As some of you might know I got the chance to get a 3T Dorico before they are officially released on the market. It came in today while I was talking to Juanmoretime. Immediately i got it unwrapped and put it on the scale.
Specs:
diameter: 27,2 mm.
Lenght: 350 mm.
KM's in use: none yet.
Lets talk about the looks hardware and installation first to warm us up for a bit of a shock.
Looks
The Dorico Team has the looks of a model. With that I also mean that the LTD version must have the looks of a super model! As the LTD version also has the UD head on it in stead of the Al. head on the Team version. The UD of the Team post is beautiful and the Al. head is nicely crafted as well. The red stripe that is on the front and back of the post proceeds on the front of the head and with that "bonding" the two visually together. There is a good amount of lacquer on it and I couldn't find any flaws in that. The product finish is top notch!
Hardware
Although the website says that the Team post comes with Stainless steel bolts I got it with Ti bolts. The bolts have round heads that take a 4mm allen key. The cradle for the saddle has a slot in it so you can adjust the saddle without the cradle interfering with it. The cradle also has longer "arms" to support the saddle rails. This is a nice, but not really needed addition as I never ever had the rails of a saddle break, because of their contact with the cradle. The yokes that clamp the top of the saddle rails seem a bit fat as well. They have an M6 thread. [edit]Got the KCNC yoke. it weights 4.2 grams for one piece M4 thread.[edit] Every part of the post has a very nice finish to it. I especially like the bolts with their round heads. They seem to be very well made and great care went into them.
Installation
Time for my tools to meet the bike again. They still seem to like it. Taking the Cf. New Ultimate zero setback seat post out was a bit of a fight as it seemed to have cold bonded with the aluminium of this frame. A few drops of very thin lube made it move as fast as a guard dog out of its kennel.
I then cleaned the inside of the frame with sandpaper and gave it a thin coating of Shimanos' anti seize paste. The seat post got the same thin coating and it slid in with just a little friction left.
Slapping the Endurance on was easy. Final adjustments were not. It has a true infinite adjustment! This way you can put the saddle on with micro precision. You need to bolt the saddle in the position you would like it with the front bolt and then tighten it with the rear bolt. if the nose then sits to low release the front bolt a bit. If the nose sits to high, release the back bolt a lot, tighten the front bolt a bit more and then tighten the back bolt again. That way it seems like the torque is not equally shared between the two bolts but this is the way it works the best. Believe me, I just spend enough time to find that out.
I certainly hope that you are all warmed up now, because I'm going to cover the weight on the post below.
Weight
What is there left to say about the post after all the praise I gave it. The looks are great and the hardware seems to be very nice as well. Well, you must have guessed it after two big hints. It is a bit of a deception. I have weighted every part separately for you as that is a good way to find the fat. Let's start with the weight of the hardware: bolts, cradle and yokes. The combined weight of that is 44.7 grams. this is split up over the parts like this:
Then the post hit the scale. Of course it is heavier then zero setback posts but comparing it to that would be comparing apples with oranges. It came in at this:
My new scale didn't show the post any mercy when it stopped counting at 183,9 grams, ouch! Then combine that weight with the hardware weight and you are in for a shock!
3T claim 182 grams for a 31.6 diameter and 280mm length post. I have counted 228.6 grams for my 350 mm. length seat post. Okay, their post is 70 mm. shorter, but is also wider in diameter which accounts for thinner walls hence a lower weight. IIRC Cf piping is about 7 grams per 10 mm. That adds 42 grams to my post in comparison with the post that 3T has weighed. 228.6 - 42 = 186 grams. so that is quite fair. But. Mine came with Ti. bolts in stead of the claimed stainless ones. That doubles the weight of the bolts when the seatpost comes with stainless bolts. That makes the Dorico Team seat post with stainless bolts weight 238.5 grams.
Here is a small quote from the 3T website, maybe they also thought about the weight of the post when giving it it's name:
3t website wrote:Like the Ancient Greek architectural column it gets its name from, DORICO is built to provide elegant, robust support that stands the test of time.
Conclusion
3T has made a nice setback seat post with their Dorico Team. They stay close to their claimed weight and the finish of the product is great. The post offers true infinite adjustment. The adjustment is just a bit fiddly. Fashion weenies who are looking for the latest and greatest seatpost will like it a lot. True Weight Weenies will find themselves looking for a lighter alternative like the AX Lightness Deadalus. I'm ordering the latter and the 3T Dorico will be on my bike untill the AX goodie will arrive at my doorstep. People who want to combine light and good looks may also want to wait for the Palladio that 3T is producing.
[edited to add the weight of a KCNC yoke]
Great review.
