On test: Dolan Tuono, August 22, 2008

A championship-winning label for the rest of us

By Paul Vincent, BikeRadar.com

The Dolan Tuono may not be well known in the US yet

Heralded British framebuilder Terry Dolan brings his name to US soil with a new distributor, DPM Sports, along with a new line of carbon frames. Dolan is noted for creating rigs for the likes of David Millar, Chris Boardman and Bradley Wiggins (not to mention scores of other notable road and track riders), but his carbon models now offer some of that legendary Dolan design wisdom to those without a heap of cash in their wallets (or Terry Dolan's phone number on their speed dial).

Our Dolan Tuono tester is aimed at the 'sportive' crowd and promises race bike-like performance mixed with the long-distance comfort that everyday riders require. The frame is competitively light (claimed weight is 1010g for a 52cm size) but the use of mostly intermediate density carbon, carbon nanotube-reinforced resins and alloy dropouts also promises good durability, too.

Ride quality is obviously a priority with the flattened chain stays - just 18mm tall at their midsection - and curved seat stays, both of which help to dissipate vibrations and add some vertical flex to the back end. Up front, Dolan equips the Tuono with an all-carbon fork and integrated headset.

Covering it all is an understated bare clearcoat accented with blue panels and white text that should stay reasonably classic over the long haul. All told, our Dolan Tuono weighed just 7.1kg (15.7lb) as tested, without pedals.

Ride: sharp but smooth

The standard 1 1/8" head tube and only moderately oversized front triangle

The aluminum-sleeved bottom bracket shell

The performance of the Dolan Tuono

There's little to complain about

The Dolan Tuono combines the sharply accurate handling properties of a carbon road bike at the high end of the stiffness scale but with a smooth ride quality that shows you can have responsiveness without needing to wear a second pair of shorts to blunt vibrations.

The relatively short head tube and resultant low riding position will please those looking for a more aggressive position, and the fork's exemplary lateral stiffness and pinpoint-accurate steering responses inspire confidence to feather the brakes into and out of corners on fast descents.

Equipment: own brand goodness and premium rolling gear

Our test bike was decked out with an assortment of Dolan's own Alpina branded goods such as the carbon handlebars and oversized carbon setback-type seatpost, together with a Deda carbon wrapped stem. The saddle was the little-seen Prologo Nago that has a stiff base and a rather flat shape that does well to support a rider's sit bones without creating undue pressure on soft tissue.

A fair proportion of the Dolan's total price can be attributed to the Mavic Ksyrium SL Premium wheels. For all intents and purposes, these are identical to the red-hued Ksyrium ES model with their titanium skewers and hub components but are covered in a stealthier black finish.

Other wheels with carbon rims are lighter uphill but we would opt for these Ksyriums in most circumstances as their aluminium braking surfaces provide far better braking modulation on full-attention descents, especially in the wet. Finishing things off was a set of Continental Grand Prix 4000 clinchers that offered tenacious grip even when the tarmac was soaked with rain.

A solid choice

All in all, the Tuono offers a solid performance package that doesn't disappoint as well as an excellent pedigree. The value rating for UK buyers is definitely high but US riders unfortunately suffer from being at the wrong end of the exchange rate. It also doesn't help that our test model's particular build kit inflated its final price somewhat; DPM Sports will offer more reasonably priced builds depending on your budget from Campagnolo, Shimano or SRAM which will include wheels from Fulcrum, Mavic and Zipp

Pricing issues aside, those who prefer to stray just slightly outside of the flock will be well rewarded.

Price: US$2499.99 (frame, fork, headset, seatpost); US$5249.99 (with similar build kit)
Weight: 7.1kg (15.7lb)
Pros: Snappy reflexes and comfy ride, promising long-term durability, Terry Dolan cachet
Cons: A bit pricey depending on your locale, middle-of-the-road design probably won’t satisfy the diehard tech-heads
Cyclingnews rating:
More info: www.dpmsports.com

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by DPM Sports

• The Dolan Tuono may not be well known in the US yet but that may change given its good value and excellent road manners.
• The Dedacciai-tubed carbon frame sports flattened chain stays and curved seat stays that help flatten out road imperfections.
• The standard 1 1/8" head tube and only moderately oversized front triangle don't evoke impressions of massive stiffness but all is well in the saddle.
• The aluminum-sleeved bottom bracket shell is capped off with a monobox-style chain stay assembly.
• Clean-looking dropouts finish off the rear end.
• The wishbone-style seat stays help keep the back end tracking true.

Images by Paul Smith

• The performance of the Dolan Tuono belies its modest price.
• There's little to complain about with Campagnolo's Centaur group. It gets the job done and looks good doing it, too.