Memories of the Dawes Galaxy

[puffin]

Here are the two Galaxys in my life. I have just snaffled the front wheel off the old one to put on the (to me) new one a few minutes ago. A wonderful thread. I stumbled across Galaxys as an infrequent rider, they were great. I've done LEJOG a few times on the older one, then went to the excellent Spa 725 touring bike (in the background of the photo, awaiting a wash), but a few weeks ago saw a Dawes Ultra for sale locally. Yea! I don't really know how old these bikes are (any ideas?) but they both work fine. The older one has become a custom build bike...because the seat post has become stuck in, luckily at my height

[Brucey]

if there are original shimano parts on the bikes, they often have a date code which should indicate the approximate year of manufacture, even if the frame number doesn't.

cheers

[jimlews]

Back in 1979 my first serious boyfriend had a Super Galaxy. He won my heart by regularly riding it from Leeds to Liverpool to visit me.

But did he lay the Galaxy at your feet, or like any common or garden Romeo, merely promise you the Moon?

[Bmblbzzz]

Back in 1979 my first serious boyfriend had a Super Galaxy. He won my heart by regularly riding it from Leeds to Liverpool to visit me.

But did he lay the Galaxy at your feet, or like any common or garden Romeo, merely promise you the Moon?

[MIB2020]

My 2002 model attached, I also have a new Ribble cgrti, wouldn’t sell the Dawes!

[wheelyhappy99]

First new bike I ever bought, back in 1978 after a payrise. Trendy brown metallic 1970s paint job. So much better than the basic BSA it replaced. Beautiful ride on lovely compliant forks. You could watch them flex. Great memories from camping tours around the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany , Switzerland as well as UK. Oh, and the evening rides to village pubs.

Cannot fault the frame and forks, but the original wheels weren't up to even light camping loads, so regular practice replacing spokes. And the rack was crap. The front mounting broke away half way down a long descent in France, so it all rotated backwards and pushed the mudguard into the tyre, cutting almost through the full circumference as I reached the level crossing. Exciting.....

Still have it, tweaked for 700 rims and repainted by Mercian about five years ago and fitted with 105. I'm not so comfy on drop bars for long distances now, so mainly riding a Thorn Nomad, but my son has taken a shine to the Galaxy.

[wheelyhappy99]

Just seen the post about tyre sizes. My 1978 is now running 37-622 Marathon Supremes. Much more comfortable than all previous tyres. Clearance is adequate even with SKS full mudguards.

[simonineaston]

A Dawes Galaxy is named and is playing a pivotal role in a radio drama, from '87, on 4X at the mo', complete with realistic ticking sound effects, intended to represent the freewheel I imagine, as the hero pedals aound London discovering important things. The desired effect is only slightly diminished by the sound seeming to occur when he's pedalling, as well as when not... but more disppointing was the the reference to its "lightweight ally frame"... Never mind, artistic license, I suppose!
EDIT: just re-listened to the 1st episode and it was.... a Claude Butler! The Galaxy and Claude Butlers like the Dalesman clearly occupy the same sort of space in the befuddled muddle that passes for my memory. Still, the above comments still stand.

[Brucey]

Just seen the post about tyre sizes. My 1978 is now running 37-622 Marathon Supremes. Much more comfortable than all previous tyres. Clearance is adequate even with SKS full mudguards.

If you have an older galaxy which was originally built for 27" wheels you may have a bit more radial clearance for slightly wider 700C tyres. The limiting factor is usually the lateral clearance between the chainstays. I've run 37mm tyres in my 1970's galaxy and there is bags of room radially but only about 2mm clearance either side of the chainstays. If the rear wheel broke a spoke riding home without something to the wheel would be difficult.

When they changed to 700C wheels (in the early to mid 1980s?) they changed the brake drop to suit the smaller rims and whilst it varies from year to year, I think there is usually a bit less clearance for wider tyres.

cheers

[wheelyhappy99]

Should have made it clear that when Mercian retracked the frame to suit 700s they brazed in a wider bridge, so loads of room on this fettled frame. Certainly would be close fit otherwise. The forks have over 10mm clearance each side. For comparison, cost of fettling and painting was about a quarter of buying a comparable new frame/forks.

[velorog]

I have a 1985 Lady Galaxy running 700x32 tyres. Actual tyre width is 30mm and this leaves me with fag paper clearances between the chain stays. Could possibly take 32mm at a pinch. There seems to be a lot of differences in clearances between different builds.

[colin54]

Thanks for the various posts regarding Galaxy tyre widths.
There's 5 pages photographs of Dawes bicycles (with links to articles), the majority either Galaxy/Super Galaxy out and about the world on the Crazy Guy site.
Great viewing & reading over breakfast....and beyond !
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/pag ... 2TL#bottom

[Bmblbzzz]

A Dawes Galaxy is named and is playing a pivotal role in a radio drama, from '87, on 4X at the mo', complete with realistic ticking sound effects, intended to represent the freewheel I imagine, as the hero pedals aound London discovering important things. The desired effect is only slightly diminished by the sound seeming to occur when he's pedalling, as well as when not... but more disppointing was the the reference to its "lightweight ally frame"... Never mind, artistic license, I suppose!
EDIT: just re-listened to the 1st episode and it was.... a Claude Butler! The Galaxy and Claude Butlers like the Dalesman clearly occupy the same sort of space in the befuddled muddle that passes for my memory. Still, the above comments still stand.

I'll have a listen to that. I've basically given up on R4 because the good bits (drama, poetry, stories) became lost in a sea of news, current affairs, news analysis, political interviews, and similar...

[Bmblbzzz]

Yeah, I guess I'm out of touch with the R4 drama style, as parts of it just seemed so exaggerated I thought they were intended to be sarcastic.

[colin54]

There's a Galaxy being advertised on ebay at the moment which must be a very early Galaxy indeed, you can just see the Galaxy transfer on the top tube in the 5th picture in the ad'.It's the oldest one I've seen advertised I think. Cottered cranks, single ring & 5 speed. I like the stars motif on the down tube panel, fits in with the 'space race' going on at the time I suppose.

As far as the internet tells me, the Galaxy superseded the 'Windrush' model in the mid 1960's.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Dawe ... %7Ciid%3A1