PSA – Planet X London Road frameset for £150

so go on then, how many buyers from this thread found the seatpost a loose fit? It really does feel out of spec, I have 11 bikes in my garage and have owned many more and I’ve never had a seatpost that wouldnt remain raised in place with out being clamped, these fall straight in and can be waggled about. Which makes me think if its “clamped up okay” its only the clamped area gripping the seatpost which means either potential for slippage or damage to the frame.

Already printed out a returns form but now wondering whether to risk asking for a replacement frame, or just assume they’ll all be as bad, chalk it up to the sort of quality the detractors expect from P-X and get a refund. I’d like to get hold of some calipers before it goes back just to see what the actual diameter is.

And then go about trying to return all the kit I’d bought to build it with…. 🙄

Already printed out a returns form but now wondering whether to risk asking for a replacement frame, or just assume they’ll all be as bad

Um…. could you not just find a thin shim?

so go on then, how many buyers from this thread found the seatpost a loose fit? It really does feel out of spec, I have 11 bikes in my garage and have owned many more and I’ve never had a seatpost that wouldnt remain raised in place with out being clamped, these fall straight in and can be waggled about. Which makes me think if its “clamped up okay” its only the clamped area gripping the seatpost which means either potential for slippage or damage to the frame.

Already printed out a returns form but now wondering whether to risk asking for a replacement frame, or just assume they’ll all be as bad, chalk it up to the sort of quality the detractors expect from P-X and get a refund. I’d like to get hold of some calipers before it goes back just to see what the actual diameter is.

And then go about trying to return all the kit I’d bought to build it with….

Have you tried it with a seat clamp collar fitted, or just into the bare frame?
It’s not unusual for seat tubes to bell-mouth a little during slotting process which a seatclamp brings back in line.

Posts rattling isn’t good, but might be worth trying.

Brant, thanks for the reply; not yet, it’s in the bundle of kit I’ve ordered, but if I put the post in the frame and let go it drops straight in until it hits the bottle bosses; I can then waggle/rock/rattle the seatpost around, so its not just the top of the tube where it’s been slotted that’s the issue.

Done this with 3 different posts (a used carbon, 2 new alloys) and am trying to borrow some calipers for interest.

Um…. could you not just find a thin shim?

Um… yeah I could spend money trying to find a shim of indeterminate but perfect size, or improvise with bits of coke can, trying to rectify a problem with a brand new unused item that appears to have been made out of specification/tolerance. Or I could, you know, get it sorted by the manufacturer or get a refund?

My Chinese carbon 31.6 slips in and down just like that, slight movement if I let it slip all the way down. BUT clamps up nicely with minimal torques.

Also tested the Ritchey Alu post off another bike and does the same.

Shimmed seatposts are rubbish even when designed by the frame manufacturer.

I’d definitely get some calipers on it and measure.

Or I could, you know, get it sorted by the manufacturer or get a refund?

Yup, just seems like you were getting all upset about all the parts you’ve bought, before you’ve even tried fitting a seat post clamp, when there’s a very simple/cheap solution (for your £150 frame) if it’s even needed.

It’s not like it’s the kind of bike where you’re going to be raising/lowering the seatpost all the time is it?

:shrug:

Gap on mine too, here’s a pic…

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lpcxz7fcdots2cr/P1030785.JPG?dl=0

(Seatpost at this position simply so you can see the size is correct btw!).

Flat bar advice.

Thinking of buying this for a flat bar commuter towpath and light 2/3 night camping trips dont want drops.

Is a medium with 540 toptube to small for a man 5’9″ 33 cycling inseam in a flat bar config any one built a flat bar version give me some advice please.

my mtb is an Inbred 29er medium and that’s about a 600 mm TT and does feel a little stretched run it with a 60 mm stem.

Yup, just seems like you were getting all upset about all the parts you’ve bought

I’m “all upset” as I bought it as a present for Munqe Chick, who having discovered it got all excited about a new bike build, and spent £300 on bits for me to build it for her to use over the summer. £150 or £1500, it’s a brand new item which I shouldn’t have to bodge/improvise/invest in fixing.

It’s not like it’s the kind of bike where you’re going to be raising/lowering the seatpost all the time is it?

it’s not, but if there’s only 20mm of seat tube (the bit under the clamp) engaging with the seatpost, how long before it slips or the frame fails (all rider weight supported by a small area above the weld junction, exactly how you wouldn’t go about designing or building a frame).

A correctly-specced seat tube shouldn’t need a clamp to hold a seatpost in place, I’m still waiting for the clamp to be delivered, and I was working on the theory that the less I build it up (and potentially damage it if a clamp is going to squeeze/crush the end of the tube in) the more likely P-X are to accept it as a faulty unused item returned in good faith, not one that I’ve wrecked then tried to “JRA” on them.

I’m surprised how accommodating some people evidently are of buying and fixing potentially defective new goods :shrug:

ribena thanks, can’t access dropbox on my current computer will check it out later.

Gap on mine too, here’s a pic…

Christ almighty that’s massively out, good to see the old Plante-X QA/QC is a good as always 🙄

I asked Planet-x about a shim when I ordered mine as i was thinking of using a 27.2 seatpost and they told me not to use a shim “to avoid any cracks and other problems”

Mine’s pretty loose too. Callipers say 31.7 / 31.8 depending on where you measure.

