[bobofgold]

Hi all,
This is my first post on the forum and I’m fairly inexperienced in the world of cycling!

Basically I’m looking in to getting a new bike under the Cycle2Work scheme. I currently have a second hand road bike that was cost around £300 when it was purchased new by my sisters fiance a few years ago. It’s fairly battered and there are problems with the gears, saddle and it weighs a fair amount. I use it every day but only do around 15km/day on my commute which is mostly stop starty through central London. I do go on longer rides occasionally but I’m often wary of the problems with the bike and getting stranded. I’d certainly like to do this more often!

I’ve had a look at a few options and reviews and have come to the conclusion that I might as well go for an upgrade with the Cycle2Work scheme allowing me to spend up to £1000. The two options that I’ve sort of narrowed down to are the Mekk Poggio 1.5 Sora for £824 or the Planet X Pro Carbon Ultegra for £999. Both are full carbon frames but the Planet X obviously comes with the much better Ultegra groupset.From what I’ve read the Poggio frame is of better quality.

Anywho Questions:

How much difference am I likely to notice coming from a £300 “unbranded” steel framed bike to a carbon frame with a branded groupset?

Am I better off saving some money and going for the Poggio, with it’s better frame, and potentially looking in to upgrading the groupset at a later date?

Any input or alternitive suggestions would be much appreciated!

Topic

[Jimbonic]

Don’t know about the Poggio.
Don’t know about the Poggio. But, having Planet-X Pro Carbon, I can say, go for it.

I would nip down to your local bike shop, if I were you to check out frame sizing. You won’t find a Planet-X, but you can see what geometry fits you. It’s what I did!

I’m over the moon with mine. I had a Cannondale R2000si Ultegra (2005) before this and, while the Planet-X won’t touch the Cannondale on handling, overall (handing + comfort) I’d go for the Planet-X – comfy and plenty fast enough.

Good luck and enjoy whatever you go for. At the end of the day, I’m sure you’ll enjoy either over your previous steed (assuming you get the frame size right, as posted by someone earlier)

[Cycle_Jim]

Well £180 would get you some
Well £180 would get you some good shoes pedals and other kit I guess? If you aready have that though may make your decision a little difficult. If it were me I’d go for the Potenza, because I already have the poggio 😉

[bobofgold]

Just looking at the Potenza
Just looking at the Potenza now. BeeLineBicycles have got the same model listed at £999 on their ebay. I’ll call them today and see if eBay purchases still include the warranty etc. I can’t imagine me spending a lot more money in the near future (though who knows what will happen if I really start getting in to it!) so would I be better off going for the Potenza with Better frame and 105 groupset or the Planet X with the Ultegra at the same price or save £180 and go for the Poggio with Sora. As far as aesthetics are concerned I definitely like the Poggio so if the groupset isn’t going to make a huge difference to an novice then I think I’d go for that.

[Cycle_Jim]

Oh just had a look, they have
Oh just had a look, they have a Mekk potenza 3g which is apparently a better frame. Plus in stealth black. £1099.99 though so perhaps out of price range!

[Cycle_Jim]

+1 for Mekk, but it may be
+1 for Mekk, but it may be worth holding out a little – I did see a decent offer on wiggle recently though but perhaps have a look around for the 2012 models and see if you can get a better offer? Edinburgh Cycles still had 2011/2 Poggio 2.5 (black 105/ultegra mix I think) for £999

I went from old steel road thing to the Mekk and the difference really will blow your socks off! Whole different ride!

My mekk cost me £835 about easter time this year. Done 2000 mi on it, taking it for a service this week as has some wear and tear on cables and what not, nothing out of the ordinary though. The wheels and brakes get mixed reviews, personally the wheels are fine as far as I’m concerned and I don’t really feel the need to burn some money when they are perfectly good. Brakes aren’t the best but some decent pads make for a quick fix till I get round to a new pair on the girl. Next easter I’m looking at perhaps new wheels if there are some offers floating around, new brakes and possibly new drive train (I’m fixated on a bigger chainring) Okay I’m waffling now so I’ll stop!

