Planet-X Alu Mark II

Hi all,

I was looking for a Planet-X Alu Mark II Frameset in XL for a few months and finally picked one up on eBay. Plan was to build it up as my everyday, do everything (on road) bike to replace my Giant TCR (posh bike) and Felt Dispatch - SS (now stolen).

I decided that Tiagra 4600 was the way to go; offering decent shift, weight and durability all in 10-speed, but still at a very decent price. I picked up parts of the groupset from this forum and others and finally a few new parts from CRC and Planet-X.

Current build is below;
Planet-X Alu Mark II Frameset (XL)
Planet-X Carbon Fork
Planet-X Headset
Shimano Tiagra 4600 STI Shifters
Shimano Tiagra 4600 Compact Chainset
Shimano 105 5700 BB
Shimano Tiagra 4600 Rear Derailleur
Shimano 105 5700 Front Mech
Shimano Ultegra 5600 Brakeset
Deda 215 Anatomic Bars
Kalloy 130mm Stem
Thomson Seat Post Clamp
Exotic Carbon Seatpost
Felt Saddle (Temporary)
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe Wheelset (Training set with tyres for mostly turbo use)

Kit to be swapped/Added:
Planet-X Bar Tape (White)
Specialized Romin 155mm - still to purchase
Shimano 105 5700 Chain
Brake and Gear Cableset
(Steerer to be cut, bike is setup for reach currently)

Original frame pics:

Current pic:

• ignore saddle angle as the saddle is going
  
  
  

Should be all finished by Monday for a little bit of fun in Exmoor, Devon!

That's some drop. I do like those frames.

Really nice frames, keep getting tempted to get one.

All built up:

Miss matched brake and gear cables, but will replace these once they are worn out. Will get a new saddle in around a month, off for little ride tonight and then one this weekend in Exmoor.

now that is a slammed stem!

now that is a slammed stem!

Indeed, bought spacer fromf mdcc_tester. Ideal for me as due to my long arms!

First impressions of the bike are very good, the most important thing is the fit and that seems pretty much perfect! Most time has been spent on turbo (30-45 minutes everyday) but I plan to take it out for a proper ride on Exmoor later this week. Shifting feels like the old DA 7800, tempted to stick on an Ultegra 6700 crankset for a more modern feel

Little update:

Have been riding 10 to 25 miles each day on the bike (on the roads now). Fit seems really positive, quite happy with all measurements and no aches and pains as expected really. Ride of the bike is pretty harsh, but it feels very well planted at speed and especially round corners; potentially due to a long stem. Shifting is nice and am very happy overall.

I've been testing a number of saddles since after having a lot of discomfort with my current one. I had a Selle Italia saddle fit at my LBS (The Bike Shop, Harrow) and was measured to be an L2 and therefore bought a Selle Italia Max SLS. Unfortunately after 50 miles, this seems to have made things even worse so will be heading to Specialized on Saturday to get their opinion. I've also got an ISM Adamo Breakaway saddle on loan (free of charge from http://www.trybikestore.co.uk) but I can't find any comfort on this after a long time on the turbo and roads with it. Also tried a Fizik Arione, but it's too narrow for me. I'm amazed at the amount of assistance available for sourcing the correct saddle, no point going 2nd hand and taking a punt there are plenty of free test/buy and try deals to help you get the right one.

Anyway, no other changes/upgrades to bike now; it's time to get a better saddle fit and put the miles on the bike.

Selle Italia

ISM

Fizik

Glad to hear you're enjoying it, just won an identical frameset on eBay. What size seatclamp is it?

31.6 however you may want to run a thinner post and adapter to smooth out the ride (if that works)

Isn't that the seatpost size? Would expect the clamp to be around 34.9mm

Shit sorry yes youre right

Popped down to Ruislip's Specialized Concept Store this morning for another saddle fit, as I wasn't getting on with the Selle Italia. Got some what I think is unusual advice from them, which I can't say I agree with wholely but have gone with anyway.

So I was told that the correct way to set up a saddle is to angle it so it points toward the handlebars!? This should relieve all pressure on the junk area; but to me this can't be correct and certainly doesn't feel that way either?!

Anyway, I followed their advice but it isn't physically possible to ride with the saddle pointing at the bars as the angle is too steep. I rode the 8 miles home as shown below:

In fairness, the uncomfort was improved although there was a lot of additional pressure felt on wrists and I was slipping forward as expected.

If setup as mentioned the saddle angle would be as below:

I was planning on getting a bike fit through Specialized BG Fit, but after many hours on the road and turbo my current fit (bar saddle now) seems to be spot on. The drop is extreme, but it ties up with my measurements.

Any thoughts?

Saddle pointing to bars sounds like nonsense

I am surprised at what they said as well. Its my LBS and generally their advice is pretty sound.

Have you tried a selle smp. I believe the importer offers a trial service as well.

That saddle thing is utter bollocks

All of the saddles you're tried seem to be quite similar in shape? Reasonably narrow, flat and with a degree of curve down to the sides. Apart from the Adamo, which is just ridiculous. I didn't get on with the Arione at all, or a Flite either really; I've since got pretty comfortable on the Romin (which you really need to size up on) and the Romin Evo and possibly even comfier so on a Regale, need to ride it more. All have a bit more of a hammock shape and are wider.

The Romin especially is like an SMP for people who don't want their bikes to look awful, it seems.

Drop looks big between saddle and bars. Unslamming stem might help relieve pressure and solve saddle issues?

Drop looks big between saddle and bars. Unslamming stem might help relieve pressure and solve saddle issues?

Needs to be like that for a good fit, but if problem continues I'll change my position

That doesn't really make sense. Fit would not be compromised by lifting the bars.

That doesn't really make sense. Fit would not be compromised by lifting the bars.

I get that, but the whole point of buying this frameset and setting it up this way was to get the right 'aero' position on the bike. I've ridden plenty of other frames and I've always had an upright position and therefore wanted something more racey.

I'll try the current saddle on my Giant TCR and see how that feels, the drop there is slightly reduced (don't have the measurement to hand). If this makes a difference then I'll have to change the stem on my P-X

The saddle looks a lot higher than any of the suggestions in those fit tables.

So what? Some people are flexible, tall people can deal with proportionally more drop. I size down on my frames, and I'm hardly a race whippet. Might have very little to do with how comfy his saddle is; you just need a perch that engages with your ischial tuberosity in the correct fashion, or long course triathlengers would all be impotent

I'd get a fit. They'll be able to advise on suitable saddles and there may be some slight tweets to the position of the saddle that's could resolve the problem.