Pinnacle Dolomite Six review

We’ve already ridden the Pinnacle Dolomite Six as a first ride, and were thoroughly impressed; much as we were with the Dolomite Five we tested on location in Wales earlier in the year. But in such a competitive, comparative test as this, how would it fare?

Frame

In the Dolomite series of bikes, Pinnacle has made an all-out bid to entice the group of people who want one road bike for all eventualities, from commuting and winter riding to sportives and overseas summer holiday riding. It only takes a glance over the Dolomite Six’s details to see how that versatility has been achieved, with options to mount mudguards or panniers, and a long fork to allow for more tyre clearance, again for the use of mudguards or fat, comfortable 28mm tyres. The low bottom bracket and long wheelbase make for a confidence-inspiring ride – you really feel like you’re sitting in the bike here. Consequently, cornering is a real pleasure – spot your exit, lean in, weight the outside pedal and try not to brake. Great fun.

A full carbon fork is a bonus and combined with a 27.2mm seatpost, we felt there to be a really balance of stiffness to comfort for the type of riding this bike is likely to be used for. Our only issue with the Dolomite frame is that it comes in a fairly limited size range. Our 177cm tall testers were happy on the medium, but below 175cm you’d be looking at the small, the smallest available. Pinnacle reckons that will suit someone as short as 163cm (5ft 4in) but we think that’s pushing it. Fortunately, you can try Pinnacle bikes in any Evans store.

Components

Hopping on a bike with Shimano’s 105 11-speed groupset is always a pleasure and it’s no different here. The hoods especially are a great shape that seem to suit all shapes and sizes. A genuine 105 chainset comes with 50/34 chainrings and a well-chosen 11-28 cassette – a good spread for everything we’d do on this bike. The only non-Shimano components are the brake callipers, which come from Tektro. These deep-drop dual-pivots provide ample clearance for mudguards and fatter tyres but are noticeably less powerful than the Shimano brakes found elsewhere.

The finishing kit is all own-brand gear, but it works – the bars particularly are a good shape – at least, they were once we re-taped them to get the hoods in a decent position. It’s surprising how many bikes come supplied with the brake levers set-up way too far down the drops. Feel free to get the dealer to adjust this so you’re happy before you leave the shop.

Wheels

A long, full carbon fork, Shimano RS21 wheels and the Shimano 105 11-speed groupset add quality and value.

At £950 we’d expect to find fairly ordinary wheels on the Dolomite Six; instead, we have Shimano RS21 wheels. With a retail price of £200, these would make a decent upgrade for many bikes, and here, their inclusion is a real boon. They’re not light, but they’re stiff, reliable and should last a long time. And with only 16 spokes in the front and 20 in the back, they look pretty cool too. Continental’s 25mm Ultra Sport tyres are a decent choice for dry roads, and while the grip felt fine in damp, wintery conditions, we did find they pick up a lot of debris, which resulted in a couple of inopportune punctures. When the tyres wear out, we’d encourage you to upgrade to something more puncture resistant.

The ride

The Dolomite six has a noticeably low bottom bracket which combines well with the long wheelbase to create a neutral, stable ride. Beginners should really appreciate the confidence that comes from a bike that doesn’t do anything unexpected when the roads get rough or start to descend steeply. With its tall fork (specced for clearance purposes) and a tall head tube, we expected to feel quite upright on the Dolomite Six, but that wasn’t the case. With the stem dropped to its lowest setting, the position on the bike felt comfortable and efficient, with a good weight distribution to make the most of the bike’s inherent cornering prowess.

That position along with the sensible spread of gears makes climbing as comfortable as it’s ever going to be, and if you were worried that at 8.74kg, the Pinnacle’s a bit of a porker, don’t be fooled – the ride quality is such that you won’t be looking for any excuses. Aluminium has a reputation for being very stiff, but we really didn’t feel that to be the case here. Sure, the Dolomite feels efficient, but with its long wheelbase and longer than usual chainstays, it never felt uncomfortable. Having tested the Dolomite Five last issue, we had high expectations of the Six and we weren’t disappointed. As a true cycle2work bike, it’s ideal, and it will perform in plenty of other arenas too. Recommended.

Frame - Long wheelbase with a bonus carbon fork - 8/10

Components - Great gears and solid own-brand kit - 8/10

Wheels - Surprisingly high-quality and good-looking - 9/10

The ride - Efficient and comfortable, defies its weight - 9/10

Overall - 8.2/10

Geometry

Spec