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Planet-X RT -58 Carbon – which one?

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  • March 19, 2015 at 9:11 pm #23550
    alexwlondon

    Hello everyone.

    I have been following the forum for a while and learned a lot here (thanks!) but this is my first post. I started daily commuting in London some years ago and have been riding an hybrid Tachyon GT 4. I have done quite a few thousand miles on it and enjoyed changing various parts as they gave up the ghost.

    I think I am ready to try a road bike. I’d go for alloy but I can see the price of carbon frames has plummetted while I was learning to cycle, so I am quite tempted. I see many here stating that the RX-58 Carbon by Planet-X is a perfectly OK frame. Can I check with you whether this comment applies to someone heavier than average (90kg) who would need a fairly comfortable bike? I do 15miles daily without a problem and want to do longer stints at weekends.

    If the frame is fine, can I ask you for advice between the

    http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT58RIV22BNC/planet-x-rt-58-carbon-sram-rival-22-bianco-edition

    http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT58CTIA/planet-x-rt-58-shimano-tiagra-carbon-road-bike

    Shimano or or Sram? Both at £799 right now.

    I’ve been with Shimano on previous bikes but they were cheap groupsets so I guess these are completely different pieces of kit.

    Thanks!

    Alex

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Viewing 15 replies - 31 through 45 (of 74 total)
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  • March 26, 2015 at 11:42 pm #838039
    0
    fenix

    Photos of the cracked frames
    Photos of the cracked frames or its just hearsay.

    I’m on three Px frames now and they’re possibly the most popular bike for triathlons.

    They’re cheap cos they haven’t the overheads of the bigger brands and sell direct through their shops. They aren’t going to take short cuts.

    March 26, 2015 at 10:01 pm #838037
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    Chasseur Patate

    Having just been told how my
    Having just been told how my clubmate is getting on with a resolution to his snapped frame, turns out their customer service is absolutely shocking too, more reasons why they’re cheap.

    March 26, 2015 at 6:18 pm #838035
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    Batchy

    According to Planet X their
    According to Planet X their RT 58 is their design and mold. I read somewhere recently that the bike that Cadel Evans won the time on (and consequently the TdF ) was an open mold Chinese made frame badged up as BMC. Also the same frame was sold by several other outfits including PX. Though I personally cannot prove this. But what’s good enough for Cadel is certainly more than good enough for me !

    March 26, 2015 at 9:43 am #838033
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    Chasseur Patate

    Doesn’t change that I’ve seen
    Doesn’t change that I’ve seen three snap. I’m only going by my experiences. They’re open moulds made by xpace in China. I suspect it’s down to the layup and QC. Still, it’s not my money / bones. They’re disposable bikes in a way and priced accordingly. As long as people know what they’re getting I don’t have a dog in the fight.

    March 25, 2015 at 11:13 pm #838031
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    Mrmiik

    The cost is generally in the
    The cost is generally in the development, infrastructure and marketing – not manufacturing. All the stuff the PX naysayers are mentioning come from Taiwanese factory’s too… So errr.

    Look a schwalbe constructing an entire factory just for their new one tire. The rubber and construction of the tire is cheap enough to achieve. Figuring out how to design a fantastic race tire – less so.

    The design of the Madone to be aero yet stiff and light enough is the cost there. You are paying for that.

    March 25, 2015 at 11:06 pm #838029
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    Mrmiik

    I could be wrong but there
    I could be wrong but there does seem to be Abit of a split between racers and club riders on one side and sportive types on the other? Not meaning any offence at all by this – and please correct me if I’m wrong. Clearly these two groups of cyclists have different needs – something to consider.

    March 25, 2015 at 10:25 pm #838027
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    LeighNichol

    My friends carbon Focus
    My friends carbon Focus cracked all the way down the top tube. That wasn’t a cheap bike. I’ve done 4,000 miles on my Planet X pro carbon with no issues whatsoever, I’ve also got a Giant Defy, which regularly gets rave reviews and best bike awards. Personally find the Planet X more comfortable, plus it’s faster and lighter. If that is what low end carbon is like I’ll take it.

    March 25, 2015 at 10:08 pm #838025
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    Batchy

    In what context is cheap.
    In what context is cheap. Does this mean inferior or just less expensive to manufacture?
    Does expensive mean superior or just costs a lot more to buy because of marketing hype?

    Some products are loving had crafted and designed to a very high standard in small numbers using the best materials available .These products will naturally be far more expensive to buy. They may well look better and perform marginally better. You will probably have make a special order at your LBS to get one of these products.
    Therefore if it is in stock and more or less readily available it will have been made using a more industrial production line to reduce costs and be more accessible to the general public. To all intents and purposes and given decent specifications these products will arguably perform much the same as the hand crafted very expensive products. The most important factor to take into account with mass produced items is quality control not necessarily price. Some people make the assumption that for example a Chinese or Taiwanese worker is somewhat interior to a European one. There was a time, when I was a lad, when some folk poked fun at the first Toyota cars to arrive on these shores. Well they don’t poke fun anymore do they. Especially in Sunderland !
    I many cases a brand name and glossy marketing can blind gullible people into assuming they are buying a superior product. I recently checked out a Trek Madone it was priced at £2500. My PX RT58 with same level of spec cost me £1800. The Trek’s wheels could be bought at Wiggle for £115. Mine has £500 Mavics ! No contest !

    March 25, 2015 at 7:33 pm #838023
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    redmeat

    Batchy wrote:An ex pro

    Batchy wrote:
    An ex pro cyclist friend of mine has just recently returned from Taiwan. He has brought back two genuine CAAD 10 frames from the factory where they are made. They cost him £225 each. They retail in the UK for £799. Most frames carbon or otherwise come from the same Chinese/Taiwanese factories they just have different badges on. True some bike companies have their own R&D and QC and according to PX this is the case with the RT 38 Carbon frame.

    Yeah but they’re ‘cheap for a reason’

    March 25, 2015 at 6:23 pm #838021
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    Batchy

    An ex pro cyclist friend of
    An ex pro cyclist friend of mine has just recently returned from Taiwan. He has brought back two genuine CAAD 10 frames from the factory where they are made. They cost him £225 each. They retail in the UK for £799. Most frames carbon or otherwise come from the same Chinese/Taiwanese factories they just have different badges on. True some bike companies have their own R&D and QC and according to PX this is the case with the RT 38 Carbon frame.

    March 25, 2015 at 3:23 pm #838019
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    Mrmiik

    allgearnoidea wrote:Mrmiik

    allgearnoidea wrote:
    Mrmiik wrote:
    That’s a great website… From 2011…
    =D> thanks for clearing that up

    No probs 😉
    I do enjoy that site, but the age of the most recent entry does point to the progress made in improving the durability of carbon, non?

    March 25, 2015 at 2:57 pm #838017
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    allgearnoidea

    Mrmiik wrote:That’s a great

    Mrmiik wrote:
    That’s a great website… From 2011…
    =D> thanks for clearing that up

    March 25, 2015 at 1:02 pm #838015
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    Mrmiik

    That’s a great website…
    That’s a great website… From 2011…

    I think the amount of watts you are putting down have more of a bearing on frame failure than weight.

    March 25, 2015 at 12:25 pm #838013
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    allgearnoidea

    http://www.bustedcarbon.com/
    http://www.bustedcarbon.com/ a great website to showcase carbon from all manufacturers

    doom and gloom fishwives – =D> brillaint

    March 25, 2015 at 12:02 pm #838011
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    redmeat

    Done just over 5,000 miles on
    Done just over 5,000 miles on my PX pro carbon and it hasn’t spontaneously combusted.

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