Whyte Dorset

[itchybeard]

Hello
I have looked into a few bikes.
Firstly, road bikes, but a friend told me to try cyclo crosses.
I'm 6ft 182-183cm and am finding it difficult to find one that suits me.
14 stones.
I have tried a Whyte Dorset, this seems to fit and feel well to me.
It's not a cyclo cross but wider tyres to 32c max, may suit well for my needs.

Past year, done some touring, Scotland, Cumbria - all roads.
Day rides, cross between canal, can be stony or a branch here or there and roads.
Do some food shop on my bike, rucksack bungeed to the rack.
Would like to go further on my day rides down windy b-roads.

Is the Dorset fine to handle this.
I have a cheap hybrid so far...
This will on CSW scheme.

thanks

 

[jay clock]

They look ideal for what you asked

 

[ChrisV]

They are good bikes. I have the Whyte Suffolk - added £200 to C2W.

Takes mudguards and pannier and is now commuter extraordinaire. Except I'm lazy.

 

[ianrauk]

Good bikes. @JoeyB has a Whyte Suffolk too and iirc @vickster has a Whyte.

 

[JoeyB]

Do it, I love my Suffolk.

 

[ChrisV]

What tyres you got on it @JoeyB ? Just took the M+ 32s off and put the Detonnator things back on but looking for a spring/summer tyre - the Detonnators are not very good if I remember correctly.

 

[vickster]

I've just got some of these for my Cambridge based on recommendations on here (to replace M+), they come in 32mm (I got Evans to price match JE James I think on the 28mm). The Detonators are very poor from my experience

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bontrager/aw1-hard-case-700c-wired-road-bike-tyre-ec056244

Ref Whyte, I really like my Cambridge (which is a flat bar), not done oodles of miles but it's never let me down

 

[amasidlover]

I've had mine about 9 months and still look forward to getting on it. I've started to take detours just to spend longer on it too... I mainly use it for commuting (about 100km per week) but take it out for longer runs (130km longest so far) at the weekend when family and work allow! Like vickster I 'binned' the original tyres in favour of Bontrager Hardcase Racelites which I'd been running on my previous commuter for many years.

 

[itchybeard]

Thanks for all the feedback.
Interesting, I went t to a cycle shop, a young lad says yes, 32c fine, but not with mudguards maybe as lack of room.
and he feels down the canal, bridleway and of course the roads, its fine.

I have tried, Pinnacle Arkose, Fuji, Cannondale caadx, Giant.
I straddle large and XL on pinnacle, both sizes yes and no, I don't want a bike too big or coasting cycling but slightly aggressive as well as costing around.
The Dorset fits me better than the above mentioned but the Genesis fitted generally well also...
who knows, just take the plunge.

 

[youngoldbloke]

The tyres have got a awful reputation. Change them ASAP. Was with a rider on a club run the other week who punctured within the first 12miles on her first ride of her new Whyte. It took an age to get the tyre off, we couldn't believe how tight it was. She put on Conti 4 seasons. Others I know with Whytes have similar stories.

 

[JoeyB]

What tyres you got on it @JoeyB ? Just took the M+ 32s off and put the Detonnator things back on but looking for a spring/summer tyre - the Detonnators are not very good if I remember correctly.

I still have the Detonators on but tbh I haven't done much mileage recently. I'll probably stick to what I know, which is Continental GatorHardShell's...or I might try Schwalbe equivalent, think it's the Durano Plus?

 

[ianrauk]

I still have the Detonators on but tbh I haven't done much mileage recently. I'll probably stick to what I know, which is Continental GatorHardShell's...or I might try Schwalbe equivalent, think it's the Durano Plus?

Durano Plus are very good puncture protection wise. Fast rolling too. However, in my experience, not very long lasting. I used them for 6 months on my commute and wore them down quite quickly, so switched back to Spesh Armadillo's. Not as fast rolling but much longer lasting.

 

[Fubar]

Thanks for all the feedback.
Interesting, I went t to a cycle shop, a young lad says yes, 32c fine, but not with mudguards maybe as lack of room.
and he feels down the canal, bridleway and of course the roads, its fine.

I have tried, Pinnacle Arkose, Fuji, Cannondale caadx, Giant.
I straddle large and XL on pinnacle, both sizes yes and no, I don't want a bike too big or coasting cycling but slightly aggressive as well as costing around.
The Dorset fits me better than the above mentioned but the Genesis fitted generally well also...
who knows, just take the plunge.

My daughter and I were looking at a first bike for her, really liked the Whyte's in general but the compact double at the front put us off - while it might be fine for commuting/normal riding I think when touring (which is what she wants to do) and weighed down a triple at the front makes more sense for those long draggy hills (no doubt I'll get shot down in flames - just my personal opinion/experience).

We ended up getting a Marin Lombard which we have fitted with mudguards and a rack no problem - and she loves it.

 

[itchybeard]

My daughter and I were looking at a first bike for her, really liked the Whyte's in general but the compact double at the front put us off - while it might be fine for commuting/normal riding I think when touring (which is what she wants to do) and weighed down a triple at the front makes more sense for those long draggy hills (no doubt I'll get shot down in flames - just my personal opinion/experience).

We ended up getting a Marin Lombard which we have fitted with mudguards and a rack no problem - and she loves it.

Not bad. As long a she likes it. A good commuter and should be able to do touring on this.
For the price, perhaprs carbon folks and Tiagra gears maybe...