Advice/thoughts on custom parts list, please!

[edwardlb21]

Hello All,

I am mid-way through the somewhat-daunting process of selecting and finalising parts for my first fully-custom road bike. I have done a lot of research, and have the help of a friend who built his own road bike too.

Here is are the parts I have selected for now, and a bit about why I chose them!

Frameset: Planet X RT-80 (Black or Matt Black) - possibly the best value carbon frame? (£375)
Seatpost: Selcof Delta HM Carbon, 27.2mm - light and cheap-ish (£45)
Seat Clamp: KCNC Road Pro SC9, black, 31.8mm - titanium bolts are cool (£15)
Saddle: I already own a 160g carbon Selle Italia - nuff said
BB: Campag Ultra Torque BSA cups (£17)
Chainset: Campag Record 53/39, 177.5mm, previous gen (2014) - carbon, on mega-sale (£170)
Pedals: I already own Look Keo Blade 2 Carbons
Front Mech: Campag Athena, braze-on, black (£30)
Chain: KMC X11-SL - slots are cool, quicklinks included (£31)
Cassette: Miche Primato 11 Speed (12-29) - half the price of campag and still good quality i hear (£39)
Rear Mech: Campag Athena, short cage, black (£76)
Brakes: July 20F Alu - only available at Bike24, much lighter than similarly priced brakes at 229g total (£59)
Cables: Campag Powershift Cables (Red) - nothing needs to be said, really (£30)
Headset: FSA Orbit C-40 No.42 Tapered Internal Headset (£20 - bargain)
Fork Bung: FSA Compressor - cheap, does the job of saving the carbon steerer (£10)
Stem: FSA Omega - again, cheap and does the job (£22)
Bars: Ritchey Comp Streem II - best value flat-top bars i've seen although open to suggestions! (£35)
Levers: Campag Athena Carbon - extra spicy carbon variant (£140)
Tape: Fizik Superlight Glossy White + Bar gels (£12 + £12)
Wheels: I already own old Campag Zondas but am looking to upgrade to Eurus 2017 (£557)
Tyres: I own damaged Zondas but I want to upgrade to Eurus (not sure why though)
Plus a few other items like elite bottles and cages... (c. £30)

Some explanations:
1) I chose Athena because it's the cheapest Campag groupset with carbon shifters and for a decent price (I know it's very slightly old).
2) I can only get the cranks in 177.5 or 180, which scares me slightly, but I'm 6'2" and growing so hopefully 177.5 won't cause any problems for me!

Most importantly, a question:

3) I am stuck with headset. PlanetX don't give any measurements or recommendations so HELP please any fellow RT-80 owners! All I know is that it has to be tapered internal.

EDIT: PlanetX say the only headset that they use is an FSA Orbit C-40...

Total Weight is about 7kg at the moment (on paper). With wheels, the budget is around £1700 max (for new parts, I am discounting the parts I already own)


Have I made a good start? Any problems?


Thanks,

Ed

 

[vickster]

Why not ask PX what headset they use on the built model and buy one from them

Make sure you document all parts, keep all receipts and insure for full value as a named item on your home insurance

 

[Milkfloat]

To me that is a lot of money to dress up a fairly ordinary frame - especially the wheelset. if it were my money, I would get a better frame and scale back on the ancillaries.

 

[fossyant]

177.5 cranks ??? I see you are tall though.

 

[Profpointy]

Seem to have forgotten mudguards and pannier rack, and a Brooks saddle.


....you're welcome, glad to help

 

[ianrauk]

Why not ask PX what headset they use on the built model and buy one from them

Make sure you document all parts, keep all receipts and insure for full value as a named item on your home insurance

Would you like me tell you about the time I bought a frame from Planet X, asked them which headset? Oh alright then I'll tell you anyway. They advised and sent an incorrect one, it got returned for a replacement, they sent a second wrong one. 3rd time lucky they had got it right, but by that time I had one supplied and fitted by my LBS, so the 3rd went back too.

 

[vickster]

Fair enough, I had no such issues with Genesis

The OP could thus use one of the many LBS in London Town to provide

Personally, if I were spending £1700 on a bike, it would not have a PX frame Then again, it wouldn't say Specialized, Trek, Giant or Cannondale either...

 

[S-Express]

3) I am stuck with headset. PlanetX don't give any measurements or recommendations so HELP please any fellow RT-80 owners! All I know is that it has to be tapered internal.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HSFSOC40ACB/fsa-orbit-c-40-no42-acb-tapered-headset

It's going to be very difficult for anyone to offer any opinion on that build without some idea about you, the type of riding you do and what you are looking to achieve.

 

[edwardlb21]

Thanks for all replies, folks.

So as S-Express has shown, PlanetX advised me to get the FSA Orbit C-40 (although there are many different generations, I believe they all have the same measurements).

The rationale for the frame choice and pricey components was that I personally would notice a difference in groupset and wheels than a noticeable difference between one carbon frame and another (maybe just me)! The RT80 is of a good weight (1380g) and has good reviews. I am open to suggestions of other frames you recommend!

I am looking to purchase all this mid-June if y'all were wondering...

 

[edwardlb21]

What frames should I take a look at? The RT-80 is cheap because it's on sale - PlanetX told me they were trying to get rid of them. Supposed list price is £900, but I never trust RRPs anyway.

 

[edwardlb21]

177.5 cranks ??? I see you are tall though.

Yep you read that right, hopefully the gamble will pay off, the split spindle on those record cranks looks soo nice!

 

[edwardlb21]

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/HSFSOC40ACB/fsa-orbit-c-40-no42-acb-tapered-headset

It's going to be very difficult for anyone to offer any opinion on that build without some idea about you, the type of riding you do and what you are looking to achieve.

I go riding every weekend (no time for more) and live in London. I ride mostly south into Westerham and the likes, although I rode to Brighton last week. I am looking to achieve a 7.5kg carbon-framed bike for under £1700 that has a nice groupset (campag) and preferably carbon accents (e.g. shifters, cranks, seatpost).

 

[edwardlb21]

Also, forgot to clarify, my rear Zonda's rim buckled on a pothole last week. Although I've tapped it back into place, I want to upgrade to stay on the safe side (wheels weren't originally on the shopping list until the incident :/)

 

[S-Express]

I go riding every weekend (I am a very busy person) and live in London so go out south into Westerham and the likes. I am looking to achieve a 7.5kg carbon-framed bike for under £1700 that has a nice groupset (campag) and preferably carbon accents (e.g. shifters, cranks, seatpost).

If the bike is just for general riding around, then the only thing that matters is whether you are personally happy with the components you select. Some of that stuff wouldn't be my choice, but then I'm not the one building it.