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TECH NEWS
Donhou Bicycles release DSS2 gravel and adventure bike
Donhou Bicycles has just launched the new DSS2, the latest off-the-shelf bike in its Signature Series. The Reynolds 853 frame has space for up to 35mm tyres and there are rack and mudguard mounts. It is designed for road, touring and gravel riding.
The Signature Series is “handcrafted steel, without the waiting list”, to use Donhou’s own words. It’s intended to offer cyclists a chance of owning an off-the-shelf complete bike from the highly regarded frame builder, Tom Donhou. The first frame in this range was the steel-framed disc-equipped DSS1, which road.cc reviewed and found to be a “fabulous bike with [a] sparkling ride and handling.”
- Review: Donhou DSS1 Signature Steel road bike
The DSS2 is the second frame in the Signature Series. It's designed for road, gravel and touring cycling, intended to be more versatile than the DSS1. It's "at home on the tarmac, but built with detours off the beaten path in mind, it'll adapt to road, gravel or loaded touring – so all you have to do is choose the adventure,” describes Donhou.
Tyre clearance has been increased to 35mm, and mudguard mounts have been added - it’ll take 28mm tyres with ‘guards fitted. Those changes over the DSS1 immediately make it apparent this is a bike designed for tackling rougher roads, dirt tracks and protecting you from road spray. And with rack mounts, you could use it for touring or commuting.
The frame is made from Reynolds 853 tubing and combined with the Wound Up Gravel fork. Wound Up is a US company specialising in carbon fibre forks, and every model features straight and round profile fork blades. The company prefers round and straight for the simplicity and minimalist aesthetic. You can see the full range of forks, and there are quite a few, here.
The complete bike is built up with a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain with TRP Spyre SLC mechanical disc brakes - a hydraulic disc brake option is available. Handbuilt wheels are considered a must on a bespoke bike and Donhou uses August Wheelworks to supply Hope hubs laced to Pacenti SL23 disc-specific rims, shod with Continental Grand sport Race 28mm tyres.
- Buyer’s guide to gravel and adventure bikes plus 11 of the best
The bike is suitably finished with high-end parts, including Chris King headset, Thomson Elite seatpost and X4 stem, and Fizik Ardea Versus saddle and Cyrano R3 handlebar.
The DSS1 wowed crowds with its paint job featuring the colour fade down tube. For the DSS2 Donhou has worked with Suzanne Antonelli, a textile and print designer, to develop a “Good Vibes” paint job inspired by 1980s Miami beach style.
The DSS2 is available as a frameset for £1,995 in sizes 54, 56 and 58cm, with a mechanical complete bike costing £3,785 and a hydraulic build coming in at £3,965. Complete bikes will have a bike fit to adjust the handlebar width, stem length, crank arm length and even gear ratios to suit.
The photos of the bike accompanying these words were shot in Iceland, on a recent trip to test the bike undertaken by Tom Donhou and photographer George Marshall. They headed to Iceland to ride the many gravel roads that thread through harsh and uninviting terrain, fully unsupported.
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
Latest Comments
- Geoff H 7 sec ago
Mapdec owner Paul Vousden Did the right thing. If they inspected a crank and it passed, and later failed and resulted in an injury, Shimano "could...
- Rendel Harris 23 min 13 sec ago
Or bench front seats like some vintage US cars (fond memories of being driven round Europe in a Ford Zephyr as a kid in the '70s) and everyone has...
- kingleo 1 hour 48 min ago
There are about 7.4 million cyclists in the UK, so there are not a few. The roads are paid for via the national and local taxation system—everybody...
- quiff 2 hours 23 sec ago
I was going to suggest the Fairlight Strael too, and went to check if it came in on budget. While there, I finally ordered the frameset I've been...
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Presumably they could also have been saved if the council had just reduced the carriageway width without residents' agreement....
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"No darling, I said a cactus bike holder, not a bike cactus holder."...
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I have visited Guernsey and my wife goes there a few times a year for work. This act of premeditated violence shocks me. There are quite a lot of...
- hawkinspeter 7 hours 37 min ago
You could well be right. Personally, I think Avonvale Rd is just a disaster for having two way traffic. So many drivers think the traffic calming...