I have an uncut Thomson post in there – thought it was ok clamped up…

No idea if mine was loose or not but a planet x seat post has clamped up fine and is not slipping at all.

Fwiw, I’ve seen loads of post slip right in before they’ve been tightened slightly, not wobbly though!

I asked Planet-x about a shim when I ordered mine as i was thinking of using a 27.2 seatpost and they told me not to use a shim “to avoid any cracks and other problems”

Wasn’t a problem on previous aluminium MTBs with the same size seat tube…
But Probably best if I get a 31.6 post just to be on the safe side, cheapo carbon again I reckon and We’ll see how well it fits…

@Ribena, managed to get dropbox to work, yeah that’s pretty much how mine looks.

slip right in

Im talking drop staight in until it hits the bottle bosses without touching the sides, not a smoooooth slow slide.

Anyway, a picture’s worth a 1000 words

^ Crikey that’s a massive gap. Mine’s nothing like that or the previous pic.

I’ve sent an email to PX btw, awaiting reply.

Woooow order on hold!

So what are we talking here?

a) some sort of recall, b) “relax it’s all ok”, c) make a DIY shim out of a beer can, d) something else…?

Puts my petulant whining in context, then.

Not b or c…

Ribena I haven’t yet but will before it’s returned, with pic included. If you get a quick reply I’d be interested to hear it.

I would really love the answer to be “b”…. but let’s see what PX have to say.

Poking around ebay it seems you can get hold of 31.8mm and 32.0mm seatposts might be worth a shot for those with “wizards sleeve” fit seat tubes…

I think I might pop out to the garage and put some calipers on the seat tube later…

Was all set to purchase a silver one. Waiting to see how the seattube issue pans out now…
Decals, someone asked earlier but no reply; are they lacquered over?

@ fingerbike, i have a lime one and can confirm the decals are lacquered over

Think it was answered (think I asked it!) and yes they appear to be lacquered over.

Ah OK, didn’t see the first reply then. Thanks Stumpy.
It’ll be a commuter mostly so was hoping to make it stand out a little less, wrap the frame in tape maybe.

I hear people have concerns over the head set fit also,any one now if thats true?

Not sure how the bearings are supposed to fit but my top one dropped straight in and out, my bottom one needed pressing in (and broke when I tapped it out 🙄 a Wiggle Life line not a P-X so not claiming they use crap bearings but if it hadnt needed tapping out it wouldn’t have been an issue).

crashtestmonkey – Member

Anyway, a picture’s worth a 1000 words

Cripes – that’s like a clown’s pocket!!

Not sure how the bearings are supposed to fit but my top one dropped straight in and out, my bottom one needed pressing in (and broke when I tapped it out a Wiggle Life line not a P-X so not claiming they use crap bearings but if it hadnt needed tapping out it wouldn’t have been an issue).

Wiggle Lifeline headset isn’t FSA No.42 ACB spec. It has a 52.2mm diameter lower bearing, vs the 51.8mm spec on the FSA. That’ll be why it needed tapping out :-/

ok a little confused i only ever had 1″ 1/8 headsets that took a lot of pressing in i bought the tools to remove and fit them …are we saying that new style headsets dont need to be pressed? ie not an interfearence fit.

ie not an interfearence fit.

exactly that.

they literally push in with your fingers.

I use some bearing fit stuff to hold the outer race in place on mine – it’s easier to tell if the bearings are getting notchy and less chance of the whole bearing assembly rotating in the headtube and damaging it.

Thanks for the info “wwaswas” obviously some people are not asking the right questions and assuming that the frame has a problem …now if we can just put this seat tube issue to bed I can get on a place my order 🙂

Wiggle Lifeline headset isn’t FSA No.42 ACB spec. It has a 52.2mm diameter lower bearing, vs the 51.8mm spec on the FSA. That’ll be why it needed tapping out :-/

thanks Brant, that saves me making the same mistake again! It was recommended earlier in the thread as an alternative to the PX/O-O headset so good to know exactly which lower bearing I need to replace it with (already got an FSA bearing lined up). My mistake and not the fault of P-X or Wiggle/Lifeline.

ref seatpost and returning I am emailing P-X now (with pic) so will keep interested parties updated.

I’ve got myself totally confused as to what headset I need (other than the simple answer of the FSA one from Planet X).

Can anybody point me towards either which Hope or Crane Creek headset I would need please?

^^^^^

As have I (what with not understanding headsets in the first place!)

Was all set to order the lifeline one but looks like that might cause me more problems…

I used the lifeline one. The top was fine and the bottom bearing was a easily pressed in. Seems to fit the race of the fork really well so far…. Will keep the FSA one in mind next time perhaps.

Hmmm I ordered one of these as a complete on C2W recently, sounds like I need to give it a thorough check over when it turns up. My current (and ongoing) experience of PX customer care in relation to another bike is making me wondering what on earth possessed me to order another bike off them.

As above and ive already said the lifeline one fits alot better than the FSA from planet X, the bottom race just pushed in no problem and the fork race fitted unlike the FSA one !