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Planetx RT-58 alloy tiagra 2014, Canondale CAAD 9 2009, or Genesis Equilibrium 00 2014??
Hi,
I am considering £600 for the Planet X RT-58 alloy or £600 for the Genesis Equilibrium 00 - both new. There is also, for £500 a Canondale CAAD tiagra 2009 for £500 second hand (although, little used).
Can you give me any advice.
I am new to road riding and am looking for best value for money of the 3 options in case I end up selling. On a positive note, I also want the best future-proofed bike in case I wish to upgrade components. I imagine the "winning" bike would meet both these criteria.
The plan is to ride longish distances/sportives, and for fitness, but, as I am retired, there will be no commuting!
The specs look similar apart from the steel frame on the Genesis
I am only considering the canondale because the frame had such great reviews back then, but I don't know how much alloy technology has developed since then.
it would be great to hear some advice.
magslmac
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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22 comments
Go train and do the 100! I'm doing a 50m will with my father in law in a few weeks and he's 73!!
I can only hope I'm that fit when I hit 70+
That seals it. I'm on. Shame is the best motivator! Best of luck to you both.
Hi magslmac pleased you got your order away. I wonder (being new to cycling) can the shop offer you a proper bike fit to get you 'on the road' correctly before you pick up the bike?
I've made the mistake of purchasing my bikes (correct size) but the finer points of correct seat post and saddle positioning, handle bar set up is very important and ignored by most cyclists. For me coming back into cycling I struggled over the last few years with lower back, knee issues. A proper bike fit helped me enormously and I have no niggly issues any more.
Thanks. I was fitted in the bike shop and as a result was told I was a 54 size with a 110mm
Stem. No other customised bits apparently required. I will ask for a correct setup when I collect the bike. Is this what you mean?
Thanks to T1berius, Budd, timblake7, and velomoose for making my day/year. I decided to back my hunch thatmost people on this site were unfamiliar with Planet X because they had no access to their bikes other than online. Accordingly I went with my informed-by-google instincts and ordered an RT-58 alloy on Saturday through the Edinburgh Planet X shop. I am greatly excited, so thanks for the positive feedback from you guys.
Thanks also to the canondale and genesis brigade as I covet their brands for the future - especially the Equlibrium 10.
Now to find out what I am going to do with the bike in reality as I am a frequent rpm gym class attender but only a road virgin. Will my 62 year old ambitions to do a 100 mile sportive prove fantasy or will the knees shudder with fear and imbalance at the passing of the first articulated lorry and a white van on a rural b road?!! I will have up to 21 days to wait and see.
magslmac
I've not ridden the other two so can't compare, but I've been riding the alloy RT-58 for a couple of months now and love it. Light for the money and a decent combination of comfortable and quick. Tiagra does what it says on the tin (which is fine). It climbs particularly well, I find.
Worth knowing (if you live down south) that they have a dealership in St Albans (Triathalon Zone, who were brilliant).
Also worth checking whether you can actually get the size/colour you're after - I got literally the last large frame in black in the country. Other sizes had more stock though.
Thanks so much. I have just ordered one from my local Edinburgh Planet X store and your feedback has lessened my guilt at spending so much money ( you can tell I'm new to this!).
Just taken delivery of an alloy Rt58 and ridden it twice, once in anger! First impressions are it's fast, geometry is good—sharp turn in but not twitchy fast, reasonably comfortable and as good value as it looks
Just thought I'd add my £0.02
I'm getting back into road biking after a long hiatus and recently got a Cannondale SuperSix Evo 105 6. I'd just like to say it's an awesome bike (Ok the wheels were the 1st thing to go but as I had a set of Mavic ksyrium on my other bike it's all good).
With your budget I'd go for SuperSix Evo 5 and some nice wheels
I'm no expert but am now doing 100+ miles a week on it and its lush!
