[Closed] GT grade AL105 or Planet X XLS Tiragra

Would you care about 105 over Tiagra?

the new 105 stuff is worlds apart from Tiagra....

I had the same dilemma on a C2W scheme and opted for the GT Grade 105 - better groupset & better brakes offset the carbon frame for me.

I'd be getting the PX - much better frame IMO and the other parts are replaceable or upgradeable over time.

And the GT is fugly (and I usually like GTs).

Oh and this (if you haven't seen it!)

Thanks guys, think I'm sold on the GT and I'll stick a comfy carbon post in it 🙂

This is a classic STW response to your question, but

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I'd be getting the PX - much better frame IMO

because its plastic?

I'd get the GT because 5800 105 is better than 6700 Ultegra let alone 4600 Tiagra, I'm not convinced cheap plastic is better than alloy, and I'd rather have GT on a down tube than Planet X.

The GT's look much better in the "flesh" than in photos (and no I don't own one).

Agree with above re group set, having both new 5800 105 and 6700 Ultegra on my own bikes. Additionally, the brakes on the GT are much better. BikeRadar gave that bike 5/5.

That Tiagra crank sure is ugly. Okay, it's not a good enough reason to choose one over the other but I wish Shimano could make some nicer looking cranks (Ultegra is marginally better looking)

because its plastic?

Not that alone but that is part of it - for CX bikes I reckon that carbon tends to be well suited and the XLS is well rated by many who've had it so it's not just a case of it being carbon by name only - it's good carbon which I reckon is better than good aluminium. YMMV of course...

The Tiagra crank looks fine - it's the chainrings that are ugly but as with my reasoning, those can be replaced by nicer ones when they wear out along with the rest of the groupset while the frame is worth keeping.

Finbar what is the green bike???

Pinnacle Arkose

The GT is way better than the Pinnacle no competition there in my mind.

As a bit of an aside, the top of the range CX1 XLS one looks awesome:
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXXLSCX1/planet-x-xls-sram-cx1-cyclocross-bike

Comes with carbon tubular wheels though - anyone know if Planet X will do wheel swaps on their builds? Would prefer clinchers

Anyone got a wiggle voucher?

The GT is way better than the Pinnacle no competition there in my mind.

Fairy nuff. I haven't compared geometry or ridden the Grade, but the Pinnacle does ride very nicely.

Was looking at a Planet X London Road but the spec and reviews on the GT Grade look great. Unfortunately being a lanky 6' 5" I'd need an XXL size which no one in the UK stocks. London road is a nicer colour in bright green though.

planet x used to sell the XLS with 105 for the same price, so don't pay £999 for tiagra (in fact they had an ultegra 6800 road bike for £899 yesterday, so again don't pay £999 for tiagra)

I have an XLS and while I like it, I wouldn't say it's the best carbon frame in the world, it's a bit flexy, I don't think the GT frame would be much heavier over the xls, and I can imagine it even feeling a bit stiffer too even though it's alu

also the GT frame has got proper routing for the front mech, the XLS needs a pulley wheel which I found slightly problematic with my new 105 front mech, but nothing that couldn't be solved

new 105 and hydraulic discs vs old tiagra and bb7s, no contest really

a couple of downside with the GT are you don't get a 105 chainset (though the brilliant front shifting may be mostly down to the mech, and if so any cranks will be fine) and I think the TRP rotors are a bit gash

You can't put a price on triple triangle technology.