Cycling UK Forum

Ha, no worries, I had thought about saying something about the particular mechanic but it seemed like the shop was already aware of his difficult nature. Yes, I was basically asking with this thread what people felt would be the best way of approaching this matter. Perhaps I could have done this without mentioning the company specifically as I still swear by the product. So from what I gathered you think I should try and get hold of a detailed note of what has been done and send this to Planet X to make them aware of the issues what I have encountered!?

@reohn2 I understand where you are coming from about not leaving without a complaint. As I said, the usual customer service is wonderful and they actually apologised for the conduct of their mechanic. I told him over and over that I hadn't touched it or done a thing to it but he didn't seem to want to believe me. It did look like the issues had been fixed so I didn't have a particular issue with the work done as I left the shop. Only recently have these creaks come back and my gear mechanisms haven't felt 100%. And unsurprisingly after my past experience I didn't really feel too inclined to go back to Planet X to be treated like that again and have what felt like shoddy work done! I didn't know the extent of the issues until I had it serviced by someone else. As a company I think they're great, had loads of time and advice from them but not happy to have poor work done to my bike and then be told that I had done something wrong as well!

So after being told by a pro that they don't always set up bikes too well and then experiencing a bad setup myself I didn't think that it was worth my time and effort to go back yet again at the risk of just being dismissed again. Shop staff are great and wonderful prices, just feel bike setups should be more thorough and careful. I know they're trying to keep up with high demand but will loose customers through small mistakes.

Hi,

So I took my relatively new Planet X RT-58 back to Planet X after about 3/4 week of solid use for a free service because the steer tube was starting to make some worrying creaks. I was given it back after the half hour service with the cables having been tightened and the brakes having been poorly readjusted and told that the creaking was down to the fact that it looked like I had used a pressure washer to clean my bike and then used a poor quality lubricant on the steer tube. Now I had yet to even clean my bike never mind have the courage to take it apart to re-lubricate it.

So when the creaks started again recently I thought I'd use a trusted guy to service my bike (Cycle Pro Sheffield) instead of Planet X. Last time I used this guy to service my old Planet X Nanolight he came back and told me that he had re-setup my SRAM Rival as Planet X never seem to be able to do it right. And true to form he's come back again this time having to readjust my front and rear mech for my Ultegra which has lead to the chain being the wrong size and the new lubricant that Planet X used was wrong after all anyway. He hasn't charged me any extra for this so I don't feel like he's trying to pull the wool over my eyes. I'm just a little upset about the fact that I've spent a significant amount of time and money on a new bike which has simply not been put together properly.

I was wondering is there a specific way in which Ultegra can be set up or is it a matter of preference? Is it worth going after Planet X for some compensation for having to shell out for some extra work to be done on a new bike in a very short amount of time!?

Many thanks,

I'm not usually one to complain but just feeling somewhat aggrieved about this poor quality of service from their mechanics, the customer service has always been exquisite so this mechanical incompetence stands out all the more.

Haha yeah I'm on the bus there right now hoping that they will tell me the answers to all the silly questions I seem to have! Yeah think the finance option might be useful! Unfortunately I don't qualify for cycle to work yet as I'm still finishing my degree before going into my job! Might take advantage once I do get hold of Cycle 2 Work and pick up a super cheap winter trainer perhaps! Hoping the fitting service will make all the difference and they can/will advise me properly about bar width, stem length etc! Thanks for everyone's help and advice it's very kind and much appreciated!!

OK ok, I understand there can be an issue with the longevity of carbon parts, especially with a bike over 7 years old eh!? Right, so would I be right in assuming that an S-Works SL 2 is a slightly newer model again? because I've found one of them as well for a little less than £900 which again sounds great but I feel that I'm clutching at straws here scraping around for a bargain anywhere I can. As I'm sure you can guess I'm a bit of a sucker for a brand/original high price bargain!

I completely agree that it could be a good idea to head to a shop and talk to someone properly about fitting. However, my main fear is that they will simply find a bike that they have that will fit me best from what they have in store, rather than saying that I might be better off looking somewhere else!? Do you just know when you get on a bike which feels exactly right? So far in my experience riding a bike like this has been relatively unnatural and uncomfortable to some extent! In my mind I thought you'd be able to set up most bikes to fit anyone as long as the frame itself is about the right size? Is this a misconception then? Thanks, I really appreciate you pointing out the obvious as I've had little to no guidance about cycling and still very much learning wherever I can!

