Planet-X RT -58 Carbon - which one?

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.

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.

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

doom and gloom fishwives - brillaint

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

I am a big 15 stone lad who has put 7000 plus miles in on my RT58 and have had no issues. B

I just thought that I would add my twopence worth regarding PX RT58 Carbon. I cycle around 6 or 7k miles p a. I have been riding a Schwinn Fastback Pro alloy /carbon for 10 years and it is still going strong. I believe that this Taiwanese frame was also sold under the Planet X brand name ? Anyway I've just built up a new bike using a PX RT58 carbon frame (Incidentally IMO you're not a real cyclist until you can build and repair your own kit)-It has full ultegra 10s and Kysirium Elite wheels and it weighs in at 7.45 kg or 16lbs 7oz.
I have so far test ridden this bike about 175miles and every thing is now bedded in and adjusted to my liking. To put it bluntly this bike is pure joy to ride. It handles superbly. It is very stiff yet comfortable and it handles like a dream and it is a real looker. Oh! And it goes like s..t off a shovel ! ! ! The first main test will be Tour de Yorkshire Sportive on May 3rd but there again it might not last that long according to some of the dome and gloom old fishwives that inhabit this blog !

The Ultegra version was the first of the RT58s in their Sale. They did 100 of em and then switched to the Rival version. I guess it was based on what they had lots of in stock.

A mate of mine passed on the Ultegra one and then went for the Rival one as a) he wanted 34-32 gearing for the Alps and b) he prefers DoubleTap.

Dude who broke his last week is hardly what you'd call large. I don't hate carbon, I have two carbon, one alu and one steel bike, all have their merits. I've just seen Planet X frames fail far too many times to go anywhere near them.

I'm sure my clubfeet would be happy for me to stick the pic up of his, depending what he gets back from them now it's gone back for inspection.

Just to make the Carbon haters happy: https://www.canyon.com/en/roadbikes/bike.html?b=3577

Aluminium frame, full Shimano 105, 8.2kg claimed weight

Maybe a bit left field but how about:
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/ZXMAYPXRT58C/planet-x-rt-58-carbon-road-fra.... £339.99 until midnight tonight.
http://www.cycledivision.co.uk/product-info.php?Cero_AR24_Alloy_Clincher.... £175 wheels as already suggested. And seem to come with free tyres.
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/gsd/road-track-bike/shimano-105-5800-black.... £298.95.
That's £813.94 for a full carbon 105 11 speed setup with a decent pair of wheels. And you get to make the bike yourself which can only be a good thing.

Just a thought.

I know you are asking for advice specifically about Planet X bikes but my £800 would be going elsewhere.
My £800 would be going to Winstanleys as they have a Merida Scultura Alloy 904 2014 bike at £635, especially as it is in my size M/L 54 (more like a 56 in trek or specialized) and a set of better wheels (something like Cero A24 - approx 1550gsm at 175 from Cycle Division). If you really want carbon they have the equivalent carbon bike with a big discount in loads of sizes at £799. Not quite full 10 speed 105 but v.good for the money. Personally I had a Scultura Alloy a few years back, frame stiff enough not too flex but not shake out your fillings, full carbon fork, brilliant bike. (I am a similar weight to you as well)

I believe the OP asked about Shimano versus SRAM in the original post?

I've had Tiagra - it ain't pretty but it works.

But more to the point the SRAM bike is GREEN - it's a well known fact that green bikes are bad luck and if you buy it horrible things will happen. So don't get it.

Which is about as based in evidence and logic as all the 'carbon bad alu good/alu bad carbon good' comments you're going to get on here.

"Planet X are a pile it high and sell it cheap kind of company. That's always going to annoy some, as it's the opposite end of the spectrum from the romantic view of legendary cycling brands. They will talk about soul and heritage, while PX focus on volume and value."

Not sure what your point is here really. Value is highly subjective. Bikes that break through normal riding yet are 'affordable' are not good value. Planet x is cheap and a lot of their stuff borders on tat. I've got some bits of kit that I use for shitty weather, and their bottle cages are awesome.

Unsure why you are bringing Colnango and the whole 'heritage' esque stuff in here; it seems abit tangenty...

There isn't anything particularly lenegendary or romantic about cannondale, Spez and the like, other than they make fantastic bikes.

While we are the subject of climbing, I'll assure you that a cheaper Alu frame (perhaps from Planet X or ribble!) will be way stiffer for hitting the bergs than low end carbon. Heck, Alu can give high end carbon a run for its money!

One of my brothers club mates has a PX carbon - he still misses his CAAD.

Its not about carbon vs alu, it's what is the best bike you can get for the money (as in best FOR YOU).

On that basis, the Rt58 with Rival for 800 quid is a bloody good buy. I bought the Ultegra version for the same price last month, and so far I'm delighted.

Not a full gruppo, but the FSA brakes are fine and with better pads they'll be great. The FSA chainset is lighter than Ultegra and I quite like the look of it. I got Campag Khamsins which are perfectly good basic training wheels, will be the first upgrade I buy.

Planet X are a pile it high and sell it cheap kind of company. That's always going to annoy some, as it's the opposite end of the spectrum from the romantic view of legendary cycling brands. They will talk about soul and heritage, while PX focus on volume and value.

When I can build my dream bike on a money's no object basis, it's unlikely to be a PX. For now, it's the best bike I could get for my budget and when I'm cycling up the Croix de Fer as quick as any Colnago, I shall be as happy as a pig in shit.

Enjoy.

You do hear that the cheaper carbon frames are not particulary tough. There could be reasoning behind this. Carbon frame failures were much more common in years past. The costs of developing a carbon frame and creating the moulds are significant. PX will be buying an open mould (even if they own the rights to that specific mould) and using the more affordable grades of carbon fibre.

Now obviously racers and club riders will be putting far more watts down and straining the frame.... But it is something to consider.

I've had three bad crashes on my Cinelli. The frame has been fine. All frame materials can fail.

If I was getting a budget carbon bike, I'd look at Dolan or Ribble first.

A friend of mine is weighing up between a Planet X and a Ribble at the moment, I provided him the same cautionary tale as that I'm about to tell you:

Food for thought, but one of my club mates' Planet X snapped in the middle of the drive side chain stay last week. Not crashed, just snapped whilst riding. This is the third Planet X bike I've witnessed snap or seen immediately after it has. Another snapped on the top tube just going round a corner in a crit, the other was offside chain stay near the BB. None have come from crashes. The only other carbon frame I've ever seen snap in my life was a Specialized tarmac and that was in a crit crash.

There's a reason they're cheap.