[Closed] Planet x RT57 v RT58

The RT58S is a brand new model for us. Launched in the last few weeks with a contemporary parts pick to make it one of the most appealing and fastest selling bikes in our range, here's the story behind its development.
We've had a combination of racing and recreation at Planet X for many years. Seasoned Pro riders and enthusiasts work and ride for us and all of them add different things to the mix. It became clear well over three years ago that in order to bring the best to our customers we needed to be able to offer bikes specced and designed for all levels of ability, and that carbon fibre and £1000 plus price tags didn't have to mean tall gearing, razor blade saddles and pain.
Of course we've had the other side of the road bike spectrum too. Planet X founder, Dave Loughran can not be separated from his eight year old "blue dragon" Kaffenback frame, and it was wanting to bring something lighter and yet still high speed performance based that brought our design team together around 18 months ago.
Head Mechanic and six times winner of Tour Of The Peak, Mark Lovatt, and Chief Designer Brant Richards began to write a hit list of key pointers our new bike should have. We'd already been offering compact chainsets on our bikes, and of course allowing customers to specify stem length, bar width and saddle type too. But what we wanted was more than that. More than just a setup option on a standard frame. Our N2a frame was a brilliant fast road race bike. Capable of mixing it with the best, but even though it offered a superb ride, we wanted a geometry and frame construction that put comfort alongside performance.
The geometry wasn't hard to nail down, but also alongside what we did want, we knew what we didn't. Long headtubes were firmly on the "no" list, as we knew that we could achieve a shallower drop to the stem with a touch lower bottom bracket, also improving high speed stability and easing mounting and dismounting. Chainstays were lengthened to further increase stability and to allow good sized tyres, lightweight mudguard fitting. Top tube length was slimmed back a little to stop a full on racer stretch and maintain weight distribution fore/aft.
A standard seatpost fitting would allow riders with the funds to run a comfortable carbon seatpost. The head tube length mated perfectly with our Strada bars. It was all coming together.
Our first sample arrived. Always exciting. Mark's test spec is based around a classic 53/39 crankset and 11-26 cassette. Not what we had in mind for production but it's his baseline setup to let him get a feel for where it is. Standard AL30 wheels were fitted initially, then later a prototype development testbed pair of carbon spoked hoops.
Initial reports were very favourable. The frame, ironically called the RT58 (though it shares nothing of that frames background, has a different factory, it was just the project name) was passed around the test panel. Triathletes loved it for its easy handling allowing you to concentrate on eating and eating up the miles. Hairy legged mountainbikers loved it. Less extreme than our other performance models some of our team barely dallied in the dirt during the RT58 test time. It did time trials. It did the Bradley Wiggins Sportive. It was trained on. It rode to the Christmas Party and back.

A super subtle decal pack got approval from everyone, perhaps a reaction to our last "best looking" bike, the flowered Guru schemed N2a.

Bench testing of stiffness showed excellent performance and we dispatched our carbon engineers to the factory to ensure layup methods were held precisely to our liking, modifying methods and testing and checking construction along the way.
With the frame ordered and in process we put together the component orders we needed to make it come together as a complete bike. Our carbon seatpost. SRAM's S900 chainset with modern 52/36 chainring sizes to allow the rest of us to enjoy ride with a touch less effort than Lovatt.
First production was checked and qc'd and the batch released for finishing. And they are here.
It's a genuine new area and new model for us. A bike that's with a fraction of a full race model in terms of all out speed, but with the manners and comfort that every rider will enjoy. The RT58S is in stock now and well worth a look whatever style of rider you are.

Thanks for the reply, Brant. Love the idea of easy-scoff geometry! Just wish I was a bit closer to the showroom right now.

I'm confused, did Brant answer the question? I thought the RT-57 was more race focussed than the RT-58 which is more Sportive focussed.

I know, I know, it's all marketing balls. But, they define a characteristic - shorter ETTs, higher head tubes, lower BB, longer wheel base, slacker HA.

The RT-57 was mentioned in another forum as less racy than the Carbon Pro, but BikeRadar said as soon as you jump on it it feels ready for a dogfight, and is very reactive to input. Which to me doesn't sound like anything but a race focussed bike....

