Should I buy this Planet X RT 58

gaffmaster

Hi! I currently ride a Giant Defy 4 (2009) with a Shimano 2200 8-speed groupset. The biggest upgrade I have made over the years are the Mavic Aksium Wheels.

Now. I'm considering buying this Planet X RT 58
£800 (I live in UK at the moment) seems good value for
- Carbon frame and forks
- Ultegra shifters and derailleurs (FSA Gossamer Chainset)
- Campagnolo Khamsin Wheelset

A few questions for those with more knowledge than me:
I mainly ride in the summer months and try to cover a couple of sportives a season. Will I notice significant difference between this and my Defy 4? I'm also looking into joining a club.

Are the Campy wheels any use, or are my Aksiums worth putting on the PX?

If i opt for the matt black, is it any more difficult to maintain than the gloss finish?

Thanks for any input and helping me decide.

CramCycle

The answer is always going to be yes.

I wouldn't be concerned about swapping the wheels, they are not far off each other, apparently the Mavics spokes are better but reports are that the Khamsin do far better under a heavy load, all in all, I doubt many would notice the difference.

I would just keep the Mavics as back ups, or take off the Campys and keep them as back ups but based on what you say, its possible the hub on the Aksiums will not take the 11 speed, I can't remember which hubs are and are not compatible with 10 and 11 speed so you would have to ask someone else about that.

quozl

Aksiums will take 11 speed cassettes. They used their own special mavic spacer which coincidentally was almost exactly the correct dimensions of an 11 speed spacer from back before 11 speed even existed.

So you're sorted to also use the Aksiums.

I dunno which is better though.

Brian?

Buy it. All other analysis is pointless.

the.red.baron

gaffmaster wrote: »

Hi! I currently ride a Giant Defy 4 (2009) with a Shimano 2200 8-speed groupset. The biggest upgrade I have made over the years are the Mavic Aksium Wheels.

Now. I'm considering buying this Planet X RT 58
1.100,00 € ( €1,100 []) (I live in UK at the moment) seems good value for
- Carbon frame and forks
- Ultegra shifters and derailleurs (FSA Gossamer Chainset)
- Campagnolo Khamsin Wheelset

A few questions for those with more knowledge than me:
I mainly ride in the summer months and try to cover a couple of sportives a season. Will I notice significant difference between this and my Defy 4? I'm also looking into joining a club.

Are the Campy wheels any use, or are my Aksiums worth putting on the PX?

If i opt for the matt black, is it any more difficult to maintain than the gloss finish?

Thanks for any input and helping me decide.

the freehub on those wheels is weak , mine lasted less than a year/10k and the replacement freehub is the cost of a new wheel.

It was destroyed, not just a little loose, like someone took a shotgun to it. Having looked around it seems to be an issue.

Never an issue with any other wheel

Hmmzis

Had the same freehub issue on a set of campy and a set of fulcrums. The frehub bearings are crap in them. The outside one is reasonably easy to replace but the inside one is a total b!&#% to replace. The sizes are very common and cheap though.

the.red.baron

any idea of a part number on those?

Hmmzis

the.red.baron wrote: »

any idea of a part number on those?

Campy freehub (Scirocco and below) - 26x17x5 a.k.a. 6803-2RS

Fulcrum 7 - 6901-2RS (don't have the dimensions at hand but the code should be enough).

Any decent bearings shop will have them for not much money.

OP - the bike looks great, especially for that sort of money. The RT-58 is supposed to be their sportive geometry model, exactly what you are aiming to do with it. I'd say go for it, don't worry about the wheels too much.

gaffmaster

Thanks for all the support and insight! Think I'll take the plunge.

Now... the very import question of... which colour?

Eamonnator

gaffmaster wrote: »

Thanks for all the support and insight! Think I'll take the plunge.

Now... the very import question of... which colour?

Matte black.

gaffmaster

The trigger has been pulled!

Thanks again everyone.

Eamonnator

gaffmaster wrote: »

The trigger has been pulled!

Thanks again everyone.

What colour?

gaffmaster

Matt black of course!