Dolan L'Étape

dyrlac

N+1 has arrived:

Dolan L'Étape

Frame: Dolan l'Étape Carbon Road Frame – 48cm – Yellow/White/Black
Fork: Dolan Carbon Road Fork with Alluminium Sterring Column
Headset: FSA 1 1/8" x 1 1/2" F35 Headset
Seatpost: Alpina Alloy 300mm
Saddle: Selle Italia X1 Flow

Chainset: Shimano Ultegra FC-6800 170 BCD 50-34
Cassette: Shimano Ultegra CS-6800 - 11-25T
Brakes: Shimano Ultegra ST-6800
Shifters: Shimano Ultegra ST-6800 Dual Control Levers (Pair)
FD: Shimano Ultegra FD-6800
RD: Shimano Ultegra RD-6800-SS Short Cage
SRAM PC 1170 PowerChain

Bars: Deda Elementi RHM 01 42cm
Tape: Deda Yellow Tape
Stem: Deda Zero 1 Black 110mm

Pedals: Speedplay Zero Chromoly Black

Wheelset: Mavic Aksium S OE
Tyres: Schwalbe Lugano 23

Weight as shown: 8.46kg

Gave it 100km on Sunday, massively quicker off the mark than the CAADX it is supplementing, with a considerably higher top end and a punishingly more aggressive geometry (you'll see I still have some spacers to lose, but my back can only take so much). As it stands, I think the Dolan has 5-6cm more drop than the Cannondale.

Speedplay zeros are a revelation, totally locked in, and my knees have never been happier after a lengthy ride (usually on SPDs/flats). But there is a steep learning curve. My inaugural ride lasted all of 1 metre before I was lying on my back in my drive with 8kg of carbon suspended above me after I toppled over trying to get my right foot clipped in. A scuffed shifter will serve as a lesson (as will the howls of laughter from my kids).

I thought long and hard about the surfeit of yellow, but the alternative was a conventional blue and I wanted something more distinctive. I just need to up the training regime to earn the colour.

The Dolan lads were ace. Very quick to answer emailed questions, bike arrived very well built, and 5 days before they promised.

(And yes, I know the lawn is looking pretty dire, happy to take suggestions, think that particular dead patch was the result of a bubble blowing mishap)

SCR Pedro

Looking good. I was considering one of these frames before I opted for Canyon.
Let us know how it rides after you've had it a while.

cesco

I have one myself, lovely lovely bike!

dyrlac

My pride and joy, after getting knocked off. Notable conquests include Mt. Ventoux, the Tour of Cambridgeshire, Ride London, Lille-Paris, Oxford-Manchester, the London Duathlon and countless SCR contests in the London commuter peloton. RIP at 6109.3 km.



(Also counts as a picture of a bike on a sofa!).

Waiting for the driver's insurance payout to replace (this is the reason why n+1 is a Rule). After a lot of tooing and fro-ing about getting a superbike, given that I don't want to chance anything with EPS/Di2/Etap for RAAM next summer, think I'm going to go like for like: probably just replacing the frame and fork, and using the balance to get some swish wheels. The S3 or similar can wait for 2017 (and the pain & suffering award).

Garry H

Dyrlac wrote:

My pride and joy, after getting knocked off. Notable conquests include Mt. Ventoux, the Tour of Cambridgeshire, Ride London, Lille-Paris, Oxford-Manchester, the London Duathlon and countless SCR contests in the London commuter peloton. RIP at 6109.3 km.



(Also counts as a picture of a bike on a sofa!).

Waiting for the driver's insurance payout to replace (this is the reason why n+1 is a Rule). After a lot of tooing and fro-ing about getting a superbike, given that I don't want to chance anything with EPS/Di2/Etap for RAAM next summer, think I'm going to go like for like: probably just replacing the frame and fork, and using the balance to get some swish wheels. The S3 or similar can wait for 2017 (and the pain & suffering award).

Is that a sofa in a shed, or a bikestand in a living room?

dyrlac

Garry H wrote:

Is that a sofa in a shed, or a bikestand in a living room?

A sofa in my shed. Generally used when I'm in the metaphorical dog house and need to think about what I've done (often involving wrenching on bikes in the living room).