- hawkinspeter 7 hours 43 min ago
Although Muller Rd isn't great to cycle on (the north end, anyhow), it's certainly not the worst. I'm definitely in the "brave and bold cyclist" at...
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Meh, he said "about" 75psi which is fair enough - ETRTO use 5 bar (72.5psi) as the limit, so 75psi is well within the error margin of the gauge on...
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21 comments
Yeah, I definitely had to do it like that - I just wasn't in a position where I could take a huge risk...mortgage, kids and all that. Wish I had done it years ago now though.
Nope. Someone has a moronic opinion on a subject, so they are a moron.
Freelancing is working out well thanks. For about two years before I took the leap I had built up a relationship with a number of clients; it wasn't really as risky a move as people tend to think.
Predictable response. But you had to, I suppose.
Someone has a different opinion. Get over it.
I have noticed your posts directed at others, not just Myself. It's not what you say, but how you say it.
As if you would call someone these names to their face.
How is the Line Dance Instructor thing working out for you?
It just makes me laugh that some moron on the internet thinks they have the right to dictate what a complete stranger can charge for their time. In this case Tom has the right to charge whatever the hell he wants - it's his time and experience. Other bike builders can charge whatever the hell they want too. Who gives a shit what "extra" you get? Don't buy it if you don't want it.
I've been working freelance for the last year and I'm sure if my rates were public, I'd be subjected to similar inane abuse - "ohhh, you could get two johninkskis for the same rate as one kadinkski!" Just small minded morons with a puerile view of economics.
Someone has a different opinion to you, so they are a moron? Pot/kettle.
It's just opinion. Get over it.
Freelancing not working out so well?
I'm honestly struggling to see this as terrifyingly expensive.
It appears to be on a par with the Niner RLT Steel, which is more-or-less a direct competitor.
I don't like the paint as much as the DSS1 though...
You answered it for yourself. They have decades of experience. Donny knows how to make bikes, without a doubt, but he is still learning the rest of the business.
Who to buy from, when to buy from them, who is a good company to use for special paint jobs, who is a bad distributor for components from outside of the UK, can I get discounts from someone if they know I will order again in 12 months etc etc.
I have known Tom for a few years and can promise you that he is far from taking the piss. He really isn't making as much money from this as you think. Try running a similar business and tell me how you get on.
Before people start slagging this off for being a pricey bike I think it's worth pointing out what is most likely the biggest influencing factor for the high price.
The number of bikes being built is incredibly small, which will undoubtedly drive the price up. If Tom was able to sell 1,000 of them they would be much, much cheaper. But this isn't the case.
If you go and visit Tom you will see that almost all of the money goes back into the business. He is hardly rolling in it and it's actually really hard to make a good living from a business like this, even when the individual prices do appear to be high.
I mean, just look at this shoes, the man has holes in his shoes.
EDIT: As you can see the first bike was £4.4k, this one 3.8k.
Then why can other small volume fabricators with decades of experience turn out the exact same thing or better in fact for less money?
It's nothing to do with the small volumes made - the other experienced fabricators are not exactly cheap either, they are just not taking the piss.
Every time I see one of these reviews I am reminded of the days when a cycling plus staff writer was also featuring in adds for SJS cycles - that ran in the same publication.
Maybe some bike builders simply don't have visibility of the correct prices that they can charge for their time and materials. As you obviously have the master formula of prices each manufacturer can charge I suggest you distribute it immediately. Thank you.
Maybe some bike builders simply don't have visibility of the correct prices that they can charge for their time and materials. As you obviously have the master formula of prices each manufacturer can charge I suggest you distribute it immediately. Thank you.
No. Thank you.
What an asinine view of economics you have, Kandinkski.
To paraphrase Brian Moore "Not putting
or #sarcasm can caused problems but it also sorts out the thickies."
As does poor grammar, you clown.
I can get a bespoke Rourke, Longstaffs or Mercian for less than that...
This,
What do you get that you can't get from other's? Or is it simply the name and kudos of owning something few others have.
Well, that's exactly what you get that you can't get from others.
As soon as I saw 'Donhou' and 'gravel' I knew the price would be through the roof.
Wait for it........
Planet X are loads cheaper etc!
Or save yourself the wait and read the comments on the DSS1 review.
Not in my price bracket, but the matching mudguards are a nice touch.