Cheers,
T1b
Big fan of Genesis Equilibrium 10, have slightly shortened stem on mine and it is a lovely day ride, am beating times set in 2012 on a giant Defy 2 all-aluminium bike, but its main strength is as a mile-eater, especially with current state of roads. I ride son's Cannondale CAAD 8 Sora too and that is quite a bit lighter, not quite as comfortable but more responsive and probably a bit faster for the average rider. I have conti Touring 28 tyres on the Genesis and although I will never be KOM I can happily average 14mph + for a day ride, not too bad at age 64.
Completely biased, me; because my Equilibrium is my pride and joy. It's got character and at every tea-stop I enjoy being accosted by cyclists admiring its classic lines.
If you want to remain anonymous, buy one of the others.
Is your equilibrium a 00 or more? and do you think your comments apply to the 00 2014 ( carbon fork)?
My Equilibrium was bought as a frameset two years ago, before the 00, 10 and 20 classification arrived. It's Reynolds 725, which is a truly lovely tubing, and has a carbon fork. I built it up using Campag' Centaur ( I am sticking at ten gears ) and Fulcrum wheels.
If I say so myself, it's a cracking bike, swift but comfortable, handsome yet workmanlike. If one of my children was kidnapped and they demanded my Genesis as ransom ....... a tough call!
Sounds great. I think I will aim for such a bike in the future when I have established my needs.
I've been a Cannondale rider for years with my CAAD3 frameset 17-18 years old still going strong (after a frame respray) with 9spd Shimano. CAAD 2009 possible the 8th incarnation you just can't go wrong, I wonder if the frameset may have come out of their American factory (even better). Great to ride, strong, very responsive and a very able frame to improve the level or equipment/wheels on. I'll never buy carbon again (I own a Super Six) because the CAAD 10 frameset 2014 £799 for those in 'the know' is the best aluminum frame in the world!
However 'steel is real' and the only other choose here is the Genesis. Reynolds 520 tubing sound as a pound at this price point. On a club ride two weeks back a luck rider had just taken delivery of a 853 Genersis frameset/Ultegra/Hed wheelset - wow what a frameset! Beautiful!
Take both for a ride? If you are on the more heavier side weight wise (at the moment
) the Cannondale will be stiffer, agile and less pron to flexing compared to a steel frame. I used to race on Reynolds 531c back in the day, steel will flex more.
Thanks greatly for that. I am a bit on the heavy side at present (89kgs) so hear what you say about canondale. I guess you would lean me towards the canondale then despite the fact it is 5 years older than the genesis equilibrium 00 which has a carbon fork?
I should have said that the canondale frame was indeed made in America.
I agree with what 'Mike the Bike' says but the Cannondale frame USA made from their own factory (now closed with production shipped to Taiwan) is to good an opportunity to miss you shouldn't be disappointed. If cycling really hits the spot and you end up cycling all year round (during winter - club riding)a second bike will be on the horizon for when the sun really shines . You'll have more knowledge, hopefully a bigger budget for a high sped'd Genesis Equilibrium - just that little bit different from the norm or another Cannondale
Cheers for that. I assume £500 seems a fair price for the canondale?
Always worth a barter £400 - £450 if you can, then any savings can go towards a saddle bag, bottle & cages, inner tubes etc etc. if it's 'as new' condition, hardly used then your paying (possibly?) half the original RRP even a better feeling you've bought a real bargin
Thanks so far guys. Greatly appreciated. I am curious why no-one seems to be rating the all-tiagra Planet X bike. Is this because you haven't ridden one or is there something more I should be aware of. It seems to be the best specified bike for the price out there, and I tend to favour it over the equilibrium 00 as it seems commonly held that a the higher spec equilibriums are significantly better.
The canondale I regret to say, after trial today, is just too small. Pity.
Can't comment on the RT-58 but I have been riding the PlanetX RT-57 since April this year and find it excellent. I am a relative newbie to cycling so not an expert but you do seem to get a lot for your money with PlanetX.
regards,
Budd.