Planet X London Road

ovi

PhilPub wrote:

Only had a few squeaks out of my BB7's in the wet but nothing ear-shattering, and generally good performance so no complaints.

Got into full Blue Peter mode this afternoon and fashioned a mud flap for the rear Chromoplastic using a milk carton and some electrical tape. Looks kinda neat I reckon.

If you know any builders or fancy a bit of skip ratting you could try using some damp proof membrane as its already black.

redvee

ayjaycee wrote:

redvee wrote:

My London Road took me on a cross border ride and didn't suffer any breakdowns etc

If the border in question was the one between Saudi Arabia and Oman in the Empty Quarter, then I'm really impressed. If it was a border on a bit of rough track in a forest somewhere up north, rather less so.

The much more heavily policed English/Welsh border, luckily I didn't have to pay the Welsh tax on entry as I entered via a tunnel.

PhilPub

I don't know if this is of any use to anyone but I just spent ages tinkering with a Kryptonite D lock bracket, and I think I've found just about the only possible configuration that's practical and compatible with the compact frame. Very close clearance with thigh and heels but absolutely fine, and also clear of rack and pannier.



n.b. Medium frame. Possibly even more difficult/impossible with a small frame, perhaps easier with a large, depending on the size of your feet!

fenix

I just used to carry my D-lock on my rack (never really put much else on there) or leave the D Lock in work - but that should work too I think ?

Garry H

Why not just put it on the pannier?

PhilPub

Been on a test ride this evening and I'm happy with this set-up. The bracket's very sturdy so the lock's perfectly fixed, no bouncing around as I'd likely get to some extent either in the pannier or attached to the rack somehow.

ryanshattered

PhilPub wrote:

I don't know if this is of any use to anyone but I just spent ages tinkering with a Kryptonite D lock bracket, and I think I've found just about the only possible configuration that's practical and compatible with the compact frame. Very close clearance with thigh and heels but absolutely fine, and also clear of rack and pannier.



n.b. Medium frame. Possibly even more difficult/impossible with a small frame, perhaps easier with a large, depending on the size of your feet!

I've a slightly smaller lock, and this is a large frame, but this is the spot as far as I'm concerned:



I think it would annoy me where yours is located, but I have very big thighs

PhilPub

I'm glad you put that photo up. Not because I'm copying you but it's made me have another tinker and I've changed my mind on the best position. I even put the second bottle cage in (as I will for touring) to check all clearances. (Swapped to the other side for the minor detail of weight distribution if I have a single pannier on the right side...) The lock's now roughly in line with the crank arm, so enough clearance inside of heel.



Final version, promise!

dinyull

I'm sorry if this has already been asked and posted, but don't have time at work to read through all 26 pages!

I'm looking at building one of these up for winter/commuting duties and would love a check-list of everything I'd need to build one (not tools, just parts). Trying to figure out if it's going to be cheaper to buy it built or build it myself using bit and pieces I already have.

If someone has the info I'd really appreciate it!

seanorawe

PhilPub wrote:

I'm glad you put that photo up. Not because I'm copying you but it's made me have another tinker and I've changed my mind on the best position. I even put the second bottle cage in (as I will for touring) to check all clearances. (Swapped to the other side for the minor detail of weight distribution if I have a single pannier on the right side...) The lock's now roughly in line with the crank arm, so enough clearance inside of heel.



Final version, promise!

I have 2 questions

What is the blue tape for around your seat post?

Do you own a saddle bag?

:P

seanorawe

seanorawe wrote:

PhilPub wrote:

I'm glad you put that photo up. Not because I'm copying you but it's made me have another tinker and I've changed my mind on the best position. I even put the second bottle cage in (as I will for touring) to check all clearances. (Swapped to the other side for the minor detail of weight distribution if I have a single pannier on the right side...) The lock's now roughly in line with the crank arm, so enough clearance inside of heel.



Final version, promise!

I have 2 questions

What is the blue tape for around your seat post?

Do you own a saddle bag? [EDIT] Looking closer i think its a see through saddle bag?

