Just wondering what people noticed after ‘up grading’ or changing frames from a Planet X SL Pro?

Heard a few ‘flex’ comments about the SL but not sure if they are just ‘internet hearsay’

I swapped to a different carbon frame and it had a stiffer back end and a stiffer front end.

It felt faster, it probably wasnt. It probably wasnt as good for just general road riding either to be honest. Definitely not as comfy, dunno whether it climbed aswell out of the saddle either (but that was probably because it wasnt as long)

I quite liked my PX, Id have another one I think. Although I’m heavier now than I was when I had it so I may notice the so called flex a bit more.

Got a Genesis Equilibrium anyway as its a great road mincing bike.

I’ve had the PX SL Pro, I thought it flexy at the time I owned it. Though I thought it was a great little frame and more than adequate for most people.
When I decided to make a proper return to road racing I bought a TCR Advanced SL frame. The difference was staggering. Much stiffer, but it felt engineered? to propel you.
I’d not bother with one again even if I wasn’t racing.

they are cheap and cheerful, if you have the extra dosh get one of the orbea’s that they are discounting

I find mine quite comfy, faster than my alloy winter bike, but they aren’t anything special

loads more flex than a posh cannondale for example

oldgit would you explain what you mean when you say engineered? to propel you..

I have had PX SL Pro for a number of years now and have had no issues with mine what so ever and would never say the bike has felt flexy one bit and this bike has been used for everything from Sportives, Triathlons Time trials to my one and only Ironman, personally for the money i don’t think there is a better bike out there!

That said i have never ridden any other road bike of Top quality or Top price but if they can do half as well as the PX then it would be doing good!!

That said i have never ridden any other road bike of Top quality or Top price

That’s the main point really… If you’re used to a 10kg plus entry level road bike, a Planet X Carbon is gonna be a whole load lighter and seem quite a bit quicker to ride. But they are cheap carbon, and riding a quality carbon bike from the likes of Trek, Specialized, Merida, Giant, or any one of the other big boys in the Carbon field, then you’ll notice the difference again. It’s not going to be night and day of course, but they’ll be stiffer laterally helping you get the power down, and quite often more compliant vertically helping with comfort for hours in the saddle.

Just bought a new Merida Scultura Comp 904 myself at £1500 with 105 and Mavic Aksiums (Merida also make Specialized’s and various other makes, for those that didn’t know!), its probably a bit heavier than an equivalent priced Planet X, but its certainly stiffer where you want it to be, and its very very comfortable to ride too. There’s no such thing as a bad bike (all bikes are good, it’s a bike!) but you would definitely notice the difference going from cheap carbon to slightly more premium. In fact there are many ally bikes around the £1k mark now, frame weight below 1300g, that would be a better ride than the budget Planet X’s.

Perhaps i should treat myself for Christmas then and see if what you are saying is correct, will it make me faster?? I average about 17mph on my PX on a normal lets say sunday ride and when you say they are more comfortable, how? why? is that not down to bike set up?

But i know what your saying, i upgraded to a Yeti from a specialized stumpjumper two years ago and noticed the difference straight away on the mountain bike.

Perhaps i should treat myself for Christmas then and see if what you are saying is correct, will it make me faster?? I average about 17mph on my PX on a normal lets say sunday ride and when you say they are more comfortable, how? why? is that not down to bike set up?

You’ll definitely feel the difference.

You wont be any quicker though, or if you are it’ll probably be down to your new bike fitting you better.

A PX is comfy.

You could get some decent wheels/tubes/tyres if you havent got any already. These will have a similar effect for less money

mboy, how long did you have your Planet X for?

And how much did you sell it for, just out of interest – may be looking to pick one up secondhand.

I have a decent set of Mavic Carbones but only bring out to play when doing an event as can’t afford to trash on Cumbrian roads and as for tyres i use Conti Grandprix(or something) and never gave tubes much thought really and yes they do make a difference when doing a event.

A new road bike is something i have been thinking about for a while now…That would make 5 bikes all for something different!!! lol…

will it make me faster??

Doubtful, you’d probably be as quick on a £400 bike too though. It’s 99% rider and 1% bike at the end of the day, remember that!

I average about 17mph on my PX on a normal lets say sunday ride and when you say they are more comfortable, how? why? is that not down to bike set up?

A lot of it will be down to bike setup indeed. Just being on a bike that fits correctly, with a saddle that suits your arse, bars at the right height etc is of course most important. What I’m on about though is the small stuff… Things like the very svelte seatstays you’re seeing on a lot of premium bikes, in combination with the oversized chainstays, heavily shaped and profiled top and down tubes, and massive tapered headtubes. All these go some way to improving the ride feel over a cheaper carbon bike such as the Planet X.

I’d say the best thing to do, before you spend a load of money on anything, would be to actually have a go on a more premium bike to see if you not only like it, but can notice the difference at all anyway. Get down your LBS and book a demo on something nice, and have a ride. Rode my bosses Pinarello FQ Quattro last weekend, which is a whole heap of money (though not Dogma territory!) and has Di2 on it. Superb ride (if you like stiff, fast, racy bikes) but for me it wouldn’t represent anything like good value in comparison to the Merida I’ve just bought as I wouldn’t be able to appreciate the extra expenditure at all. But a better rider might well do…

mboy, how long did you have your Planet X for?

And how much did you sell it for, just out of interest – may be looking to pick one up secondhand.

Didn’t say I’d had one. Have had a go on a couple though. They’re light, and comfy as has been said, just that spend a bit more and you get quite a bit more in terms of performance…

Ebay is usually full of 2nd hand Planet X’s and Boardman’s, that’d be the first place to look I reckon.

I have a decent set of Mavic Carbones but only bring out to play when doing an event as can’t afford to trash on Cumbrian roads and as for tyres i use Conti Grandprix(or something) and never gave tubes much thought really and yes they do make a difference when doing a event.

A new road bike is something i have been thinking about for a while now…That would make 5 bikes all for something different!!! lol…

Well, I found mine bang on for cumbrian roads. Dunno whether those Mavics look like they’d be any good though!

Get some light handbuilt efforts, they’ll help when it comes to dragging yourself up wrynose pass.

mboy thanks for your input and i think i will be looking at the LBS to see what they have to offer for a Demo That pinarello sounds Awsome but i will also check out your Merida.

Away now to get on the Turbo for a hour!!! lol 😳

I actually own one and have no probs with it what so ever. but all I can compare it to is an ally CX bike.

I’ve upgraded to Shimano RS80’s and some nice bars etc – must be under 17lb

I’ve never felt ‘flex’ but I’m a light weight, and tend to spin.

suppose its hard to make a fair comparison unless you just change the frame & fork and keep all other components.

I once had a quick blast on a Cervelo S1 which felt more planted on the descents (but could have been in my head)

if your after a sport frame thats comfortable for ‘getting the miles in’ not racing are there any faults?

I’ve just bought a Giant Defy Advanced having compared it to a TCR and decided the TCR was too aggressive for me. The Defy is lighter than the TCR because the TCR has extra carbon to make it stiffer for power transfer. The Advanced SL frames use Toray 800 instead of 700 for the Advanced.

No idea about Planet X but doubt there’s as much thought gone into their cheaper carbon frames.

This is interesting – weight and stiffness comparisons:

http://winwithgiant.com/

oldgit would you explain what you mean when you say engineered? to propel you.

I knew I was buying a pro level frame and I know something about the way Giant lay up their frames to perform correctly.
But then this happened. During my first road race on it, on a circuit I’d been racing since the 80’s I hit the exit of a bend and put the power down there was almost a feeling of being catapulted along. I actually let out a little laugh.