Planet x AL30 WHEEL SET

hamish123
hamish123 Posts: 43
edited March 2014 in Road buying advice
Hi does anyone use the planet x Al 30 wheel set as seems a decent price and a good weight compared to the shimano rs30 i was considering.
Or can people recommend any other wheel sets below £200.
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Comments

  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    There are a set of Shimano RS80's on classifieds for £220.
    RS30's at Merlin are £125
    Mavic Ksyrium Equipe at Merlin are £240
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,717
    You read my mind hamish! Was thinking about the Ksyrium's or the Planet X's and a new saddle for the MTB (needed!)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • yeachan153
    yeachan153 Posts: 401
    AL30's are very light for the price; PX are normally known for good products but I have heard some negative comments for the AL30. Anyone got a pair?
  • nickel
    nickel Posts: 476
    I have a pair, they're really light and stiff for the money HOWEVER the bearings in the rear wheel failed within a month, even with the cost of the repair though they're still the lightest wheels for the money by a long shot.
  • yeachan153
    yeachan153 Posts: 401
    A month?! Did you talk to PX?
  • nickel
    nickel Posts: 476
    Yup there's a thread on here somehwere actually, they refunded me the cost of the repair (25 quid) in PX credit, which given i was looking for a new seatpost at the time worked out ok.
  • hamish123
    hamish123 Posts: 43
    Hi apart from the bearing failure are the wheels ok other wise as it seems i would have to pay a fair bit more to get anything the same wqeight .
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    not if you can use a spoke wrench. these arent a patch on handbuild.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,717
    ^half price though....

    they re not a patch on Mavic Super Million carbons either....
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • rake
    rake Posts: 3,204
    half price? mine were about £15 more.
  • nickel
    nickel Posts: 476
    hamish123 wrote:
    Hi apart from the bearing failure are the wheels ok other wise as it seems i would have to pay a fair bit more to get anything the same wqeight .

    bearing failure aside they're good wheels, still almost perfectly true despite 1200 miles of riding on pretty crappy roads since christmas, I barely get any flex out of them when climbing (although at 63Kg im quite a light rider), and they look great too.

    pic of them of them in the flesh:

    421929_10151356048975156_598395155_23332703_191844356_n.jpg
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,717
    rake wrote:
    half price? mine were about £15 more.

    what are they?
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • hamish123
    hamish123 Posts: 43
    Hi thanks im going to give them a try
  • Crimmey
    Crimmey Posts: 207
    I had a rear bearing problem too but once I sorted them, which isn't as easy as it should be, the wheel has been fine ever since. The bearing change has coincided with the good weather and even with another 2000miles on them they have barely seen water/salt. When I had the problem the roads were caked in salt/ice/water and I rode in it everyday for ages. They 'should' be fine otherwise.
    Blog http://crimmey.blogspot.com/
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/198938
  • yeachan153
    yeachan153 Posts: 401
    Whats wrong with the stock bearings? A lot of people (including those on other forums) seem to be having them!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,717
    Not as good as they could be. I replaced mine with SKF ones when my a57 ones wore out (after several thousand miles i must add), it's a simple job (although I'm used to doing it with my Hope ones too) and costs abut 20 squids for the good, super duper awesemo sealed ones (find them at a bearing website, not a bike shop, they re always much cheaper).
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • tubbs_214
    tubbs_214 Posts: 185
    mine lasted 2 and a half months before the bearings where totally shot i changed all of the including the free hub bearings which where a pain in the backside, the wheel ones where a peice of cake to do.

    but apart form the bearing issue they have been a great set of wheels i got the model c which has more spokes 32 i think cause i weigh 90kg and the hardly flex at all
  • CRAIGO5000
    CRAIGO5000 Posts: 697
    For those who have replaced the AL30 bearings in the rear wheel can you tell me the bearing numbers I'll need?
    Mine are goosed now after 4 months (noisy and have lateral play) I spoke to Planet X and they said they don't know the numbers so strip it down and buy some new ones from any bearing supplier - cheeky b'stards didn't even offer to cover the costs or offer an apology!

    Will I need to replace the freehub bearings if I have lateral play or can I just do the actual wheel bearings? I'd like to know the numbers so I can order the parts and then do a strip down and re-build in one go rather than in stages.

    Cheers,
    Craig
    Ribble Stealth/SRAM Force
    2007 Specialized Allez (Double) FCN - 3
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,717
    Probably (almost certainly) just the hub bearings...not sure what they are though, should be written on the bearings themselves...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Crimmey
    Crimmey Posts: 207
    3 x 6901 , 1x 6001 Cant remember what goes where as my set is at LBS being respoked ( I'd guess the bigger 6001 hub drive side), tensioned etc due to a snappage!!!! PILE OF %*%*&^*&. The new bearings were great though and recommend replacing all of them and making sure you grease everything except the pawls etc dont need too much just something thin and light depending how noisey or 'draggy' you like it.
    Blog http://crimmey.blogspot.com/
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/198938
  • CRAIGO5000
    CRAIGO5000 Posts: 697
    Thanks for that - great help!

