Planet X N2A

Martster
Martster Posts: 5
edited May 2013 in Road buying advice
Hi

I have only been cycling a year, but have really taken to it. :D Been riding a Boardman Comp and joined a biking club and have really improved my averages, also changed the rear cassette, dropped the handle bars and changed the wheels. I think im ready to move the next level as i want to try my hand at racing. The Boardman is great and I will use it as my winter/bad weather bike. Im not the richest guy in the world so I havent got a huge amount of cash to throw at this. (although I would argue 2500 is a hell of a lot of money!)

I have been looking at the Planet X N2A, it would appear to be specced really well for a great price. I dont live to far from there showroom, which I plan on going to - but you know how it is when you talk to a salesman :roll: I think its a pretty new bike so there doesent seem to be any reviews.

just wondered if anyone had any thoughts or other reccomendations.... :mrgreen:

Comments

  • Callum_62
    Callum_62 Posts: 28
    The N2A is billed as an 'aero road bike' by Planet X, although I doubt it has spent any time in the wind tunnel. What you will probably get is something heavier and less comfortable than a traditional round tubed bike. It might be a bit more aero, and might look nicer than a traditional bike.

    I looked at the N2A when I was buying my previous bike, as I liked the 'aero' look. But in the end, I went for a pro Carbon because couldn't see much added benefit for the extra money.

    For what it's worth, Planet X make some good bikes, and they are always great value. In the end, I got a bit sick of always seeing my bike out and about and I am currently having the frame switched out for something a bit rarer. I suppose it's a testament to their great component specifications though that I don't feel the need to change any of the parts.

    TL;DR: Great components, middling frame, for 2.5k I would go for something else.
  • Martster
    Martster Posts: 5
    Thanks, well my second choice is this.

    http://www.cube.eu/en/road/road-race/li ... r-hpc-pro/

    The difference is probably great frame but lesser components. Cannot find anything about the wheels online either, but spec wise for the price its also pretty good.

    Would prefer the one up from this one, but its pushing my budget to far. Im going to have a look at both.
  • themogulman
    themogulman Posts: 167
    I picked mine up 10 days ago, the sram red version with the tubs.

    The ride is great, handles really well. Some comments on the finish of the frame but I think it looks great.

    I am using it for racing(badly) but did 65miles last weekend with no comfort issues, old bike a specialized Roubaix.

    Only issue I would say are the brakes(planet x own). Bit of a pig to set up. Don't give the same feel as my 105s
  • Trickle
    Trickle Posts: 22
    Martster wrote:
    I dont live to far from there showroom, which I plan on going to - but you know how it is when you talk to a salesman :roll:

    I was thinking that there wouldn't be much of a shop focus, not opportunity to test ride. However when I went in it was pretty much the opposite. They were offering to let me test with different saddles and stems and this was only on the £1500 bike.

    I'd only go during quieter times expecting this though. They are busy at weekends due to naff 9-5 hours mid week.
  • pkripper
    pkripper Posts: 652
    Martster wrote:
    Thanks, well my second choice is this.

    http://www.cube.eu/en/road/road-race/li ... r-hpc-pro/

    The difference is probably great frame but lesser components. Cannot find anything about the wheels online either, but spec wise for the price its also pretty good.

    Would prefer the one up from this one, but its pushing my budget to far. Im going to have a look at both.

    Second choice? Really?

    The frameset is pretty nice, it's ultegra which is as functional and light as anyone will ever need whilst being affordable, and the syntace finishing kit is very good. I don't know much about the wheels, but they're probably round which helps.

    If it's in your budget range, the spec is probably as good as you're going to get taking in the quality of the frame. The only thing to be careful on is the sizing as cubes come up small generally due to the way they measure them.

    I'd have it for sure, except this years budget is allocated to a cyclocross bike.
  • Martster
    Martster Posts: 5
    Some comments on the finish of the frame but I think it looks great.

    What colour did you go for?


    @Trickle, I guess having a look cant harm, did you buy the 1500 bike?

    @pkripper, I guess Im being dazzled by the Sram Reds on planet X!
  • Shaun67
    Shaun67 Posts: 219
    Martster,

    If your not far from Planet X why not call in on Racescene in Barnsley and
    have a look at all the beautiful De Rosa's. :D

    That's how I'd spend my £2.5K
  • pkripper
    pkripper Posts: 652
    Martster wrote:
    @pkripper, I guess Im being dazzled by the Sram Reds on planet X!


