretty damn light and performs and looks great.
The boardman wheels are twice the price but the model B's roll better and are lighter and i would say built better.

It's a coin toss, Planet x service is second to non and the bike looks amazing in white..
Boardman deserve better than halfords.

You wont be dissapointed with either, if you cant decide go with the one you think looks best... At the end of the day you have to love your bike

S0rin

warrior4life wrote:

I've owned both, the planet x felt better on steep climbs, maybe a little more comfort, the boardman was a more agressive and better on the flat. I had both in large and i found the PX a little small.
Both great bikes, i never really noticed much flex with either..

For £1500 you get sram red on the px and for £1600 you get sram force on the boardman.
The planet x is lighter and you do get far more options, Bar width, stem length, crank length, compact or standard.
You can really tailor the planet x to you where as the boardman comes as it comes.
The finish kit on the boardman is a big name but the planet x finishing kit is pretty damn light and performs and looks great.
The boardman wheels are twice the price but the model B's roll better and are lighter and i would say built better.

It's a coin toss, Planet x service is second to non and the bike looks amazing in white..
Boardman deserve better than halfords.

You wont be dissapointed with either, if you cant decide go with the one you think looks best... At the end of the day you have to love your bike

Thank you for that post, really useful! Although, now the Ribble Sportive is tempting me.

warrior4life

I would stay away from the ribble sportive, as a company they dont have a great rep, the bikes rarely get the same positive feedback of the boardman or PX..

If i was buying a sportive specific bike for comfort and distance it would be the planet x with sram red no question. Good light, time tested frame, tour de france winning groupset and a fantastic set of light wheels..

If i was buying for racing it would be the boardman, fast and stiff..

I dont think the ribble is in the same league as the other two.. Its a nice bike, but a distant third...
Check out ribble on the forums.. its not pretty

S0rin

Yeah, I was seduced by the way the Ribble looks.

Very good to hear that you would suggest the Planet X for comfort and distance. That is exactly what I am looking for.

Cannot afford the SRAM Red though, budget already done from £600 to £1000 .

Many thanks for your views though.

warrior4life

i had the planet x with a mix of tiagra and 105 and loved it, i now have a cervelo with sram and im a convert, its quality..

The px with sram rival is a super bargain!


If you cant afford that i stumbled across this while looking on ebay for a new training bike..

Quality aluminium frame, xero wheels are great value, light and fast and full sram rival...it also looks amazing!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

S0rin

I can afford the £1000 one, ordering now, just deciding if I want white or black.

rokkala

warrior4life wrote:

I would stay away from the ribble sportive, as a company they dont have a great rep, the bikes rarely get the same positive feedback of the boardman or PX..

If i was buying a sportive specific bike for comfort and distance it would be the planet x with sram red no question. Good light, time tested frame, tour de france winning groupset and a fantastic set of light wheels..

If i was buying for racing it would be the boardman, fast and stiff..

I dont think the ribble is in the same league as the other two.. Its a nice bike, but a distant third...
Check out ribble on the forums.. its not pretty

Think that's a bit of a nonsense to be honest.

Search ribble on the forums and you will no doubt find good & bad comments on there customer service, they can be pretty ignorant at times, but I have only seen positive comments on their actual bikes.

Go and search on ribble sportive, you will find many very positive comments, was reviewed very favourably by Cycling+ among others.

warrior4life

ribble get good feedback from magazines but from the people i know who have them the reviews arent as great..
I know some who love them as a cheap training bike and who have had them since the early 90's.


from what i have seen they are overpriced for what you get compared to px and boardman, you cant get the same quality and spec for the same price..

They arent a bad bike, just not up there with boardman and px.

rokkala

warrior4life wrote:

ribble get good feedback from magazines but from the people i know who have them the reviews arent as great..
I know some who love them as a cheap training bike and who have had them since the early 90's.


from what i have seen they are overpriced for what you get compared to px and boardman, you cant get the same quality and spec for the same price..

They arent a bad bike, just not up there with boardman and px.

As far as i'm aware, the Ribble Sportive Racing wasn't available back in the 90's. So i doubt your chums are reviewing the same bike we are talking about. Cheap Ribble training bike would be the ubiquitous Aluminium 7005 frame, which has been about since the early 90's.

Ribbles carbon frames are designed by Dedacciai. I've had one since about July last year and it's been great, it's light, stiff, doesn't flex, climbs very well, and comfortable to boot. You can get the front end plenty low by taking out the spacers.

I tried a mates Boardman last year too, seemed a very nice bike as well, but just preferred the looks of the Ribble, and after getting it, i preferred the overall ride too. Although it is hard to compare from just a couple of rides.

Planet X is good value, but you always find the same comments about the front end being a bit flexy. Not everyone thinks it, but it pops up with too much frequency to be nothing. On the other hand, i'd be interested to see how many bad/indifferent comments you can find about the Ribble Sportive Racing or Boardman bikes.

spanielsson

Rokkala wrote:

Planet X is good value, but you always find the same comments about the front end being a bit flexy. Not everyone thinks it, but it pops up with too much frequency to be nothing.

It would be interesting to know how heavy they are, wheels being used, what kind of rider they are and which frame size too.........

rokkala

spanielsson wrote:

Rokkala wrote:

Planet X is good value, but you always find the same comments about the front end being a bit flexy. Not everyone thinks it, but it pops up with too much frequency to be nothing.

It would be interesting to know how heavy they are, wheels being used, what kind of rider they are and which frame size too.........

I agree, not meaning to run down the Planet X frame here, sorry if it came across like that.

Just don't see where yer man is pulling his unfavourable comments on the carbon Ribble frames from.

warrior4life

i have just had a look around the forums and it does seem i was wrong about ribble, plenty of dirt on delivery times and them been not to friendly but generally good bikes..
I was sure i'd read lots of negative press on the bikes but it seems i was wrong...
Maybe i just read one thread and it got stuck in my head....who knows.
I do know a couple of guys with ribbles and they arent mega keen on them and yes one is the aluminium early 90's one.
The other is one of the carbon ones (not sure which)..

I still dont think you can go wrong with planet x though.. or boardman...

Stevo_666

IMO its a tricky decision between these two, both are good in their own way.

THe PX personalisation is great and if fork flex is an issue it is easily fixed if you're prepared to splash on a replacement fork. That said, if you feel the Boardman frame is the tops and don't mind a bit of aftermarket spend it should be possible to spec it how you want and flog the original unwanted bits 'as new' to recoup a bit.