WHYTE DORSET

Ready to roll wherever you please

Multi-role road bike, perfect for full-time commuting and weekend long-distance cafe rides taking in the odd unpaved road, too

When faced with four such different bikes it’s exceptionally difficult to choose a winner.

The Marin Gestalt is a hugely fun bike to ride and has lots of potential, but some of the component choices used to get the bike to its relatively affordable £835 price tag dent the performance. The impressive brakes on the less expensive Boardman show that these are a component that doesn’t have to be compromised, nor should it.

Three different tiers of Shimano’s groupset range are represented; one 8-speed Claris, two 9-speed Sora and one 10-speed Tiagra. Claris operates perfectly well and Tiagra performs magnificently, but in my opinion Sora is close enough to the higher-level groupset and although the extra gear is nice to have, it’s not enough to swing the conversation.

The most expensive bike in the test, the Arkose, is extremely capable with off-road leanings; it would not look out of place laden with bags and hydration in search of remote Scottish valleys. It would also be perfectly happy with smaller tyres, mudguards and a rack for more mundane duties. Similarly, the Boardman with its very well-reasoned spec and extremely playful nature is difficult to argue against, especially if your budget is tight.

Finally, there’s the Whyte Dorset – the bike which I feel would need the least tweaking to help it fulfil a wide variety of roles. The security skewers, the TRP Hy/Rd brakes and the mudguards mark the Dorset down as a wonderfully complete multi-role road bike that’s perfect for full-time commuting and weekend long-distance cafe rides, taking in the odd unpaved road, too.