Dolan Bikes

Sunday Spins

Hi Folks

long time lurker new to posting

I am getting back on the bike after some years and am looking seriously at a Dolan Mythos with the new Ultegra SL groupset

It comes with Mavic Aksium wheelset and Deda finishing kit

Looks really nice and I am falling for it quickly

Has anyone got one of these and do they have a good rep

thanks

Mike

CheGuedara

Can't tell you much about the Mythos but I have a Hercules SE (it's a great bike and well worth considering) which if the quality is anything to go by would suggest the Mythos would be a quality product also.

Quigs Snr

Its fine, but... the Mythos is a low end frame. Its the same one that Ribble sell (not the sportive one, instead its their lowest carbon one), and many others, its also sold as a dedacci frameset. Its very heavy for carbon, one of our lads had one and sold it, I held the frame on its own in my hands, it wasn't impressive. That being said I am sure its stiff, strong and rides well, I heard no complaints about it in that regard.

The Hercules is far, far better if you can stretch to it. The late great Paul Healion won stage 6 of the RAS on one this year (images in the Paul Healion RIP thread).

Dr_Colossus

Sounds like a nice bike Sunday Spins, where did you see it and what kind of price. I see people track cycling on the velodrome in Ceann Park all the time on Donal fixies. It's all the youth teams seem to cycle, must be sponsored by them or something.

Stokolan

I have the mythos and I'm going a bit mad that I didnt go for the Hercules SE which could have only costed me about 200 more at the time I think. Granted the Mythos is a lovely bike and great frame. I just think the Hercules SE looks better.

Have to agree the Mythos frame seems a little heavy for a carbon bike.

So if ya can stretch go for the Hercules.

Hungrycol

Sunday Spins wrote: »

new Ultegra SL groupset

This isn't "new" anymore!!

Sunday Spins

The actual weight is 8.2kg.
I weighed it myself in the shop.

@Quigs The curves/ colors on the Hercules don't appeal to me at all
plus its retailing at alsmot 500 more

Price is €1,850 which seems there abouts

I like to buy in the LBS as I feel you get better service in the event of things going pear shaped.

The SL may not be new but I have Shimano 600 on my old Columbus SLX
so it will do me fine

thanks for the info

niceonetom

Sunday Spins wrote: »

The actual weight is 8.2kg.
I weighed it myself in the shop.

Weight doesn't matter as much as many claim, but that's quite a lot for a bike at that price point. What size frame was it?

Sunday Spins

54cm

Well i'ts only 1.4KG from the UCI limit.

My current steel bike is 9.5kg and I am whipping guys on €5,000 felt machines

I think some people get lost in the old weight weenie debate

What is better at this price point??

Billy Whizz

Sunday Spins wrote: »

I think some people get lost in the old weight weenie debate

I couldn't agree more, it's an expensive habit.

8.2kg is plenty light for all terrain in this country. A lighter wheelset would be preferable if you were competing in some of the hillier road races (Des Hanlon, Rás Dhún na nGall). For sportives I wouldn't bother.

If someone gets themselves down below 5% bodyfat then it may be worth considering getting the weight weenie scales out.

Lumen

Sunday Spins wrote: »

I think some people get lost in the old weight weenie debate

Of course weight is not very important to performance, but appearance has zero effect on performance and yet people still want pretty bikes.

niceonetom

Sunday Spins wrote: »

My current steel bike is 9.5kg and I am whipping guys on €5,000 felt machines

I think some people get lost in the old weight weenie debate

If you're already beating people on a heavy steel bike why do you want a new one?

If weight is irrelevant why are you weighing bikes in the shop?

Sunday Spins

Because everyone I ask about the bike says

"What weight is it."

I think it will be fine for me

Will post a pic when I pick it up. I will most likely make the purchase

Bikerbhoy

Dolan Mythos cant fault it at all.... maybe a little bit more imagination on the livery might go a long way.... but that goes for all Dolans.Anyway the Mythos....... excellent comfortable ride been commented on several times this year at various sportives since it was bought just before Wicklow 200 which was an absolute pleasure to ride this year on the Mythos.
Does anyone remember that Italian guy who rode the Martin Early this year, he also commented on it, now for a Italian cyclist who was wearing Basso's DMTs to complement my bike is good enough for me....... I know Im easly pleased.
Lets face it....... on the weight issue , I know I dont expect to win next Years Ras or aim for the podium in the next Tour de France TT and to be fair neither are alot of other guys on this forum....
Most people on here do what I do, train for and ride Sportives and for that purpose unless you are loaded with disposable cash which I for one am not The Dolan Mythos cant be faulted

Just be careful with your choice of frame size though im 5 11 and Im on a 52cm frame raising up to what Id be normally on a 56cm. They are not standard sizing.

Quigs Snr

If you are set on buying local (I don't see a price mentioned but I am assuming perhaps around the 1200 mark for that bike), its this or the Boardman most likely if you want carbon. I'd tend towards the Boardman in that case - albeit thats fine for me because I am handy enough with a spanner to ensure that its been setup correctly.

