Ribble R872 V Planet X Pro carbon

seaviewjack
seaviewjack Posts: 10
edited March 2015 in Road buying advice
I know this question has been asked previously but I have a dilemma!

I was all set to buy the Planet X Pro carbon with Campag Chorus, with campag Khamsin Asy wheels (£1299), when I came across RIbble doing an offer for the R872 with Campag Athena with Khamsin Asy wheels for (£999).

I know the Ribble is a better frame from speaking to colleagues who are far more versed in road cycling than I.

Can anyone give their thoughts as to what they would purchase as I am so indecisive and as being new to road biking am unsure if the difference in groupset will make much of a difference to me. Reviews say chorus is far better but is the gain in frame performance worth the drop in groupset, plus the £300 saving i can spend on some shiny speedplay's and gadgets!

Comments

  • seaviewjack
    seaviewjack Posts: 10
    If not one of these two can anyone suggest something as good if not better for max £1300?
  • 79543dean
    79543dean Posts: 88
    Get the best frame and wheels you can. They are the things that gives the bike it's performance. The groupset just adds or loses weight.
  • super_davo
    super_davo Posts: 1,205
    Chorus has two decent advantages over Athena.
    One is Ultrashift, which allows you to shift up and down multiple cogs (Athena can do three, I think, but its more with Chorus). This only affects the shifters.
    The other is Ultratorque, which makes it far easier to service the Crankset/BB.
    Other than that, its just weight.
    If I were you, I would get the Ribble every time. Its a way, better frame and these two minor shortcomings with Athena can be fixed with an upgrade to the relevant Chorus parts at some point in the future.
  • matt-h
    matt-h Posts: 847
    The r872 is better looking and £300 cheaper.
    Ribble are pretty flexible, you could probably spec up

    Matt
    Scott Foil Di2 viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13020685&p=19496365#p19496365
    Genesis Volare 853 viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13020702&p=19589281#p19589281
  • dinyull
    dinyull Posts: 2,979
    Scott CR1 frameset - £499 @ Westbrooks
    Shimano 105 5800 - £300 @ Ribble/Merlin
    Mavic Ksyrium - £280 @ bike24.de or 4thebike.de
    £200 leftover for finishing kit and build it up yourself - much easier than most think and you'll learn how to maintain your bike for the future.
  • seaviewjack
    seaviewjack Posts: 10
    not a bad idea diny. I have had bad experiences with road bikes, namely a bike that was far to small that i then preceded to crash and break in to little pieces! So i am doing it properly this time with intentions to take a trip to Ribble for a bike fit if they do them? Your right Matt the Ribble is pretty darned good looking. So are the wheels and frame the most important piece of equipment i should be looking at getting the best of?
  • seaviewjack
    seaviewjack Posts: 10
    Super_Davo : would it be worth buying the bik ethen upgrading the rear mech to enable the ultra shift or is it not quite as easy that?! Apologies for all the questions I am new and feel i need to get this right to enjoy it to its full potential. it is the most enjoyable part of a triathlon for me and i always just borrow peoples bikes! so ive knocked tri on the head and going to just do road biking.
  • matt-h
    matt-h Posts: 847
    Scrap my idea and do as Diny has said.
    Those Scott frames are incredible!

    Matt
    Scott Foil Di2 viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13020685&p=19496365#p19496365
    Genesis Volare 853 viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13020702&p=19589281#p19589281
  • seaviewjack
    seaviewjack Posts: 10
    Really? is the difference in frame really that marked? a few colleagues use scott and rave about them but i was under the impression it was brand loyalty!
  • trailflow
    trailflow Posts: 1,311
    Ultrashift is determined by the shifters, not the mechs.
  • seaviewjack
    seaviewjack Posts: 10
    Cheers Trail, so I could upgrade the shifters and away i go with fully functioning Ultrashift?
  • dwanes
    dwanes Posts: 954
    Why do you want Ultrashift? Is it going to make you a better cyclist? No

    Just get the standard Ribble and ride it.
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    seaviewjack wrote:
    Really? is the difference in frame really that marked? a few colleagues use scott and rave about them but i was under the impression it was brand loyalty!

    Well I bought the CR1-SL frameset when Westbrooks were selling them off 2 years ago. I had been considering a CR1 anyway because the geometry suited my long legs / short torso proportions, and at £500 it was too good a bargain to resist. Terrifyingly light when I unpacked it.

    First built it up by stripping all the kit off the alu bike, then later on a very tight budget bought enough extra bits to make 2 complete bikes.
    If I was doing it now (less skint) I think the 5800 groupset for under £300 would be a perfect match, and I'd probably have a pair of handbuilt wheels too.

    I find the CR1 is an excellent, if slightly upright ride. If you have short legs / longer body, the short top tube may not suit you though.

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