Planet X expands its cyclocross range with XLA alloy bike

Planet X has been selling its XLS carbon cyclocross bike for a few years now and it’s recently been joined by an alloy machine with carbon bladed forks.

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The alloy frame comes with standard quick release wheels and Planet X says it has excellent clearance and a confident, nimble ride with a slack head tube angle and longer wheelbase offset by quite short chainstays. For all-round use and commuting duties, it also comes with mudguard mounts.

Rear derailleur and brake cable routing follow the classic cyclocross route, externally with a fully enclosed run across the top of the top tube to keep them clear of muddy courses and out of the way when shouldering the bike over obstacles.

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The XLA is available in two builds. Coming in at £799.99, the Tiagra build has a 50/34 compact chainset coupled to a 10-speed 11-32 cassette, providing plenty of range.

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Brakes are Avid BB7 mechanical discs and there are Gipiemme Roccia Equipe wheels shod with 34mm Hutchinson Black Mamba tyres. Planet X specs a Prologo Kappa 3 saddle.

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Pay an extra £100 and the £899.99 SRAM Apex 1 build comes with hydralic disc brakes and SRAM’s single ring groupset. This gives you a 42 tooth chainset coupled to an 11-speed 11-42 cassette for huge range without the mud clogging potential of a front derailleur.

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Planet X now has quite a range of cyclocross bikes on offer. Alongside the XLA, it still sells its carbon XLS machine in a range of builds including a build-it-yourself complete kit. There’s also the titanium Typhoon with Force or Ultegra or as a frameset, the titanium Pickenflick and the Viner Super Prestige, both with SRAM 1 or 2 ring groupsets.