Planet X Pro Carbon - Tyre Clearance

arlowood

Looking for some input from PX Pro Carbon owners.

Have been mulling over a potential new build project and received an email from PX today showing the Pro Carbon frameset discounted to £350 from £500. I'm attracted by the fact that it features a standard 68mm BSA bottom bracket and from a bit of research the Pro Carbon seems to get pretty good reviews.

My main concern is the ability to run some larger volume tyres. Currently I have a PX London Road with Michelin Pro 4 Endurance 28mm and I like the added smoothness and comfort of the larger tyres.

Any chance that the Pro Carbon will takes 28mm or, if not, can I get away with 25mm?

graeme_s-2

I run 25mm tyres on my pro carbon without issue (Michelin pro 4s at the mo, but have had continentals on before). I strongly suspect 28s won't fit. Will take a look in the garage later

arlowood

Graeme_S wrote:

I run 25mm tyres on my pro carbon without issue (Michelin pro 4s at the mo, but have had continentals on before). I strongly suspect 28s won't fit. Will take a look in the garage later

Hi Graeme. Tks for the input. Would appreciate the additional feedback on the potential for 28's. Discount offer ends tonight so I need to pull the trigger today if I'm going to benefit from the offer.

From reading their email it appears that I may get it even cheaper using their stock liquidation code to get an extra 25% of the advertised price. That would bring it down to nearer around £260 which is not to be sniffed at for a half decent carbon frameset.

At that price I might be happy to compromise and run with 25's

graeme_s-2

The tightest points are under the front fork and the clearance to the frame by the rear brake. With Michelin Pro 4 SC 25C tyres on I could fit a 3mm Allen key into the gap with a tiny amount of room to spare. A 4mm key would have gone in, but I would have had to force it in deforming the tyre in the process. The wheels are old Planet X model Bs (or Cs - I can't remember which, but they just have different spokes). It might be that a 25mm tyre fitted to a more modern, wider rim would be acceptable?

Mine is a Large frame.

arlowood

Graeme_S wrote:

The tightest points are under the front fork and the clearance to the frame by the rear brake. With Michelin Pro 4 SC 25C tyres on I could fit a 3mm Allen key into the gap with a tiny amount of room to spare. A 4mm key would have gone in, but I would have had to force it in deforming the tyre in the process. The wheels are old Planet X model Bs (or Cs - I can't remember which, but they just have different spokes). It might be that a 25mm tyre fitted to a more modern, wider rim would be acceptable?

Mine is a Large frame.

Thanks again Graeme. Seems that I might just about get away with it. I'd be on a large frame also and I'm planning to spec some handbuilts on wider rims like Archtypes so it's possible I might just be OK with 28's

If not I could revert to 25's as I used these (Michelin Pro4 SC's in this case) originally on the London Road and my earlier Equilibrium Disc. Just liked the extra plush feel from the 28's.

BTW have confirmed from the PX website that the price would be £262 using their stock liquidation code. This applies only to the "old" Matt Black frameset - the "new" Matt Black and the other colours are about £100 more expensive.

zefs

On the one I recently purchased I need to remove the air from the back tire (GP4000s2 700x25) in order to remove the wheel. I am not sure if 28's fit though as I haven't tried it, just thought of commenting. I have the large one.

paulbnix

I don't think you would get away with it.

On my Px Pro Carbon Medium frame I use Schwalbe Durano 25s on Archetype rims.
Whilst they do fit I have had to stop and clear out the space inside the rear seat stays if the road has been a bit muddy.

kingofthetailwind

25c Pro 4s actually measure 28mm on 17mm rims, like the Archetype. So wide enough I think.

http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com ... ourse-2014

arlowood

Hi Guys

Thanks for all your input

Couldn't resist the chance to get a carbon frameset for £260 so pulled the trigger anyway before the offer expired. It might not be the latest or lightest but will suit me well enough for pootling around.

I'll be quite happy to run 25's if I can't get away with 28's. Have run 25mm Pro4 SC's in the past and was impressed with them. If, as the above link suggests, they come up around 28mm when shod on wider rims them that's a bit of a bonus.

Can put up with the faff of clearing crud from the rear stays if I get that problem. However, as I'm mostly a fair weather rider, it's not likely to happen very often.

Just need to rationalise the build components. I could move the SRAM Rival 22 from my London Road plus the bars, stem and saddle then sell off the London Road frameset and the handbuilt disc wheelset. (SWMBO decrees that I can only ride one bike at a time so when I've built up the PX Pro Carbon, the London Road will have to go either as a complete bike or stripped back to its components)

luv2ride

Shame you can't keep both? I'd try to hang on to the London Road for winter / c**p weather, but I'm sure you would if you could...

Rationale would be the less wear on new components for the Pro Carbon. Am sure you could get a SRAM or 105 groupset for relatively small outlay....no harm in trying!

arlowood

Luv2ride wrote:

Shame you can't keep both? I'd try to hang on to the London Road for winter / c**p weather, but I'm sure you would if you could...

Rationale would be the less wear on new components for the Pro Carbon. Am sure you could get a SRAM or 105 groupset for relatively small outlay....no harm in trying!

Yes I'm formulating a plan of sorts that might achieve the goal you suggest.

Something like - needing to keep the London Road as a complete bike to generate maximum value when re-sold. Build up the Pro Carbon with 105 5800 as I fancy going back to Shimano. When it's complete, ride it during the Spring/Summer with the argument that the London Road will sell better as the winter months approach. By that time the "n" rule might have morphed into an n+1