    No doubt, but the frame forms the basis of the bike and defines a huge percentage of the ride. I'd always buy the best frame I could for the money.
  • Martster
    Martster Posts: 5
    pkripper, thats good advice and actually have been told that before! So many choices!

    Im thinking I may steer toward the Cube.

    @Shaun, Im near Hull and tbh, I should just do a day tour of bike shops!
  • mitchgixer6
    mitchgixer6 Posts: 729
    Can't comment on the planet X, but as mentioned already I'd always base a purchase on the frame and not the groupset. You can always upgrade the group at a later date if you feel it needs it.
  • Trickle
    Trickle Posts: 22
    Only issue I would say are the brakes(planet x own). Bit of a pig to set up. Don't give the same feel as my 105s

    Heard this about them (the current version). All the other reviews/past-forum-threads seem to be about the older single caliper version. Hope I don't regret going for them over the Force brakes.
    Martster wrote:
    @Trickle, I guess having a look cant harm, did you buy the 1500 bike?

    On order. I was tempted by the N2A purely for the looks, but my cycling noob neck and back didn't feel I'd be able to handle it. One day maybe we'll all be bombing about on carbon aero bikes and they will look normal.
  • galatzo
    galatzo Posts: 1,295
    I've had my N2A about 5 weeks now and put 825 miles on it as of today !
    viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=12916741&p=18266064&hilit=n2a#p18266064
    Love the ride, it's stiff but I wouldn't say it's uncomfortable and recently I've been putting in rides up to 4 1/2 hrs.
    Cornering is great, just chuck it in and it holds the line with more nerve than me, granted I have Ksyrium SRs and Vittoria Open Corsa tyres on but when I tested it in the Planet-X car park with much cheaper tyres on it was the same.
    I have lost a bit of paint on one of the rear dropouts, don't know how so presumably it was minor incident which does make me think that the paintwork may be a tad soft.
    Brakes are ok although having had them on a while now I wouldn't say they are quite as good as the Chorus ones they replaced. If you can have Red or Force brakes at the same price then I probably would. (Used Force brakes a while ago and was impressed).
    Ask yourself what riding you do now, what you want to do (duration, average speed, usual road surfaces etc), how you like to ride - thrasher or plodder and then think if the N2A is right for you.
    Compare the headtube size on your current bike with the same size N2A and see how they compare. I'm not at all flexy but with the right length stem, spacers and comfy saddle it's perfect.
    I love the Guru tubs but just don't need them and don't think you would 90% of the time.
    The guys in the showroom are sound, no pressure sales in the slightest, test rides available (weekdays will be easier) and I'm sure you can alter the spec within reason - just ask them.
    If you are going to race as you said you may do then I reckon it'd be great. If you want a fun ride then it's the one. If you want to plod about the it'll do that too but that'd be a waste !
    25th August 2013 12hrs 37mins 52.3 seconds 238km 5500mtrs FYRM Never again.
  • themogulman
    themogulman Posts: 167
    Martster wrote:
    Some comments on the finish of the frame but I think it looks great.

    What colour did you go for?


    Black. Boring but I wasn't sold on the white and the blue????
  • themogulman
    themogulman Posts: 167
    Anyone else with a N2A Red having issues with the FD?

    Searching the web there are loads if results of poor shifting or being tricky to set up. I had problems shifting to the inner ring which both happened at annoying times racing. I took the bike back for a few things to be sorted and the shifting did seem crisper. I don't think there was enough tension in the cable previously.

    However, not sure if its just my bike but the cable exiting the frame to the FD was stopping the FD moving all the way to the inside(happens 50% of the time) To me it looks like a bit of a design fault and showed it to an experienced ex-pro/shop owner and he agreed. Again it could just be that on my bike the hole was drilled/made wrong or the FD brazed thingy was mounted wrong.

    Easy fix though using a nut from a inner tube to just move the cable 2mm out of the way. Seems to have fixed the problem and is now running with no chain rub throughout the gears. Hope this may help someone else and I am now a happy boy.