Planet X Models B's - why just a training wheel?

Mrtennis
Mrtennis Posts: 153
edited August 2013 in Road general
Looking at maybe getting a set of these for the new build. Thought I would get them as they seem to get such excellent user reviews, and very good weight for the price. Yet within those same excellent reviews, people always seem to finish with "great set of training wheels".
Why just training wheels? They seem light and strong. As light and as strong as anything available for quite a bit more money. I'm not planning on getting two sets of wheels so will these be ok to use for everything?
Also, when people talk about how wheel a wheel "rolls", is this just a function of it being lightweight? Or something else involved? I should think the hub needs to be good but reviews never seem to specifically mention "oh, it has a great hub", it's always just "these roll really well".
Any other recommendations I should look out for? Fulcfrum Racing 5's seemed to be the other contender for me, so any reviews on those too, or recommendations for something else would be great. And how much more I would have to spend to get something better if the Model B's are the best in their price range.
Help appreciated :)

Comments

  • night_porter
    night_porter Posts: 888
    For training read it as "everything else apart from racing" because anyone who owns a road bike must do so because they race (irony).

    As for they roll really well it is a bit like an apple tastes quite appley, wheels roll that is their function in life and their ability to roll is largely dependent on the tyres attached to them. Unless you raise the wheel off of the floor and spin it to see how long it spins for which has no real world use as it is not carrying a load so is pretty meaningless. Think of it as kicking the tyres of a car to show how good they are.

    Get the PX wheels if that is where your budget is comfortable and you will have some good all-round wheels for the money, end of!
  • hatch87
    hatch87 Posts: 352
    As night_porter says, they just aren't racing wheels. Its a bit like tyres, you get racer tyres which are faster but aren't really suitable for year round cycling due to lower puncture resistance and not particularly high mileage. Racing wheels will be more aerodynamic but that sucks when theres a cross wind so better training with something slightly slower are stronger and considerably cheaper
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/686217
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  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    Why do they call it a "training wheel"? It's so they can sell you some marginally lighter fancy looking wheels for racing / sportives / Sunday rides / bragging as well. Why sell just one pair when you can flog two with a bit of creative phrasing?

    The claimed advantages, in terms of time saved, of deeper rims and lightweight wheels are IMHO exaggerated. Unless you're taking your racing seriously it's irrelevant anyway. Differences in hubs and bearings are more often due to varying competence on the part of the owner, though the more expensive ones may be lighter and/or last longer (or they may not. There are premium brands that apparently attract a surprising number of warranty claims).

    I'd ignore the BS, buy a pair, add some nice tyres and enjoy riding them.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    'Racing' probably refers more to stiffness & given the cost they make a good 'training' wheel as you can trash them through the Winter without too much worry. Then unless you are pushing out 1.21 gigawatts during a sprint finish they'll do you just fine all year around!

    I got about 8k miles out of a set of Model Cs.
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    I have run these wheels for a year now and the back wheel is just showing slightly out of true (getting it sorted this weekend), not bad for a years riding over horrible pot holes and eneven surfaces that feel like cobbles. Go for them I don't think you will be disappointed.
  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    I have broken three of these wheels now. I didn't know you could still buy them, but I certainly wouldn't again. Too few spokes, badly made. No complaints about PXs returns / warranty though.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    they're called a training wheel cos they are. I've had mine ages and that's exactly what they are. None broken btw.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    There's no law that says you can only train on them though. I've raced mine, trained on them and ridden CX on them. No issues at all.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,172
    They brand them as training wheels, so when you get the racing rush, you buy their carbon wheels too. The model B are OK for light riders and light use... abuse them and the spokes will pop and the rims will crack. Bearings don't last very long and the freehub gets chewed by the cassette sprockets is you spend too much time on the big gears.
    left the forum March 2023
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Training yes, racing yes at that weight and price why not, as ipete said I also got about 8-9k miles out of my rear before the brake surface died but that was because of the brutal winters we've had. As for the hubs I took mine and had it rebuilt into another rim and its been perfect as well.

    I think the new model B's are about 1600g which is awesome for any wheels, I did ask PX to tell me the weight alas the reply said 1kg for the set, oh well nevermind.

    In fact I have a second set (shimano) sat in my basket now purely because I cant find justification to pull the trigger on heavier Ultegra 6700 wheels for £70-100 more.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
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  • thegibdog
    thegibdog Posts: 2,106
    I've seen plenty of Model Bs & AL30s being used for racing, including the junior national champs IIRC.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    hmmm i think i might hit the buy button myself these really are no brainer cheap / good / functional wheels IMO

    that said I now have 14 sets of wheels which is prob to many, perhaps :roll:

    2 of them are MTB :lol:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    I've raced on mine. Brilliant wheels for the money.
  • Mrtennis
    Mrtennis Posts: 153
    giant man wrote:
    they're called a training wheel cos they are. I've had mine ages and that's exactly what they are. None broken btw.
    OK, so I suppose the question is, what is the difference between a training and a race wheel? Since these fulfil the lightweight criteria already (not everyone can be expected to have a wheelset worth 1k, just so they can weigh 1kg). - this question isn't just aimed you giant man, anyone else can answer too.
    To be honest I'm not planning on racing anyway, but as I'm putting the bike together myself I'd like to think I can get some good quality parts on there, and this whole training v racing thing certainly makes a so called "training" wheel inferior :roll: .
    As for the coupe of posts saying that they have broken the wheels in one way or another. I'm 60kg, so I would be surprised if I break anything!
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Mrtennis wrote:
    OK, so I suppose the question is, what is the difference between a training and a race wheel?

    There isn't one. Lighter wheels are nice for racing on, but model Bs are pretty light in any case.
  • night_porter
    night_porter Posts: 888
    Simon E wrote:
    Why do they call it a "training wheel"? It's so they can sell you some marginally lighter fancy looking wheels for racing / sportives / Sunday rides / bragging as well. Why sell just one pair when you can flog two with a bit of creative phrasing?

    As Simon says (no pun intended) it is all just marketing spiel you have to believe in what they tell you so that you will spend more money.

    If they told you that you would go just as fast on their £140 wheels as their £1,400 wheels would you pay the extra?

    Of course they will tell you that the more you pay the faster (unquantifiable) you will go and of course we believe that (more irony) so we spend the money and save them for when we must go the very fastest e.g. when racing.
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    We ride so called 'road racing' bikes but I would bet the vast majority are never raced so does that make them training bikes, it's just marketing blurb.