:P

PhilPub

Ah, the blue electrical tape is a home-made "shim" for a rear light bracket, not currently in use because the rear light is installed (on a home-made bracket) on the rear rack.
The "saddle bag" is a Doctor Marten's polish kit plastic bag attached with a toe strap. Just the right size for a spare tube, mini pump and tyre levers. Material's nice and grippy so nothing slips. An old-school habit from the days when I used to attach my spares kit with an Alfredo Binda toe strap.

dinyull

Dinyull wrote:

I'm sorry if this has already been asked and posted, but don't have time at work to read through all 26 pages!

I'm looking at building one of these up for winter/commuting duties and would love a check-list of everything I'd need to build one (not tools, just parts). Trying to figure out if it's going to be cheaper to buy it built or build it myself using bit and pieces I already have.

If someone has the info I'd really appreciate it!

Sorry, have just read this again and should clarify.

I'm looking at buying a frameset and would just like someone who's built one to clarify what else I'd need to buy from Planet X.......steerer bung, bb cable guide, headset, seatclamp etc.

I'm not after full list inc. pedals, wheels etc.

arlowood

Dinyull wrote:

Dinyull wrote:

I'm sorry if this has already been asked and posted, but don't have time at work to read through all 26 pages!

I'm looking at building one of these up for winter/commuting duties and would love a check-list of everything I'd need to build one (not tools, just parts). Trying to figure out if it's going to be cheaper to buy it built or build it myself using bit and pieces I already have.

If someone has the info I'd really appreciate it!

Sorry, have just read this again and should clarify.

I'm looking at buying a frameset and would just like someone who's built one to clarify what else I'd need to buy from Planet X.......steerer bung, bb cable guide, headset, seatclamp etc.

I'm not after full list inc. pedals, wheels etc.

Looking at the frameset ad page on the PX website

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FRPXLONROD ... d-frameset

the required "extras" are usually listed at the bottom of the page as "Customers Also Bought" items so I think you've already got all the bases covered. However you may need a couple of downtube barrel adjusters.

I certainly needed to buy those for the Pro Carbon frameset I bought recently, although strangely it came with the BB cable guide already fitted.

To be sure I'd just call PX and clarify what is included with the frameset

redvee

Dinyull wrote:

Sorry, have just read this again and should clarify.

I'm looking at buying a frameset and would just like someone who's built one to clarify what else I'd need to buy from Planet X.......steerer bung, bb cable guide, headset, seatclamp etc.

I'm not after full list inc. pedals, wheels etc.

Aheadset and maybe a starnut etc too depends on the headset you buy, BB cable guide, seat-clamp are the basics. Luckily I transfered the seat-clamp and post from my donor bike and had a spare BB cable guide so only needed a headset. Have a look at the Lifeline aheadset from Wiggle, less than £20.

squarepeg77

Hi,
I'm trying to fit some SKS Bluemels to my London Road, but the rear mudguard/rack mounts don't seem to be M5 threads. At least my bottle cage bolts don't fit...

Can someone who has fitted mudguards tell me what bolts you used?

Thanks

graeme_s-2

I used the bolts that came in the kit with my SKS mudguards.

Is there paint on the threads in the frame that's stopping the bolts from screwing in?

squarepeg77

Graeme_S wrote:

I used the bolts that came in the kit with my SKS mudguards.

Is there paint on the threads in the frame that's stopping the bolts from screwing in?

Yes, with a bit of scraping and a good bit of force I got M5 bolts to fit. Thanks

PhilPub

The threads are about the only thing I don't like about the frame (or whole bike, come to that). Bit shoddy.

...but the rack's not fallen off yet! I went out for a fully loaded tour-kit test run today, and very happy with the set-up. 34/32 lowest gear appears to be more than adequate for fairly steep climbs, bike+luggage didn't feel as heavy as I was expecting.

redvee

PhilPub wrote:

The threads are about the only thing I don't like about the frame (or whole bike, come to that). Bit

Same here, had to open them all up first. Glad I did it before I built the frame up. Annoying thing is I have a M5 tap at my Dad's place and using that would have made the job a lot easier.

seanorawe

After 9 months and and only just over 1100 miles my rear stock px wheel is dead. It needs a new freehub and bearing set, plus labour it's pushing on 90 quid to repair it. I rang px and they were having none of it. It's a wear and tear item and they are not in warranty. The px lad on the phone was not very pleasant but hey ho. Really pissed about the poor quality of these hubs and I'm not surprised they discontinued them. It worked out a tenner cheaper to buy a new rear wheel. Chain reaction are going to transfer the cassette tyre and rotor for no extra cost. I'll have odd wheels until the money man comes back from the dead and I can buy a front wheel. All also keep looking on the classifieds for one.

redvee

seanorawe wrote:

After 9 months and and only just over 1100 miles.

