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Whyte has a great reputation for its no-nonsense approach to mountain bikes, and for the last three years it’s been in the drop bar business too.
- Highs: Cartridge bearing hubs and other details are tailored for commuting in mixed weather; excellent handling
- Lows: The rear brake on our model was somewhat stiff, and the bar might be wider than roadies want
- Buy If: You want a fast commuter or all-seasons bike with UK-friendly features
The Dorset shares its hydroformed alloy frame with the rest of Whyte’s RD-7 commuter range, sporting a gracefully tapering top tube, fat down tube, internal cabling and a slim 27.2mm seatpost. The seatstays bulge out to give ’cross clearances and you can see daylight through the large cutouts in the industrial looking dropouts, which are threaded for two sets of rack/mudguard bolts. A matching carbon-legged fork has a 1 1/8-1 1/2 in tapered aluminium steerer and mudguard eyelets.

Although the front end is higher than that of a race bike, courtesy of the ’cross fork, its geometry is very much of the road, as are the slick 28mm Maxxis tyres. The only striking deviation from this is the wide and flared bar; it offers good low-speed handling and increases confidence on rough ground, but takes away slightly from an otherwise speedy persona.
Regardless, the Dorset is no slouch and it delights on fast, winding roads. Its skinny tyres don’t offer much cushioning, yet the frame does a creditable job of absorbing bumps. We’d want something with more width and tread for prolonged off-road jaunts, but canal paths or dry, packed dirt are perfectly manageable with the stock rubber and it leaves lots of room for full mudguards, a commuting essential.
The Dorset comes with Shimano Tiagra 10-speed components, an FSA Omega 50/34 chainset and wide 11-30 cassette. The Promax brakes’ performance is about par for mechanical calipers in this bracket: the rear brake feels a little stiff, a downside of the weather-resistant full-length outer, but the power is there when you need it.

Security skewers come as standard – don’t forget the key in case you puncture!
Where the Whyte impresses most is in the details. The Dorset, fairly unusually, features cartridge bearing hubs – a boon to the everyday rider who doesn’t adhere strictly to a regular maintenance schedule – and they’re built into sensible 28/32-spoke wheels with brass nipples that won’t corrode and fail in damp climates. It also comes stock with security skewers instead of quick releases, which ease the terror of locking the bike outside – although woe betide anyone who forgets the key and then punctures out in the sticks.
The attention to detail is evident in the bike’s aesthetics too, with green highlights standing out from the sombre, classy frameset. There’s even a green Union Jack nestled in the seat clamp, which might or might not be some sort of treason…
The Dorset is a fine looking machine that’s perfectly suited to high speed commuting or winter training. It’s intelligently specced and the frameset is good enough to warrant upgrades.
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Product Specifications
Product
Name | Dorset (14) |
Brand | Whyte |
Available Sizes | 50cm 52cm 54cm 56cm 58cm |
Saddle | Whyte |
Wheelbase (cm) | 101 |
Top Tube (cm) | 54 |
Standover Height (cm) | 77 |
Seat Tube (cm) | 49 |
Chainstays (cm) | 42.5 |
Bottom Bracket Height (cm) | 28 |
Weight (lb) | 22.09 |
Year | 2014 |
Wheelset | Alexrims on Whyte sealed disc hubs, 32 spokes front & rear |
Weight (kg) | 10.02 |
Stem | Whyte Oversized 10cm |
Shifters | Shimano Tiagra 4600 10-speed |
Seatpost | Whyte 20mm layback 27.2mm |
Seat Angle | 74 |
Rear Wheel Weight | 2090 |
Bottom Bracket | FSA Omega External |
Rear Tyre | Maxxis Detonator 28mm |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano Tiagra 4600, short cage |
Headset Type | FSA Integrated tapered 1 1/8-1½in |
Head Angle | 72.5 |
Handlebar | Whyte Oversized wing Bar, 42cm at top, 46cm at bottom |
Front Wheel Weight | 1500 |
Front Tyre | Maxxis Detonator 28mm |
Front Derailleur | band-on |
Frame Material | 6061 hydroformed T6 aluminium |
Fork | Straight Bladed Carbon, alloy steerer, 1 1/8-1½in |
Cranks | FSA Omega External 50/34 172.5mm |
Chain | Shimano |
Cassette | Shimano Tiagra 4600 11-30 |
Brakes | Promax Render Cable Disc |
Frame size tested | 52cm |