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Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars
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I am looking to purchase a Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon. It's a tri bike with carbon wheels.

I am looking to get drop bars for it so I can use as a road bike (in some cases). Where I live it's mostly flat, so climbing and descending is not an issue. I will mostly use it with the drop bars and occasionally the aero bar.

I am 5'11 tall. The frame I am getting is the XL size 57 cm. The guy that owns it now is also 5'11 and he says it fits him.

What are your thoughts on this?

Will the larger frame and thus head tube length work in my favor given my intention to use it more as a road bike?
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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XL frames are usually geared to people 6'2" tall range and frame sizes of 60-62 cm.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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I would be concerned about the fit, specifically the reach, for a road bike build. It all depends on your dimensions but I think it will too long as a road bike or handle really poorly if you put a super short stem on it. The other problem with the stealth is as from the Planet X website:

‘25mm tyres will just about fit, but we recommend 19 – 22mm for best performance’

If you train on roads that are even a bit rough having to use 22mm tires sucks a bit.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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This doesn't answer your question in any way, but I'd take a look at the Selcof aero drop bars from Planet-X for your intended use. Has clip ons that bolt on to the tops:

https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBSEULTMAX/selcof-ultra-carbon-aero-road-triathlon-handlebar


https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HBSEULTTBKIT/selcof-ultra-carbon-aero-road-triathlon-tribar-extension-kit
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gabbiev] [ In reply to ]
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I have attached a picture so you can see what it looks like.

The stem is adjustable as you can see.

The effective top tube length is 57cm which is not too bad? My current bike has a tube length of 56cm.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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I did this 2-3 years ago. I'm 6'2" and found the frame to be too small after visiting a bike fitter. I have a long torso in relation to my leg length which probably exaggerates the size problem.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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Some great questions.

If you choose the right size frame, using a planet X as a drop bar bike will work fine. I have raced a few tri bikes with drop bars and have had very good success in short-course triathlons with that set up. Most tri bikes have pretty stable handling, and this tri bike to road bike conversion has been done many times with good results. Some people even race criteriums on drop bar tri bikes since good tri bikes hold a steady line pretty well, and that's kind of good for riding in a pack.

That said, most people also vastly overestimate the handling differences between the frame types (road vs tri). Much of the difference in handling feel is often not due to the geometry, but due to the very different handlebars (i.e., tri bars vs drop bars). If it helps, we have a small facebook photo gallery of a whole range of tri bikes set up with drop bars (photo link here). Depending on how your planet X will be fitting you, the main issue for you might be your saddle to handlebar drop. You don't want that drop distance to be crazy large.

Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
DarkSpeedWorks.com.....Reviews.....Insta.....Facebook

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Last edited by: DarkSpeedWorks: Oct 28, 17 10:43
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [DarkSpeedWorks] [ In reply to ]
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DarkSpeedWorks wrote:
Some great questions.

If you choose the right size frame, using a planet X as a drop bar bike will work fine. I have raced a few tri bikes with drop bars and have had very good success in short-course triathlons with that set up. Most tri bikes have pretty stable handling, and this tri bike to road bike conversion has been done many times with good results. Some people even race criteriums on drop bar tri bikes since good tri bikes hold a steady line pretty well, and that's kind of good for riding in a pack.

That said, most people also vastly overestimate the handling differences between the frame types (road vs tri). Much of the difference in handling feel is often not due to the geometry, but due to the very different handlebars (i.e., tri bars vs drop bars). If it helps, we have a small facebook photo gallery of a whole range of tri bikes set up with drop bars (photo link here). Depending on how your planet X will be fitting you, the main issue for you might be your saddle to handlebar drop. You don't want that drop distance to be crazy large.

Great! Thanks for all that info.

Do you think the XL frame size is suitable for my height (5'11)? Planet X recommends a medium sized frame but as you can see on the photo, the stem is adjustable. Plus, the top tube length is 57cm which is similar to a large size road bike frame. Currently I ride a 56cm as a hybrid bike.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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Well, very hard to know 100% for sure via the internet, but it appears that, yes, an xl might be a better fit for you based on the measurements that you gave and that you will be running this as a drop bar bike.

I know that when I have used a tri bike with a drop bar, I also ran my saddle much more forward than on a traditional road bike, as tri bike frames are designed to handle well with a more forward positioned rider, and I found myself to be more powerful, more comfortable, and more aero with a steeper (more forward) seat tube angle.

Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
DarkSpeedWorks.com.....Reviews.....Insta.....Facebook

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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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My wife is just under 5' tall and was really struggling getting a good fit on a 700c bike. In the end we bought a 650c PX Stealth frame in XS and built it as a road bike. It fits great, and with some extensions makes a reasonable TT position as well.

If the frame fits well go for it you will not regret it.

He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [gazoome] [ In reply to ]
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I suspect the answer to the XL fitting is what your proportions are. I'm 6ft and a quarter inch. I ride road bikes with anywhere from a 57.2 to a 58.5 effective top tube with stems of 120 to 130mm. My femurs are short so I'm a little farther forward than most on my road bike. The head tubes on my road bikes are 175 to 185mm.

The previous responder who say you'll be fine but may need a shorter stem is most probably right.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [FatandSlow] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks a lot!

Attached is a photo showing the geometry of the frame. This is for the newest Planet X Stealth Pro frame but I think they haven't changed.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [earthling] [ In reply to ]
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earthling wrote:
My wife is just under 5' tall and was really struggling getting a good fit on a 700c bike. In the end we bought a 650c PX Stealth frame in XS and built it as a road bike. It fits great, and with some extensions makes a reasonable TT position as well.

If the frame fits well go for it you will not regret it.

I've done the same thing with an XS PX Stealth frame. It works well as a road bike.
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Re: Planet X Stealth Pro Carbon with Drop Bars [DarkSpeedWorks] [ In reply to ]
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will add my experience with handling on a converted tri to road setup...

I did it just for fun. As an extra bike to just kick around. Frame (P2sl) and parts had been laying around collecting dust so I threw together a really cool looking Roadie P2sl. Fast as hell, too!

But, I'll be the first to say that it's very sketchy with the handling. I notice it most with my weight so far forward. I have everything setup to try to keep my weight back but I still have to be cognizant, vigilant, every time I brake. I put my weight back, use the rear brakes primarily. I have plenty of riding experience and I'll be relying on that experience to know when this setup is safe or not. There's a particular short group ride that I may use it in. It may be too twitchy and I'll know by the time spring rolls around. Otherwise, I'll just keep for those rides with 2-5 buddies who I know very well and we just Fartlek around for a couple of hours.

It's fun. It's fast. And, it has my attention.

In summary, tho, for those out there thinking about it, these conversions are not for everyone.

Edit: If I cared to drop any cash into it, I'd go somewhere that I trusted and get some tweaks to the setup so that it would be a more appropriate conversion. As my circumstances don't allow, it's just something I'll be careful with.




"Outwork your talent." Kevin McHale
Last edited by: morpheus: Oct 29, 17 11:38
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