[Gman59c]

Bob, I got mine in November
Bob, I got mine in November 2012, so the sales were on, I actually thought they’d made a mistake and the order would be cancelled, thankfully the bike turned up. If you are not desperate for a bike just now I’d wait a bit and get something in the sales. Otherwise you might want to think about aluminium, like the Cube Peloton Pro, or Giant Defy.

[bobofgold]

I think the decision may come
I think the decision may come down to the fact that Planet X charge a 10% admin fee. This adds on an extra £100 to the price of the bike. I would also need to pay the extra for pedals, shoes and other accessories at full price out of my own pocket.

Gman59c, your £880 Poggio 2.5 sounds mythical! I can’t find it for less than £1200.

[ilovemytinbred]

You can try planet x out I
You can try planet x out I think if you pay a visit to their showroom, but I guess it depends where you live or how far you will travel.
If I was you I would ride a bike before I bought it, unless you really know what you want, and the fit that works best.

A real clunker of a bike will feel better than the best bike if you mess up the size, plus some bikes just feel right and tastes differ.
My best bike I really love, I could not have guessed the fit would have been so perfect from the numbers, and it rides so so well. Yet I once saw someone post up it was the worst bike they had ridden.

[Gman59c]

I managed to get a Mekk
I managed to get a Mekk Poggio 2.5 (mix of Ultegra and 105) from Wiggle in their sale last year for £880. I had been looking at the Ridley Orion but the Mekk had something like a 56% discount on that particular day.

I am delighted with the Mekk, although so far I have upgraded the wheels and brakes are just waiting to be fitted. Who doesn’t want to upgrade their bike as soon as they buy it though. I love my Mekk it feels fast, light and responsive.

However, Planet X also look good I am currently looking at their Dirty Disco frame for a CX. Carbon and ultegra for under a grand seems a great deal. Maybe look at the length of the guarantee on the frame.

[AWP]

morethansonglyrics wrote:Go

morethansonglyrics wrote:

Go planet-x. Their stuff is fantastic quality and brilliantly priced.

Personally i’d get the Pro Carbon with SRAM rival for the same price. Personal preference towards SRAM and because the rival groupset makes a good weight saving on ultegra.

+1 on the Planet X.

I have the Pro Carbon flatbar with SRAM Force. Really top bike for commuting and bought on the Cycle2Work. The Force gears are definitely up their with the Ultegra that I have on my Scott bike; in someways slicker. I wouldn’t go for the Rival though, the weight saving isn’t worth the reduced smoothness. Just my point of view.

I organise the C2W scheme at work and suggested the Pro Carbon Ultegra to a colleague and as a result got dragged up there to help him out with advise. I had a ride of the demo bike and found it excellent, really nice ride. How they can do it for the money is just incredible. My colleague has ordered one and is due for delivery next week.

I don’t think you can go wrong.

[morethansonglyrics]

Go planet-x. Their stuff is
Go planet-x. Their stuff is fantastic quality and brilliantly priced.

Personally i’d get the Pro Carbon with SRAM rival for the same price. Personal preference towards SRAM and because the rival groupset makes a good weight saving on ultegra.

[700c]

I think the Mekk is less of a
I think the Mekk is less of a risk as you presumably would buy from your local bike shop. Planet x is mail order only?

The difference between your current bike and these would be quite significant. You might initially find it less comfortable, but you will get used to it. You will notice how much easier it is to go uphill, to accelerate and in general how much more efficient it is.

The difference between sora and ultegra is also significant, moreso probably than any difference in frame quality of the two you mention, I’d wager this would swing it in the decision making process, if you are willing to take a bit of a punt.

If it was me, i’d actually go to your lbs in sale time and test ride some

[Shanefutcher]

Hi and welcome to the forum.a
Hi and welcome to the forum.a lot depends on what you want from the bike.is it speed/comfort or both.some are racier than others.go on Evans bikes website and have a look as they do the CTW scheme and have a sale on bikes at moment.leave at least £100 of budget for pedals,shoes,cleats

[Author]

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