Viner maxima on Planet x

sam1176uk

Looking at the Viner maxima 3.0 rs frame for £999, handmade in Italy apparently.
Does anyone know if these are the original maxima frames or are they planet x frames with a paint job? Planet x state handmade in Italy for these frames, the originals were £3k+.
Thanks

bendertherobot

http://www.veloveritas.co.uk/2014/03/04 ... ning-camp/

Worth a read. PX acquired Viner last year but, it's quite clear that this is made in Italy. As they say on their site, you can even order bespoke. So the only question is whose factory is it? The old Viner one? Or where PX make their bikes. I don't know. I don't know that it even matters that much.

They're clearly not the old mega money maxima but they look pretty good to me.

bendertherobot

That said, to my untrained eye, they do look the the PX pro carbon with nice paint jobs..........

sam1176uk

That's what I'm worried about, surely they aren't pro carbons! It says that custom geometry is available but I'm not sure to what extent.
The maxima rs 3.0 is very nice in the black.

ravey1981

Its the Viner Gladium frame that is a re-painted PX pro carbon

bendertherobot

Yes. I take that back. I think I was looking at the Gallium. Geometry for the maxima is different and it's T800.

sam1176uk

I can't really find a great deal of info on the web regarding the Maxima 3.0, seems like there aren't many around..

LegendLust

Don't be fooled. This frame is nothing like the original Maxima. That was a special project between VIner and Marco Bertoletti.

sam1176uk

LegendLust wrote:

Don't be fooled. This frame is nothing like the original Maxima. That was a special project between VIner and Marco Bertoletti.

This is what I was trying to establish, do you have information on the new frame? I didn't expect it to be the same as the original but was interested to see if it was a close relative.

LegendLust

sam1176uk wrote:

LegendLust wrote:

Don't be fooled. This frame is nothing like the original Maxima. That was a special project between VIner and Marco Bertoletti.

This is what I was trying to establish, do you have information on the new frame? I didn't expect it to be the same as the original but was interested to see if it was a close relative.

The only way they are similar is in the name and decals. The original Maxima was built 'tube to tube', so that the tubes were mitred and then bonded and then the resulting joint was wrapped with more sheets of carbon.

You need to do a bit of research and find out if the new Maxima is built this way. It does annoy me that Planet X market the Maxima RS3.0 as being hand-made by Viner's artisans. The Viner company is no more, the factory is closed. All Planet X did is buy the name and brand.

sam1176uk

They're saying it is hand made in Italy, I'm assuming that is still being done by planet x and not Viner then?
No way of telling the quality of the frame then is there?

LegendLust

sam1176uk wrote:

They're saying it is hand made in Italy, I'm assuming that is still being done by planet x and not Viner then?
No way of telling the quality of the frame then is there?

It might be hand made in italy but it certainly isn't being built by Viner or Marco Bertoletti

MisterMuncher

Given in the past PX had their own brand Mondo bike made tube-to-tube by Sarto, I'd bet reasonable money that these are from the same or very similar source.

They've clearly acquired the name in order to start some kind of drive at the higher end market, and if the bikes are good, fair play to 'em. They're hardly the only retailer using an older brandname to confer kudos on a startup. I doubt CRC have Vitus bikes made in France...

sam1176uk

Difficult to establish the quality of the frame in that case, the fact they can do a maxima with full Chorus and ct45 wheels for 2k doesn't leave much left over for the frame. Zero reviews online also.

MisterMuncher

I wouldn't be surprised if they made very little on them for now. Deep discount as an alternative to a marketing budget, because nothing really beats word of mouth.

Alternative theory: I recall reading somewhere that Viner were moving toward some stock size frames, possibly sub-contracted, for those not looking for the full custom geo experience and price, like some other high end makers also do. The business winding up put paid to this. These maxima frames are those stock size frames.

sam1176uk

I like the Maxima 3.0 in black/orange but it seems like a real stab in the dark to buy one at the moment!

BenderRodriguez

Another thread on this topic:

viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12974249

I have had one of these in my hands and for they money they are a great buy. They use tube-to-tube construction and are made in Italy by one of the independent firms that do this sort of work. (Not Sarto though.)

From the conversation I had, after buying the brand name PX was looking to carry on the tradition of the original Viner company (hence the Italian construction), making Viner their 'premium' in-house brand. Given that these are now on sale at a greatly reduced price I have a feeling that this experiment didn't go too well, with too many people thinking 'Seventeen hundred notes for a PX frame? No way!' A pity really.

BenderRodriguez

P.s. Another part of the 'PX plan' was to part-sponsor a Continental level Pro team - Christina watches.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/news/teams-and ... hes-report

It looks like they have had their fingers burnt on that score as well:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/news-sh ... ise-roster

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/news-sh ... 5-contract

Credit to PX for at least trying to put something back into the sport!

If the geometry was right for me, I would have had one of those Maxima frames in the post by now!

Matthewfalle

There was a review in Cycling mag a few months who really rated it, but that was a journo so make of that what you will......

sam1176uk

I don't suppose you have a link Matthew?

bendertherobot

Nice

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBVIMITLTD ... td-edition