WHYTE DORSET
£999 A bike designed to have fun on
Originally a mountain bike brand, Whyte has been a road-bike builder ever since one of the company’s designers converted his mountain bike into a commuter by swapping out the off-road wheels and bouncy fork for road tyres and a rigid fork.
As Whyte’s naming schema suggests, it’s still a proudly British brand – other bikes include the Wessex, Gisburn and the Glencoe – and perhaps this explains why the Dorset is the only bike in this test to come with UK winter essential mudguards as standard (1). Versatility is enhanced with the inclusion of rear rack mounts and twin bottle bosses. The ’guards and mounts are suited to adventure and commuting, with the needs of the latter aided by the security skewers with a single, removable key.
While the geometry of the frame is within a couple of millimetres of the other bikes here, the Dorset feels a little more stretched. This is almost entirely down to having a longer stem (2) than the other bikes: a glaring reminder of how much impact a small physical difference can have on the feel or fit of a bike. Most retailers could exchange a similar quality stem in a different length if necessary. For me the biggest impact meant that it felt rather cumbersome negotiating gaps on shared-use paths, at least when compared to the Marin.
Aided by grippy, fast-rolling 30mm Schwalbe G-One tyres, the Whyte makes for a highly competent road bike that’s willing to take on the worst roads your locality can throw at you. Like the Marin, it becomes less planted as the terrain becomes noticeably rougher. That said, taking on winding roads, switchback-laden descents and typical poorly maintained tarmac, the Dorset is an absolute hoot. It sits happily at whatever your highest
maintainable pace is and would make a fantastic companion for someone looking for a multi-purpose road bike. It would be right at home being used to build mileage, go ‘credit card’ touring (no camping), and fill the fabled role of winter trainer, on top of being the daily driver. Remove the mudguards and fit bigger rubber, and you’ll have a mile-munching gravel machine that would will thrive on forest tracks.
I’ve mentioned how good Shimano’s Sora shifting components are already but paired with a Shimano chainset and cassette with only the KMC chain being off brand, they really do sing. Shifting is light and rapid, and thanks to the bigger gaps between sprockets on a 9-speed cassette, you don’t have to be too precise with setup or shifting to get a clean change.
An interesting choice is the TRP Hy/Rd cable actuated hydraulic brake calipers (3). A regular cable pulled by any non-hydraulic lever pulls a master piston in the caliper, pushing the pads in turn. TRP isn’t the first brand to go down this route, but it’s executed it well. It’s done a good job of creating a system that seems relatively fitand-forget. Offering close to hydraulic braking power without incurring the expense of a lever and hose, we’re genuinely surprised more brands don’t spec these.
The wheels did require a little truing, but this seems to have been the de-tensioning, which sometimes happens to a machine-built wheel during the usual bedding-in period. While it won’t be immediately obvious it does seem worth mentioning because this bike really is a most accommodating house guest. Most bikes require a bit of fettling in the first few weeks of use, but in this case the wheels were the only thing that needed attention – and it took less than 10 minutes in the garage to fix it. This initial bedding-in is the primary reason for the first service that is offered with newly purchased bikes.
For the most part the Dorset seems pigeonholed by its long stem. A shorter one would offer a much more agile feel to the bike and widen the its appeal to more riders; however, as it stands, it’s a great all-condition bike that will work extremely well for commuting and road purposes.
On winding roads, switchback-laden descents and typical poorly maintained tarmac, the Dorset is an absolute hoot