There’s been a lot of positive feedback on Planet X’s Stealth Pro Carbon. I got one recently and quite few ST’ers PM me wanting to know more. I wrote the following on www.teamplanetx.com and copied it for you reading: ** I’ve been getting some great emails about my new bike the PX Stealth Pro Carbon. Here was my response to one such email:
Good questions. The more I have it, the more I like it. I went with the value build with Ultegra spec and Vuelta Starlite training wheels. I figured I’d buy some race wheels come spring.
I don’t have much biking background and initially started out on a 1998 Softride Powerwing with Spinergy REV X wheels. A good first bike that was friendly on the bumps and had lots of curb appeal with my friends. When transitioning to the Planet X (PX), I had to work out a few things with my fit. I was originally FIST fitted by Transition Cycle, a tri boutique shop, here in the Milwaukee area. The fit on my softride was great and a good improvement over my own rookie attempt.
A lot has changed since I started out on the softride. First, I’ve got more time to train and I’ve decided to become competitive. In the past, I had almost no time to train and did most of my races cold turkey with little to no training.
Since I’m brand and cost conscious. I wanted an Age Grouper competitive bike at a good value. My other options were Kuota K-Factor/Kalibur, Trek Equinox 11, Cervelo Dual or P2SL, Felt S22 among some others. My biggest concern was price. I just don’t feel you’re getting more of bike by spending more than 3K. Besides, my mentor in the sport rides a QR Kilo with Spinergy Rev X wheels. He has a law practice, two young kids, a mortgage, school loan, etc. to deal with. I’m sort of the same minus the kid thing. When he qualified for Hawaii on that, it hit home the idea that its not about the bike but the engine. When all was said and done it came down to the Kuota K-Factor or PX Stealth Carbon Pro. I really like the Kuota K-factor but with the 105/ultegra groupo the best my local bike shop (LBS) could do price wise including tax was $3100. I took a leap of faith and opted for the PX for $2200.
As for the ride, let me start with my experience at the LBS. They fitted me first on the Serrotta Bike fitter with the specs from PX’s website and then put the bike together. Big mistake, I’m not sure what happened but the bike felt funny. After closer inspection at home it turns out they pushed my seat all the way back so my effective seat tube angle was somewhere around 75 degrees. Hence the idiots put on a different stem (shorter), which I had to buy, to make me fit on the bike and proceeded to add five spacers because they felt the softride messed up my pedal stroke. Alittle angry, I decided to set it up myself and couldn’t be happer. I have an effective 78.5 degree seat angle and managed to find out a head tube height that I’m happy with. I’m using only two spacers versus the LBS original five. As the next season progresses, I figure my flexibility and experience on the bike will let me take out at least one more spacer. The handlebars are tilted about five degree downward for a more natural feel.
Once I found the fit I liked I’ve loved the bike. The ride is responsive, well balanced with great lateral stiffness. It climbs like a billy goat compared to the loose softride. Just on riding the same routes and being in less than peak shape I’m riding about 1 mph faster. It sort of reminds me of the time when I was in HS and my parents bought me a Shopko Tennis Racket for my freshman year. Junior year I bought my own Wilson ProStaff and the difference was huge. Same thing here.
The Frame quality is undeniably beautiful. Other companies have paint jobs that cover up the frame so you don’t get to see much. This has a nice raw look to it. I spent a lot of time looking it over partly because its my first carbon bike. Not one flaw. Besides, I wouldn’t hesitate to send it back if I did find one. Redbiker/Andy at PX stands by the product and treats you great.
Any regrets? No. In fact, I’m happy to support a company that treats its customers like their part of the team with the discount prices that entails. I can’t get a new Trek here in Wisconsin for that kind of price because I’m not Tim DeBoom or Cam Widoff. I must say I was happy for PX when Gordo Byrn joined the ranks last week. It says alot about the company and the products it makes.
Bike goal this year at the Spirit of Racine Half IM is 2:25 (Last year 2:38) follow up with a 1:30 run.
Hope this helps and let me know what happens. If you do get one, join www.teamplanetx.com and we can keep in touch.
Chiro18/Matt