If you like the bike why not just get it ? Everyone here will tell you there is better value online and no-one here is going to tell you that the Mythos is anything but an entry level carbon frame thats perfectly fine but quite heavy for what it is, so if weight doesn't matter, you like the looks and the price you should just get it I reckon. No need to overthink it.

EDIT: Good point about the Dolan sizing above... very odd sizing on those bikes they tend to be low and long..

Sunday Spins

@Quigs Snr

Its actually 1850

I can get it re built with Tiagra for around €1200 or 105 for around €1500

Decided to stick with the ultegra as I prefer to spend the dosh on the grouppo as opposed to cheap components on a better frame

thanks for all the help folks

Mike

Lumen

€1850 is almost £1700 today (sterling on it's annual pre-Christmas nosedive).

There is a fair amount of choice at that price point. Maybe read this and this before you make your final decision, if you haven't already.

I usually take these reviews with a pich of salt, but it's good to know what's out there given the often limited selection of local shops.

ROK ON

FYI. 1850for mythos with Ultegra sl is nuts. I bought a Hercules last Nov for less than that and got a triple and pedals, cages and pump thrown in.
I am now changing the group to double.

The hercules frame is great IMHO (but I am biased).

Quigs Snr

1850. HOLY CRAP. 2 bike shops in my locality have been doing the Hercules with Ultegra and Askiums for about 100 less than that. The frame is only 600, the groupset is 510. Wheels are 165 (these are standard Ireland Bricks and mortar retail), the finish kit is a couple of hundred on top....

You might call them and ask them for a price on the Mythos. I would be stunned if you couldn't get it for 1400 from my local guy here. Would you like me to check ?

CheGuedara

I'm on side with ROK ON and Quigs here - someones having you on asking that much for that bike. If they haven't made a mistake and quoted you for the Hercules I'd buy elsewhere.

I got my Hercules for e1600 (a price that still might still be found somewhere). If you can find it at that price to spend the difference between that and the quote for the Mythos you could get the bike custom painted by Dolan (e100) and put any aesthetic qualms with the bike to bed and sort yourself out with a decent pump, saddlebag, bottles and cages with the rest.

DirkVoodoo

Maybe try WWC?: http://www.worldwidecycles.com/p-855-dolan-hercules-se-frameset.aspx

They might do a better deal on a full build, otherwise it could come out higher than 1600 euro.

showry

You should definitely be able to get a Hercules at that price. I got one this year and I love it. My only regret is that I didn't know about the custom paint job beforehand. Mind you, the yellow tyres it's sporting at the moment aren't doing it any favours either.

Lumen

I was hammering up through Phoenix Park about 5.20pm today, ragged breathing and snot everywhere, when I felt a presence on my wheel.

After a few hundred metres of this I admitted defeat and sat up, and a nice chap on a nice blue Dolan road bike, with panniers, pulled alongside and started chatting to me, calm as you like, completely unflustered.

He asked me what my rear wheel was (I explained the Powertap between gasping recovery breaths).

I complimented him on the Dolan. He said "It better be good, I spent €600 on it. I'm trying to shed the weight I built up over last winter.".

Whilst I was preparing excuses about my knobby cyclocross tyres, he revealed that he was 61, so I decided not to make a big deal of it.

So that's my Dolan story of the day. They're obviously fast enough.

Sunday Spins

Purchased this morning for 1650 , the guy threw in helmet , shoes , shorts and jersey

Will post pics later , nice bike IMHO

Quigs Snr

Thats not so bad then. Well wear as they say.

Sunday Spins

Cheers @Quigs Snr , thanks for all the advice

Zipp101

I'm looking at a second hand one online.
My current frame is 54 and I'm about 6ft.
The blokes description:
Frame is size 48 - 53 Adjustable sloping

What does this mean? Is it 48 or 53?

ROK ON

Zipp101 wrote: »

I'm looking at a second hand one online.
My current frame is 54 and I'm about 6ft.
The blokes description:
Frame is size 48 - 53 Adjustable sloping

What does this mean? Is it 48 or 53?

I am open to correction, but heres my explanation.

It is a sloping frame, that measures 48cm on the top tube, but 53cm from seatpost to headset.

IIRC, this is close to the measurement of my bike, but is actually a 53.5cm not 53cm.



The 53 would be the measurement of D.

Zipp101

So it's a 53.5cm frame?

Excuse my genuine ignorance

blorg

I'd ask the seller what he means, maybe get him to measure one of the tubes if he is not sure himself.

Full sizing information for the bikes is in this PDF:

http://www.italian-solutions.co.uk/sizechart.pdf

Dolan quoted sizes are in terms of the actual seat tube length (centre BB to top ST.) Not a particularly normal way of doing it BTW so best figure out the actual reach etc if you are trying to compare against any other bike.