For anyone on the lookout for a budget Ti gravel bike.

Or for anyone eyeing up a budget alu gravel bike, you can have Ti for the same price.

Isn’t the spec for the bike, but the price for the frame only option? Otherwise, that’s crazy money!

Isn’t the spec for the bike, but the price for the frame only option?

Nope.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXTEMV3RIV1700BW/planet-x-tempest-rival1

W o w z e r s !

Anyone got the V3 frame? States 43mm clearance?

The build list states it’s v3 and reviews plus any other info say that has 40-odd mm clearance despite the listing saying only 38mm.

I’ll find out soon I suppose as I’ve bought 2, for me & my wife. Was going to buy a Reilly Gradient later this spring but at that price I basically got 2 full bikes instead!

Our content guy is quite cautious about tyre clearance. And tyres vary.

I’ve just this second completed the Barclays 10 months 0% deal, here’s hoping for a swift thumbs up and an email with a build date. Upgraded the bar tape to the cork gel (ooh get me) and the stock seat post to carbon.

I have the V2 which is the same but with post mount brakes. I can get 29x 2.1 mob tyres in the frame, any gravel tyres will fit. There is tons of clearance.

Groovy. Given the spec list says 40mm tyres I was expecting the ‘38mm’ to be either wrong or just conservative. As long as my 41mm G One will fit in there until I’ve rebuilt my 650b wheels it’s all good.

Nooo! That looks like a great bike, but I have no money. Anybody want a kidney?

Brant – is the spec only variable within the options on the website, or is there room for some changes?

I’ve been speaking to a guy at PX the last couple of days about a Rival 22 spec on the Tempest, so it’s interesting this has come out now. I’m just waiting for a quote on my spec so I can order, so it seems like yes, bespoke specs are possible.

Brant – is the spec only variable within the options on the website, or is there room for some changes?

Changes are possible, but potentially impossible as I’m expecting these might be sold out by Sunday night at this spec.

Insane. Have no need for one but doesn’t stop me thinking it’d be a hell of a bike at a crazy price

Mowgli,
what price were you quoted for the Rival 22 version?

I’m just about to press the button on a Tempest, but at 5’11 I’m right in the middle of medium & large sizing so would appreciate any STW advice!

My mtb’s have always been 18/medium and fit perfectly, but my Ribble road bike is comparable to a large in the Tempest sizing, though this does sometimes feel a bit of a stretch.

I think I’ll go for the medium, but what d’ya think?

^^ I’m 5’11” and decided on the large with a slightly shorter stem. The head tube length on the medium just seemed too short for me, though the effective top tube length is about right for me. The large reach and stack compare well to my Focus Paralane.

I’m 5”11 and ridden 18” medium MTBs all my life. I’ve ridden 54’s on road for years too. If it’s a smidge small no worries you can run longer stem etc. if it’s too big it always will be.

Wow. Is it any good? Amazing price if so, just for the groupset (Rival 1 is prefect for gravel IMO) and the frame. Everything else I’d probably change anyway. Wheels look poor, not suitable for off-road tubleless according to one review I just googled quickly?

Is this an older version not the V3 flat mount one mentioned elsewhere on the website?

Thanks all. After much deliberation I’ve gone for the large frame. Hopefully it will be fine. If not, you’ll see it on the classifieds!

Build notification states V3, it comes with flat mount callipers too which only the v3 has mounts for. Mine in build queue for 12th apparently so I’ll know for sure next week I suppose.

I’m 5ft11 as well. Was having the same dither. My Bro’s 54 Mason Bokeh feels a bit short but that’s the only bike like it I’ve sat on! I was going Large as I want the reach (long body/short legs).

Such a good deal, nothing 2nd hand on eBay is even getting close. Still not quite sure… I’ll probably continue to dither and then miss out!

