more planet-x...

flatface

Arrgh, just before I squeezed the purchase button the nanolight red deal has gone up £100 which with delivery puts it over 2k in euros, just too much.

The advantage of the nanolight red deal is that it also includes the upgrade to the brakes with swisstop, energy crank over gossomer, and carbon seatpost over the alloy. These add up to about £125 if you add them to the rival or force deal.

If you had to choose would you go with a nanolight rival or a sl carbon red?

Lumen

Nanolight, because it looks better.

niceonetom

Nanolight.

Is it the high-mod or the normal one? Tyre clearance might be an issue...

flatface

nanolight is high-modulus so should be no clearance issue on the large. Thanks Tom.

I agree with you on the looks, but is it also a good deal spec wise?

niceonetom

flatface wrote: »

nanolight is high-modulus so should be no clearance issue on the large. Thanks Tom.

I agree with you on the looks, but is it also a good deal spec wise?

I don't know if the internet has passed verdict on the nanolight yet. The consensus on the older frame is largely positive, punctuated by some shrill but persistent whining about stiffness and some (IMO) valid concerns about the looks. I like mine, and find it perfectly adequate for my needs, but my eye contimues to wander. I think it always would though, even if I got a Cervelo/Pinerello/Colnago etc.etc.

What's the full spec?

If it was a straight choice tween new frame with rival or old frame with red I'd go for the new frame everytime.

All this stuff with brakes and cranks confuses me though, but I think I'd still come straight down on the side of the nanolight. I've seen a couple in the flesh now, in black and in white. It looks good. I still don't like the new graphics (or tbh, the old ones) but they look better than they photograph.

2k is proper money though... you have options.

flatface

Thanks Tom,

Specs are as follows:

SL Pro Carbon RED £1,099

Nanolight RIVAL £1,399

Nanolight RED £1,599

Each of the above is a jump of 244 euros. I was gung ho for the Nanolight RED last week as it was £1,499 and the upgrades to the seatpost, cranks, brakes as well as the red components looked worth the extra £100 but now I think the rival nanolight would be the one to go for as I dont have 2k to spend.
I really like the nanolight styling and I guess the rival group should be plenty.

niceonetom

Yeah, I'd discount the Po entirely as too-much-grouppo-not-enough-frame. Of the two nanolight offers, well it comes down to whether the upgrades are what you want.

I haven't used sram of any flavour so I can't really comment, but most people seem to think that the jump from rival to force to red is pretty small, and that rival is perfectly race worthy - on a par with Ultegra supposedly.

The difference in cranks - I don't think I'd ever notice.

Seatpost - ditto. You won't notice the difference in weight or vibration damping, but you might think you do.

Brakes - I'd research that a bit. Does Lumen have the CNC version? He has something similar on the Ti bike... forged brakes attempting to look cnc'd don't really appeal to me, but I'm sure they work, and they would at least give you a starting point once upgraditis strikes.

Of those three, if it were my money, I'd go for the Rival offer. But it's really about whether the spec increase is worth it to you.

Lumen

I have the CNC brakes on one of my non-race bikes. The quick release design is a bit crap, not ideal for racing (if you do the sort of racing which requires fast wheel changes). Basically, if you have the pads set close to the rim, you can't actually get the wheel out without unwinding the screw a bit.

Otherwise they're fine. There is obvious irony in selling a race bike with brakes not suitable for racing, but that's Planet-X for you. :pac:

flatface

Really appreciate the helpful advice there guys. I guess I was just really dissapointed when the RED went up in price out of my price range but I now feel happier with concentrating on the frame I really want over components that may/may not be noticable. Cheers

Possedion

The Nano is a pretty dull looking bike, they certainly saved a few bob on the paint job!! (boring)

flatface

Possedion wrote: »

The Nano is a pretty dull looking bike, they certainly saved a few bob on the paint job!! (boring)

At this price point a lot of bikes are kinda generic looking so I reckon its better to go simple mono-colour. The only bike Ive seen lately that looks really different are the ones by the windsurf company neil pryde but for a lot more dosh.

Possedion

flatface wrote: »

At this price point a lot of bikes are kinda generic looking so I reckon its better to go simple mono-colour. The only bike Ive seen lately that looks really different are the ones by the windsurf company neil pryde but for a lot more dosh.

thought those guys only did windsurfing kit. nice looking bike... good parts.

DirkVoodoo

Possedion wrote: »

The Nano is a pretty dull looking bike, they certainly saved a few bob on the paint job!! (boring)

Saw one in Wheelworx, surrounded by Felt ARs and Bianchi Infinitos, it didn't look any less spectacular. The photos don't do it justice, there are a lot of neat looking curves on that frame and it looks expensive, which the SL Pro doesn't (that's not to say it isn't a great bike).