preferred-google-button
log in
register

Planet X XLS or Bish Bash Bosh for winter road, cx and all road

  • Creator
    Topic
  • September 20, 2016 at 9:28 am #26290
    MoutonDeMontagne

    Having a issue deciding which of the above bikes fits my need best. I’m looking for a cx type bike for commuting, winter road and club runs, plus some longer cx type rides using bridleways and woodland trails. I’ve narrowed it down to the two above due to value, having hydro discs (a must) and being able to run tyres up to 40mm. I like the idea of through axles on the BBB, but the xls has a more road-like geometry and is a smidge lighter. The £200 saving would almost stretch to an extra set of wheels too. 

    Has anyone got any experiece of these or any other suggestions for this type of riding. The Cannondale CaadX is tempting but limited to 35mm rubber, and a cx ratio chainset. 

     

    Cheers

     

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
  • Author
    Replies
  • September 21, 2016 at 3:51 pm #878447
    0
    Jez Ash

    daccordimark wrote:

    daccordimark wrote:

    Jez Ash wrote:
    I got a BBB.  It’ll take rack and guards which were both a must for commuting duties for me.  It’s a great ride, and usefully lighter than either the Arkose or London Road mentioned above.  If you live somewhere hilly like I do then that counts.

    I’d recommend it.

    Not an issue for the OP but I don’t think you can fit a pannier rack on the BBB. The mudguard adaptors they sell to go with it are way too flimsy for that.

     

    Now I’m guilty of derailing thread on subject not important to OP too. But… you can put a rack on – I have. Piece of piss. What else are those bosses at the top of the seat stays for?
    You just need some screw-in eyelets, which – when I asked – PX couldn’t supply. Others can, tho. Prob wouldn’t load 40kg on back but more than adequate for commuting duties.

    September 21, 2016 at 3:25 pm #878445
    0
    kil0ran

    I think if you have the money

    I think if you have the money then the BBB hits the spot. I also considered the Kinesis bikes – 5T, 6 Pro, and Tripster ATR.

    If you’re not going to run permanent guards then the latest version of the SKS Raceblades look to be the best option (there’s a review on this site).

    September 21, 2016 at 12:22 pm #878443
    0
    MoutonDeMontagne

    Cheers for the responses all.

    Cheers for the responses all.

    Mudguards are a likely going to be useful for commuting, but probably wouldn’t run them off-road. thus its not a deal breaker on that front. The bike will probably spend most of its time on road either commuting or on  the sunday club run in the winter. But also a few winter cross rides so be capable off road. May run a rack for some light touring, but again not its main purpose. 

    Have considered a few others too, the London road seemed to come with horror stories about alot of the cracking. Had a gander at the Sonder Camino, the PX tempest, Cube Cross Sl etc, as well as the Dolan and Merlin CX bikes. It mostly seems to be down to spec, mostly the Cube and Cannondale win out on that front, but I’d have to switch to 50×34 from 46×36 and only takes <35 tyres. 

    As an all round value package, the BBB seems hard to beat, although they’ve just switched the wheels from tubeless ready WTBs to the vision 30’s. Jez: how do you find the BBB on the road, is it super relaxed and a bit slack, or just similar to an enduro road bike? 

    Cheers

    September 21, 2016 at 11:44 am #878441
    0
    ajvb65

    I have used the XLS for

    I have used the XLS for nearly 2 years as my commuting / winter bike. I managed to bodge some mudguards on but wanted a frame with proper mudguard mounts.  Recentlybought the London Road frameset  when it was heavily reduced to replace it.

    The XLS is a great frame & not much slower than my summer bike. I guess it really depends on your priorities. Mine never really went off road so discs & mudguads was top priority.

    I like the look of the BBB but there is now more choice for this type of frame. How about something from Kinesis e.g. the Racelight or Crosslight?

    September 21, 2016 at 11:23 am #878439
    0
    Anonymous

    Loving my Orro Terra Gravel.
    Loving my Orro Terra Gravel. Classy looking frame, mudguard eyelets, TRP Spyres and sweet 3T finishing kit.

    September 21, 2016 at 10:48 am #878437
    0
    kil0ran

    XLS is quite an old frameset

    XLS is quite an old frameset now, and was always considered to be the racier of their CX frames (the Dirty Disco was the more relaxed version). Pretty sure it doesn’t have mudguard mounts either.

    I was very tempted by the BBB but ended up going with a Merida Cyclocross 500 as I needed to get the bike on CtW. There are a few places selling for around £750 – 105, carbon fork, 6066 frameset, thru-axle to front, internal routing, Spyre-C’s. Comes with 33mm rubber, with clearance for more (sans guards). Has standard mudguard eyelets at the rear and slightly less standard ones at the front (plug in halfway up fork, with an under-crown fixing). Paintjob is a bit marmite, but I like the pale blue and white. 

    September 20, 2016 at 7:25 pm #878435
    0
    daccordimark
    Jez Ash wrote:
    I got a BBB.  It’ll take rack and guards which were both a must for commuting duties for me.  It’s a great ride, and usefully lighter than either the Arkose or London Road mentioned above.  If you live somewhere hilly like I do then that counts.

    I’d recommend it.

    Not an issue for the OP but I don’t think you can fit a pannier rack on the BBB. The mudguard adaptors they sell to go with it are way too flimsy for that.

     

    September 20, 2016 at 6:21 pm #878433
    0
    Jez Ash

    I got a BBB.  It’ll take rack

    I got a BBB.  It’ll take rack and guards which were both a must for commuting duties for me.  It’s a great ride, and usefully lighter than either the Arkose or London Road mentioned above.  If you live somewhere hilly like I do then that counts.

    I’d recommend it.

    September 20, 2016 at 4:15 pm #878431
    0
    graybags

    Can I let you know after the

    Can I let you know after the weekend, I’ve entered my first novice cross event with my new XLS 🙂

    September 20, 2016 at 2:47 pm #878429
    0
    Langsam

    Loads of possibilities. The

    Loads of possibilities. The GT Grade and Pinnacle Arkose ranges seem to offer pretty good value.

     

    The PX London Road maybe, too, depending on how much commuting duties are in thr remit.

    September 20, 2016 at 12:29 pm #878427
    0
    leqin

    Bought myself a BBB a couple

    Bought myself a BBB a couple of months ago and I’m loving it, so much so that I took all of the Ultegra 6800 kit I had on one frame and then bought some 685 Shimano calipers and levers plus some Hunt 4 Season wheels to top it off. Gorgeous bike that gets comments everywhere I take her and she just as happy crawling around in mud as zooming down country lanes or climbing the Pennines and then working as my commuter when needed.

    September 20, 2016 at 11:38 am #878425
    0
    King_Louis

    I was stuck in the same

    I was stuck in the same thought process. I had a Planet X RT-57 which I was using for sportives and racing. The rear dropouts wore down in the carbon making my rear wheel unsteady, I called them up and they said its two months out of warranty too bad, it is 2 years and two months old. 

     

    I bought the CAADX 105 4 weeks ago and have ridden 700 miles on it. It’s a beautiful bike which takes a punishing whether it has slicks on it or the CX tyres supplied. I use it as my commuter and at the moment my weekend bike due to the Planet X being un-rideable. I plan to use it as my do everything bike throughout the winter and then buy a decent race bike in the spring.

    I hope this helps.

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.