@JenniferAdcock Haha thanks for the encouraging words, it is all a bit of a faff and am keen to get riding again on whatever I can get my hands on really. Ok, makes sense that they have tried to save on the groupset in some areas but it doesn't seem like they have skimped in the important areas and that would mean it shouldn't be too expensive to upgrade the parts as and when is needed!? Previously I was using Sram Force which I gather is close enough to equivalent to the Ultegra? Yeah, the store can get pretty rammed but as a student I should be able to visit mid-week so that should save me some time eh!? Thanks, the closer the ride gets a little more daunting 100 miles becomes but Surrey is much flatter than Sheffield so I'm sure I have the ideal training ground to make sure that I'm ready by August.

@Brucey Ok, I understand that, it did seem to pick up and awful lot of crud during the winter and the last thing I wanted to do after a long ride was stand out in the cold and clean it! Maybe a winter trainer could be forked out for with a Ride To Work Scheme when I start my job.

As an aside, I've been offered a Specialized S-Works SL 1 for £1,200. The condition seems pretty good and I know when these were new they were very expensive. However, is a bike from 2007 (I think) worth that much now, even if it was in perfect condition? Described as: "Full Dura Ace group set, Mavic Cosmic Carbones wheels and Ritchie handlebars/stem" I know the technology from the groupsets seem to filter down over the years so would a Dura Ace from this long ago actually be any better than a current Ultegra? Thanks in advance for any advice, I find it tough to get a straight answer from anywhere else as most places (understandably) just want to sell me the bikes they have in store.

@Brucey ok great thanks, how important are mudguards actually if I don't mind too much about getting wet/muddy? I've been riding my old Planet X without them since October and coped, do it damage the bike or something? (Sorry for rookie questions, I'm somewhat of a newbie)

@TrevA ok thanks, the Planet X is equipped the same as the Mekk and both are carbon, so would you say they're both pretty much of a muchness?

@VanDeRooster yeah I understand where you're coming from this was really the first bike that I could find that was carbon and quite a steal, I've only ridden two other bikes (Giant Defy 4 and Mekk Poggio 1.5) but they were both early on so not too sure I could appreciate the nuances of the sizes.

With the Planet X as a compact frame should that be something I should take into account as a 6'4" rider? Or is it more about proportion?

Thanks for your help guys!!

Hi,

I appreciate there are thousands of these posts on here and as a new user I'm sure I don't fully appreciate how annoying these probably are. However, here I go anyway.

So in October 2013 I was given some money for a road bike for my birthday. On Gumtree I managed to track down a Planet X NanoLight (2012 rrp £1400) in excellent condition for £850. Full carbon, Sram Force groupset and I have been chuffed with it ever since...but...someone has recently decided that they would like to own my bike instead so have stolen it from my shed. I'm now in need of a replacement; I don't think I will get the full retail price of the bike back from my insurance company as it is a couple of years old now despite the lack of previous use. They will be offering something of similar spec (or at least the money for something like it). So I'm looking for a full carbon fairly well equiped road bike.

I have signed up for RideLondon this year and will be taking part in the 100 mile sportive on behalf of MS-UK aiming to raise about £800+. As sporty as my planet X was I felt it would have served me well enough on the day. I'm 6'4" and weigh about 180/190lbs. I am 23 and have played sport all my life so am fairly fit but never taken part in something quite so endurance based as this! I currently live in Sheffield so am no strangers to constant and grueling hill climbs. I think I should have about £1000 to play with and have a few options I have picked out:

Planet X Pro Carbon £999.00 (http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXSLPULT ... -road-bike) Sticking with the same brand and general set up (only difference in the groupset but I'm sure I could get used to the shifters)

Mekk Poggio P3.0 £999.01 (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/mekk-2g-poggio- ... egra-2013/) This looks like a hell of a steal right now as it's down from rrp £1698, I rode the 1.5 before getting my Planet X and it felt nice enough to my inexperienced self.

Sorry that this is crazy long and fairly uninteresting but if anyone has any views or alternative suggestions they would be very much welcomed.

I had my Planet X NanoLight XL Frame stolen on the 16th of March from my shed in Crookes, Sheffield

Police reference no: K24917/2014

Somewhat gutted as this was my first road bike and a birthday present. Was also supposed to be taking part in RideLondon this August for MS-UK.

Many thanks for any help!!