Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

forum
road.cc bike forum

Thoughts on PX Gravel/CX Framesets?

by El Camino
Tue, Apr 02, 2019 16:09
6

I'm currently looking to replace a crash-damaged frameset (Orro Terra Gravel) and am looking with interest at the Planet X XLS, Full Monty SL and the Holdsworth Mystique.

Do any of you esteemed folk have any experience of the aforementioned steeds whereby i might make a more informed purchasing decision?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
Argos74 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Happy Mystique owner here. I got the Rival 1 / TRP Spyre mechanical brakes version; now with Force 1 / hydraulics but correspondingly higher cost (and a 650b option if you like that sort of thing).

The only similar bike I've owned previously was a Pinnacle Arkose, which was a dependable workhorse of a bike. The Mystique by comparison is a relaxed warhorse. Comfortable, confident, stable, responds with a pleasing amount of aggression when you put the hammer down. Looks the business as well.

Avatar
graybags | 5 years ago
0 likes

I had an XLS for a couple of seasons, not hugely impressed, the rear wheel never sat square at the bottom bracket point , but was fine at the top of the seat stays, eventually sold the frame and transferred all the componentgs onto a Kinesis CX evo

Avatar
Southy83 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Sort of hijacking the thread here, but wondered what people's views were (if any) on the Space Chicken or the Tempest?

Am planning on getting a gravel bike for winter commuting and summer off-road riding and maybe even the odd multi-day tour, so would be interested to hear people's views.

Avatar
kil0ran | 5 years ago
0 likes

No probs. I have no need for a gravel bike (my Fairlight Faran does that duty with 42mm knobblies) but if I did I'd get the Mystique as a frameset and build it up.

There's also the One One Space Chicken if you want to go full gravel - 1x only and proper lairy. Basically a rip-off of the Open UP at a third of the price.

Avatar
El Camino | 5 years ago
0 likes

Wow, thanks for such a detailed reply.
You're kind of backing up my thoughts. The heart is veering towards the Mystique, being more future proof and oh so pretty. The Full Monty SL seems a match for my Orro, weight-wise and still good looking in the gloss red.
Hmmmm.

Avatar
kil0ran | 5 years ago
0 likes

XLS was always a race-focused CX bike so probably not suited to full-on gravel riding.

The Mystique is (relatively) long and stable, XLS short and punchy, and the Full Monty is in the middle. 

Mystique will be the closest match to your Orro I'd say, depends on what your use case is. Personally I'd go with a Mystique for practicality - no mudguard and pannier mounts on the XLS and it's also pretty long in the tooth now - they've been selling them for at least 5 years. Nothing wrong with that per se but frame requirements and tech have moved on.

I had a Dirty Disco (a slacker version of the XLS) and it was awesome fun, only sold on because I needed something more practical and didn't get on with SRAM shifting.

 

Latest Comments