What have you been doing in that time? I rode my first LR in September and have clock up 3153 miles on it with no mechanical issues, yet.

seanorawe

redvee wrote:

seanorawe wrote:

After 9 months and and only just over 1100 miles.

What have you been doing in that time? I rode my first LR in September and have clock up 3153 miles on it with no mechanical issues, yet.

Commuting to and from work. Always carefully washed it too

Px said the least they will do is check if it's a manufacturers fault if I collect plus the wheel to them

tangled_metal

Anyone swapped out the fork for something else?

I've slightly damaged the fork. It seems ok but at the back of my mind I'm worried it could fail catastrophically hence I'm considering changing it. I'm wondering if I could swap it with a different fork (which one would you recommend). I'm curious whether if say a steel fork might work better. Would allow front rack perhaps.

arlowood

Tangled Metal wrote:

Anyone swapped out the fork for something else?

I've slightly damaged the fork. It seems ok but at the back of my mind I'm worried it could fail catastrophically hence I'm considering changing it. I'm wondering if I could swap it with a different fork (which one would you recommend). I'm curious whether if say a steel fork might work better. Would allow front rack perhaps.

I'm guessing the London Road has a tapered steerer (1 and 1/8 to 1 and 1/2") in which case there seems to little choice out there for reasonable money. Kinesis do a carbon one with alloy steerer for £150

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Kinesis-Crossli ... CMuHw_wcB#

However, although it has mudguard eyelets, there doesn't appear to be a rack mounting fitment.

I've seen suggestions involving buying a standard 1 and 1/8 steerer and using a crown race adapter (if such a thing exists) to fit it to your headset. In that case the Surly Disc Trucker fork might do the job - has both mudguard and rack mount eyelets

http://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-fo ... oCucXw_wcB

tangled_metal

Might just replace like with like. The London Road doesn't have rack mounting points neither. The mid fork mounts are usually used for guards.

tangled_metal

I spotted that one of the cables has rubbed off the outer paint coat and the white primer coat of the forks at the top near the head tube. Add in the rubbed patch lower down due to a rear car bike rack (despite being well padded with pipe insulation) I'm starting to think the carbon forks are pretty poor. Surely paint is an important protection layer for the carbon underneath? Shouldn't it survive rubbing better? It is a year old, so is that really the kind of lifetime carbon forks should have?

fenix

A patch of helicopter tape is needed. AFAIK paint rubs off of all materials the same ? I used to do it with my Reynolds Steel frames too. I don't worry too much about unprotected CF.

seanorawe

Tangled Metal wrote:

I spotted that one of the cables has rubbed off the outer paint coat and the white primer coat of the forks at the top near the head tube. Add in the rubbed patch lower down due to a rear car bike rack (despite being well padded with pipe insulation) I'm starting to think the carbon forks are pretty poor. Surely paint is an important protection layer for the carbon underneath? Shouldn't it survive rubbing better? It is a year old, so is that really the kind of lifetime carbon forks should have?

I have the exact same problem in the exact same spot. ITs rubbed bare. As much as I love the bike, Im really not impressed with the overall finish of the frame and components. Pretty much everything on my bike needed torqued correctly when I received it. It would put me off ever buying over the internet again

tangled_metal

I like the bike but know I bought wrong. I was so cost conscious when I had the money to spend a few hundred more for a mainstream, quality brand. Plus it's not the right bike for me. Reckon a crois de fer or de tour.

Where do you get helicopter tape from? I was thinking of those clear tape patches they sell for chainstay protection. Although the last time I bought that stuff I kept putting creases into it so it looked awful.