Planet X offers SRAM Rival AXS-equipped EC-130 for £2,700

British direct-to-consumer brand Planet X is offering new versions of its EC-130 road bike at prices that look very attractive for the level of spec on offer, the range opening with a SRAM Rival AXS build for £2,700 and topping out with a £5,500 Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 model.

We reported back in June that the future of Planet X had been secured following its sale to West Yorkshire retailer Winlong Garments Limited. At the time, Planet X said that all 33 of its jobs had been secured.

> “Future of Planet X secured” as cycling retailer sold following fears for its future 

Since then, Planet X has introduced a new version of its EC-130 road bike that’s being offered at five different spec levels.

Planet X describes the new EC-130 as “the perfect balance between aerodynamics, control, power, weight, and comfort”, so it gets a few road bike buzzwords in there, then.

The frame is made from T800 (meaning it comes from Japanese company Toray) carbon fibre and is said to feature “meticulously designed tube profiles to ensure excellent aerodynamic performance, agile handling, and all-day road buzz dampening”.

It’s by no means the most extreme-looking road bike out there but a few tried and tested aero features are present and correct, such as a seat tube that arcs around the leading edge of the front wheel/tyre and a D-profile seatpost that’s held in position by a wedge-type clamp system.

“Proven road geometry, a stable yet responsive trail figure, short wheelbase, and proven reach figures all combine to result in a fast, responsive, and agile ride,” says Planet X.

To take the medium-sized frame as an example, you get a 500mm seat tube (centre of bottom bracket to top), a 543mm top tube, and a 135mm head tube. The stack on this size is 545mm and the reach is 386mm, giving a stack/reach of 1.41. That suggests a pretty aggressive ride position. Although the chainstays are short at 406mm, you get space for 32mm tyres.

“Slimline dropped seatstays give wind-cheating compliant comfort,” says Planet X. “The large section bottom bracket junction maximises stiff power transfer with BSA threads for creak-free operation.”

As is increasingly the way with road bikes across the price spectrum, the brake hoses run internally (there are no cables because all EC-130s are built up with wireless or semi-wireless electronic groupsets from Shimano and SRAM). Two-part headset spacers make for simple front-end height adjustment.

The prices certainly look enticing compared with similarly specced bikes from other companies. The Planet X EC-130 built up with a SRAM Rival AXS groupset is £2,699.99, for example, while a Shimano Ultegra Di2 build is £3,899.99. EC-130s with top-level groupsets from Shimano and SRAM – Dura-Ace Di2 and Red eTap AXS – are priced at £5,499.99 and £4,999.99 respectively.

For comparison, the Ultimate CFR Di2 from direct-to-consumer brand Canyon has an official price of £9,499, currently reduced to £8,549, while the Endurance CFR Di2 is £8,999, reduced to £8,529.

Okay, there’s much more to buying a bike than simply comparing spec sheets and prices, but Planet X has always been known for providing exceptional value (rather than offering its own unique frames, the brand has historically used many open moulds – properly called ‘open designs’ – that are available to other brands).

Planet X says that you can expect despatch within 60 or 90 days, depending on the spec. 

www.planetx.co.uk