Dolan L'Etape review

In developing the L'Etape, Dolan set out to create a bike that’s lightweight, responsive and comfortable, and (in its own words), ‘the ideal weapon of choice in a variety of disciplines, from general riding to road racing.’

The trickle-down of electronic groupset tech from Dura-Ace to Ultegra has allowed Dolan to piece this bike together for a very palatable £1,815, and even cheaper options are available if you specify different finishing kit and wheels when you order.

Frameset

Dolan’s L’Etape frame is a masterclass in swooping lines. The shape of the sloping ovalised top tube is mimicked below in the oversized down tube, and also in the shape of the curved seatstays, which act like dampers to minimise vibrations.

The straighter, beefed-up chainstays are more purposeful, with the intention of keeping flex to an absolute minimum along the drive chain.

It’s at their tips where we encountered the only niggle in the build, in that the Di2 cable has just a little too much slack in it.

You could cable-tie it to avoid snagging it in transit or when negotiating the bike in a packed garage, as electronics groupset cables are less forgiving than traditional steel cabling when they take a knock or pull.

Speaking of cabling, it’s all internally routed. This frameset is compatible with both electronic and mechanical set-ups, but a neat rubber bung plugs the hole on the right of the down tube that would otherwise accept a mechanical derailleur cable.

The sloping geometry of the bike results in a compact rear triangle, which should improve the power delivery.

A measured head angle of 72° puts the bike firmly in the ‘quicker-steering endurance bike’ category, while a short head tube of just 125mm gets you low over the front for more committed riding.

Groupset

A set of Shimano Ultegra Di2 shifters work on a 50/34 Ultegra chainset and 11-28 cassette, and both front and rear mechs are electronically operated and self-trimming.

This means (theoretically) there’s no maintenance required to get perfect shifts every time. Ultegra brakes grace both front and rear.

Finishing kit

A combination of all-alloy kit is used at the L’Etape’s contact points.

A 400mm diameter Deda Zero 100 handlebar is clamped to a Zero 100 alloy stem, of 110mm – an instantly comfortable and well proportioned set-up for our size 44 bike (the 44 referring to the length of the seat tube in cm, not the top tube!).

Selle Italia’s comfortably padded Flite Team Edition saddle tops the alloy Alpina seatpost (the only decidedly basic piece on board).

Wheels

Mavic’s Aksium wheelset is right at the bottom of the French firm’s range of endurance hoops. They’re solid performers but do weigh 1,880g, and that's before you’ve even fitted tyres and tubes.

The fitted Continental’s Gatorskin tyres are 23mm in diameter. They're perhaps not the first choice for many riders, but in all our years of testing, we’ve never punctured a Gatorskin; they’re all-year favourites.

The Mavic rims’ 17mm internal diameter will take much wider rubber if you want to slap some 25s or 28s in there for increased comfort. 

The ride

We spent a good 10 minutes going over the Dolan before our maiden voyage, for no other reason than to see where costs have been cut.

Beyond the fact that it’s running a KMC chain rather than Shimano, there’s nothing obvious to report.

A bike whose spec seems too good to be true for the price might just have the performance to back up its spec sheet too.

There’s a willingness to the Dolan that makes it a joy to ride – and especially to ride quickly.

The Mavic wheels take a little time to catch up with your demands of them, especially if you’re doing sprints or going for a KOM on a local climb, but once they’re spinning up, they’re more than capable of helping to propel you along rolling roads.

And it’s on these kinds of lanes that the bike excels, as well-timed electronic gearshifts help you carry every last bit of momentum up short rises, and make full use of the bigger gears down the other side.

The Di2 electronic shifting is a boon on longer climbs, thanks to the fact that the system will endure ham-fisted up-changes when it’s time to get out of the saddle and shred your legs to the summit.

The lightweight nature of the bike means it’s very much at home on a slope, but the excess rotational mass it carries in its wheels and tyres again let it down slightly in this area.

The Ultegra braking set-up is as good as you’d ever need on a road bike and – while you’re better off not grabbing a handful as you’ll need to get those wheels up to speed again soon after – when it comes to gradual stopping power, they’re truly excellent.

Ergonomically, this is one of the most instantly comfortable bikes we’ve thrown a leg over in recent months, with the handlebar diameter and stem length a perfect fit for the frame size and our 5ft 9in height.

It’s as comfortable when riding on the drops as when tapping along chatting with mates, and the overall package has almost everything it needs to encourage hard riding.

Despite the Dolan’s relatively conservative geometry, it actually feels a little nervous at lower speeds thanks to the very low front end.

However, once the speed picks up, this initial twitchiness disappears, and is replaced by responsive performance that’s right up there with any bike we’ve tested at double the Dolan’s price.

There’s a little harshness from both ends, but nothing we couldn’t live with. This is likely down to the straight-set carbon forks and unyielding alloy seatpost.

Continental’s 23c tyres, in performance terms, meanwhile, never let us down. They’ve long been favourites of ours, for their all-season ability.

The whole package holds together as a machine on which you could happily smash out a mid-length sportive, or take to the races.

It’s a versatile package that’s highly specced and particularly capable. We’d swap out the wheels for something lighter and more performance-oriented for more serious forays into competition, but that’s just about the only change we’d make.

Dolan have a Mavic Ksyrium Elite option at an extra £300, which will save you 300g and could be well worth considering if you’ve a little more cash in the kitty.

Ratings

Frame: Ergonomically splendid. Makes for a very comfy ride. 8/10
Components: Ultegra Di2 all the way. Impressive! 10/10 
Wheels: A bit on the chunky side. We'd recommend an upgrade. 7/10 
The Ride: Impressively responsive at higher speeds. 9/10

VERDICT

It has its flaws, but the Dolan L'Etape deserves plenty of credit for offering a carbon frame and Shimano Ultegra Di2 for sensible money.

Geometry

Spec

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