Anyone care to comment?

Rt57 = racier
Rt58 = fast road performance. Not so racy. But fast

Just buy both, it's not like you're short of cash.

I want the N2A. Looks sooooo nice! And Sram Red for 2.5k is insane!

I need to buy one of these "fast" bikes - my times will surely go down immediately?

Interesting idea of lowering the BB rather than elongating the headtube (although I don't really see an issue with the latter, especially with modern OS tube/headset sizes - it's stiffer than relying on lots of spacers). Wonder what the ground clearance is like when cornering though (presumably that's the main reason for BB heights on road bikes being what they are typically, otherwise lowering them even just to give a lower CoG would make sense).
Also it's interesting that the molds seem to be custom for P-X (or is part of the agreement with the factory that they can use them molds for other brand frames to)? I know a lot of big brand carbon frames are a rip-off but I thought at least some of the justification was the cost of molds. Does P-X have any say in the resin used as well or just on the lay-up? It's things like not knowing if they're using the cheapest carbon and resin that put me off generic carbon frames

I get the idea that the RT58 is going to feel fast and I like the idea of the way the geometry has altered from the RT57 (suits me,being so unsupple and wanting to ride like a 15 year old) but looking at them side by side, I notice the meatier stays on the RT57 and wonder if I'd notice the RT58 being a bit less responsive than the RT57.

I'd probably do 4 hour rides max but mainly 2.5 - 3 hours on my days off. Comfort is one thing (but not the biggest factor on why I'm considering a faster/lighter bike) but the reason I'm taking an interest to this bike is from how nippy the 57 feels compared to my own bike. Quite a bit of it will be short hill climbs too that I'll be wanting to put big efforts in on. I would say that I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort for the edge of the RT57 when it comes to the likes of short hill climbs if it's known as a quicker bike. I suppose what I'm getting at is.. could I be disappointed with the 58 having had a blast of the bb30'd rt57 with its chunkier stays? Or is it neither here nor there?

Oh I forgot..

:::throws full mug of coffee at Saleem::

😆

It's was a full mug of tea she threw at me lol,

You wouldn't be dissapointed.

I've got a RT57, fast and comfy.

If I had a choice of either it would be the RT57 for me. Not ridden the RT58 so this statement is made in complete ignorance to the RT58.

Interesting thread but I'm still confused!

I love most things Planet X but my SL Pro Carbon is proving to be a bit of a stretch for my ageing back and I'm in the market for something more forgiving - should I go for the RT-58 rather than the RT-57?

I definitely need a 'sportive' orientated bike and am quite taken by the Focus Izalco Ergoride and the C'dale Synapse Carbon - which bike in the PX range would be the best contender before I head out for a visit to the Rotherham showroom?

Read this a few times. Is the bikeradar review crock?

Plus how does the X pro frame compare to the RT57?

Edit: answered www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/news/products/q/date/2011/12/14/RT-57-FAQ

Brant, if you're still out there, where the hell can I find an RT-57 in flouro. It's beautiful (to my mind). I'm torn between getting the Ultegra Carbon Pro as it's such a bargain but if I can get a RT-57 frame in the green and yellow I'm prepared to build it up. I've had no response from emailing PX as yet.
Help me O-bi-wan, your my only hope.

And which one is going to get hydro discs first?

afternoon chaps, good info on here. the rt58's look great. i think i might upgrade to one for sportives and the raid pyrenees next year. i was thinking of putting a dura ace 9000 group set or sram red, with dura ace c24 wheels. anyone got any thoughts?

cheers

I'm currently torn between the RT58 and the N2a for the bike leg of an iron distance tri next year. Any thoughts?

If anybody in the SE wants to throw a leg over a RT57 in a L, I'm in E Sussex. It's a long way to a P-X showroom from down here. Very happy with it, BTW.

I've had an RT-57 since Jan last year and this summer rode LEJOG in 9 days on it, as did another of the trio. I was lucky to get the SRAM Red build on mine and I've been chuffed to bits with it. I've also had cracking service from PX.