Alex, go for a medium, that way if we’re both wrong, we can swap 🙂

Right Right, but if only one of us is wrong….. that would present a bit of a problem 😉

It’s the full current V3 frame.
Wheels are great for the price, and actually just great wheels.
Not quite sure what more you are expecting us to pull out of the hat for £1299.99.

It’s the full current V3 frame.
Wheels are great for the price, and actually just great wheels.
Not quite sure what more you are expecting us to pull out of the hat for £1299.99.

Agreed.

Think that is what I paid for my Pickenflick just over a year back, which has been a great bike. Wheels weren’t great (Vision Disc) … Quite heavy and bearings/freehub sounded quite grumbly, but lasted a year with no trouble until I upgraded to Hunts.

@brant … (bit if a thread hijak … but since I started the thread, what the heck!) … Would the Pickenflick frame be up to towing a child’s Tagalong? Have never worried with alu MTB / CX frames (and they haven’t died), and figure that as Ti is stronger, it should be ok … Just this is my ‘best’ (but also most used) bike!

Yes, I towed my kids and their bikes in my Pickenflick for 2 years. Probably about 70kg in total.

I really don’t need on of these bikes(I have 2 Ti Gravel bikes) but, somehow…I still want one…

But I have no need of the wheels and tyres…nor the bars, stem or seat-post really. Damn it, I still kinda want one.

Not quite sure what more you are expecting us to pull out of the hat for £1299.99.

errr…. nothing, I already said the price was amazing! Although, since you’ve asked, a frame+fork+groupset option for a bit less would be perfect, ta 😀

Thanks for the PSA. Just bought a bike that I really don’t need or have space for…

I really cannot fathom whether the xl is large enough for me – reach wise.

6’2 (and a bit) but with long arms.

Normally ride an XL 29er if that’s any help? 🤔

I know sizing and fit is very subjective but all help would be welcome 😎

Couple of new £1299.99 gravel builds just gone live.

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBOOSPCRIV1700C/on-one-space-chicken-rival1

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBHOLMYSRIV12/holdsworth-mystique-rival1

I’m 5ft11 long arms and reckon a Large, so XL sounds right. Hard to know. Worse case is it’s £30 to ship it back I suppose….

Nooo! First the Tenpest and now the Space Chicken. Curse you household expenditure.

I dunno about the whole l/xl thing.

Im 6’2”’with a 34” inside leg.

My previous gravel bike was an XL Sonder Camino Al. That fitted fairly well but I did feel a little stretched at the front with an 80mm stem. In fact it was the same length as my road bike which I had a Retul fit on but I think the wider, flared bars messed up with that.

Ive actually bought a L Tempest after comparing the geometry charts of the two. Slightly lower stack but only 15mm shorter reach so with either the same 80mm stem or a 90mm one (not exactly long on a road/gravel bike) I should end up in a similar place if not slightly shorter which is what I wanted.

Make sense?

Anybody going for a Space Chicken in the mental flame grilled paint job?

@matbee – non MTB sizing is a bit of a mystery to me. But I’m two inches shorter than you all in the leg, so reach will be about the same. I probably would need a shorter stem but it’s hard to know unless you’ve sat on one.

I compared the numbers to my 7 year old Boardman CX bike (which I think is a L). Not much difference except it’s 30mm longer! That bike always felt short so L still feels right for me. It’s right in the middle of the size chart on the web whereas you would be an XL On that chart. But your logic makes sense.. like I say tho I’m pretty much entirely clueless.

I did get sized up on a Ribble CGR at their store in brum which is similar dimensions. Their view was a L for touring a M for messing about in the woods. It’s a pain being on the edge of sizing between sizes.

@ Alex, same sort of height and same sort of issues here! I have just bought CGR 725 and went for a large. I have long limbs and hate being cramped on a bike.

Ah that’s good to know. The fella (Tom) in the store was really helpful and spent a lot of time with me on the ‘jig’ to get an idea of the right size.

I’d have bought one yesterday until I saw no cycle to work schemes from planet X any more ☹️