    I'll try and get hold of some bearings and do the swap. What's the process involved in swapping them out - do i need any specialist tools? I'm pretty handy and have tonnes of generic car tools/socket sets/ Vices etc but I haven't a clue when it comes to cycles as I'm not that experienced in that area.

    Cheers!
    Ribble Stealth/SRAM Force
    2007 Specialized Allez (Double) FCN - 3
  • CRAIGO5000
    CRAIGO5000 Posts: 697
    Also my front wheel is fine so Im only looking to replace the rear.

    Is it 1 x 6001 for the drive side and 1 x 6901 for the non-drive?

    The reason I ask is that the decent grade SKF bearings are over £12 each so I want to avoid buying 3 of them if I'm only doing the rear wheel.
    Ribble Stealth/SRAM Force
    2007 Specialized Allez (Double) FCN - 3
  • Crimmey
    Crimmey Posts: 207
    I would have a good guess that its 6001 for DS and the 3 6901's for freehub and NDS all for the rear. Just to clarify just one 6001 and one 6901 for rear hub and 2 6901 for rear freehub body. Took me a while to get circlip from free hub though its quite tight using thin nose pliers. I just used socket sets and normal hammer, people would advise to use otherwise and to use a rubber mallet but they need some beating to get out. I had to use a screwdriver to get some out bashing one side then the other, socket set to get them in and that was tricky. I bought super cheapo bearings and they are great except the 6001 which is a stainless steel one. Also against popular advise is to use the axel's lip to drive in the bearing but I found it ok but I was prepared with a spare bearing just in case. Good luck
    Blog http://crimmey.blogspot.com/
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/198938
  • CRAIGO5000
    CRAIGO5000 Posts: 697
    In fairness to Planet X, I told them about the issue and after telling them the bearing numbers, they sent out all the required parts FOC.

    I still need to fit them, but it's not a total loss. I did try today and after removing the cassette, it seems I need a very thin 17mm spanner to lock the axle whilst I use an allen key on the axle inner.

    At this point I may well just drop it off at my local wheel building LBS and give them the bearings.
    Ribble Stealth/SRAM Force
    2007 Specialized Allez (Double) FCN - 3
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    A set of cone spanners is a good investment
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • CRAIGO5000
    CRAIGO5000 Posts: 697
    Well I finally did the rear hub bearings today after investing in some cone spanners and using some clever socket set bodgery to drive in the new bearings using the outer race. The old hub bearings where shot, had play in the them and the inner surfaces were rusted to buggery!

    I've now got zero play in the rear wheel and a nice silky smooth running wheel.

    Before the bearing swap, I could hold up the rear of the bike by the seat, run the rear wheel and actually feel and hear the bearings grinding as the wheel rotated.

    Thanks for the bearing number help and also to Planet X for sending me some replacements that were not the same make as the ones that failed. (and in a way forcing me to learn how to do it myself ;) )
    Ribble Stealth/SRAM Force
    2007 Specialized Allez (Double) FCN - 3
  • Chris James
    Chris James Posts: 1,040
    In my experience Shimano hubs are well sealed, last forever and are a piece of cake to service.

    I suppose the bearings and alloy freehub are the main reasons why the PlanetX are so light?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Chris James wrote:
    In my experience Shimano hubs are well sealed, last forever and are a piece of cake to service.

    I suppose the bearings and alloy freehub are the main reasons why the PlanetX are so light?
    Only high end shimano hubs are well sealed. Low end ones are junk. Changing sealed bearings take 5 minutes with a couple of common use tools... With cup and cone, you never know... When the race is gone the hub is gone and cones are not so easy to source too.
    left the forum March 2023
  • CRAIGO5000
    CRAIGO5000 Posts: 697
    I'm actually glad they are cartridge as I found it really easy to do the failed hub bearings using only basic tools and some care.

    I guess it's worth banging in some nice quality cartridge bearings and having done with it. If they fail again that's what ill do and I know it'll only take me 5 mins to sort out.

    Regarding the pawls, I over greased them and the clicky sound virtually died so tonight I stripped it down and removed the excessive grease and now we're back in annoyingly loud clicky land! :lol:
    Ribble Stealth/SRAM Force
    2007 Specialized Allez (Double) FCN - 3
  • Chris James
    Chris James Posts: 1,040
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Chris James wrote:
    In my experience Shimano hubs are well sealed, last forever and are a piece of cake to service.

    I suppose the bearings and alloy freehub are the main reasons why the PlanetX are so light?
    Only high end shimano hubs are well sealed. Low end ones are junk. .

    I have some handbuilt wheels with 6 year old Tiagra hubs that I use on my winter bike. I have probably only regreased them a couple of times and they are fine. I would say Tiagra is pretty low end and them seem very well sealed to me (labyrinth seals and a large rubber dust cap).

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