Old Dawes

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Thehairs1970
Posts: 603
Joined: 11 Aug 2018, 9:30am

Old Dawes

Post by Thehairs1970 »

Where would one find the frame number on a 1990ish Dawes. Looked on the bottom bracket shell and nothing. Would like to find out a bit about the original frame I have acquired.
jb
Posts: 1782
Joined: 6 Jan 2007, 12:17pm
Location: Clitheroe

Re: Old Dawes

Post by jb »

Mines is on the bottom bracket shell. It's not got filled in with paint has it?
Cheers
J Bro
colin54
Posts: 2529
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by colin54 »

You can normally tell a lot from the frame colour-scheme and the graphics of the frame transfers on Dawes, they seemed to change every year and differed from model to model.
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Jamesh
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Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by Jamesh »

Missed a Raleigh royal for £82 last night!

There again it was a cold might for the doghouse!

Cheers James
Thehairs1970
Posts: 603
Joined: 11 Aug 2018, 9:30am

Re: Old Dawes

Post by Thehairs1970 »

colin54 wrote: 20 Sep 2021, 7:09am You can normally tell a lot from the frame colour-scheme and the graphics of the frame transfers on Dawes, they seemed to change every year and differed from model to model.
Good idea. Where would I find comparison info?
colin54
Posts: 2529
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by colin54 »

If you know the model name, Google images, Dawes catalogues on-line etc, post a picture on here perhaps and someone might recognise it.
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drossall
Posts: 6115
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 10:01pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: Old Dawes

Post by drossall »

You might try these. But, as the owner of a Dawes Imperial, bought new as a frame in 1990 and recently resprayed, I'd like to see a photo of your machine :D
Thehairs1970
Posts: 603
Joined: 11 Aug 2018, 9:30am

Re: Old Dawes

Post by Thehairs1970 »

drossall wrote: 20 Sep 2021, 11:12pm You might try these. But, as the owner of a Dawes Imperial, bought new as a frame in 1990 and recently resprayed, I'd like to see a photo of your machine :D
Photos of my frame? A bit forward for a first date but OK. Cost me £30 btw.
Attachments
7AAA9AF5-7B85-47E0-B97E-42C0E7902054.jpeg
PT1029
Posts: 1744
Joined: 16 Apr 2012, 9:20pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by PT1029 »

The photo looks like a Galaxy (or possibly Horizon?, the Horizon if I remember correctly sometimes was in effect a Galaxy with cheaper parts).
My hunch is early - mid 1990's.
A friend had a blue Galaxy like your picture. I sold him a new green Galaxy (I worked in a Dawes dealer) about 1999 - 2002 to replace his ageing blue Galaxy, his older blue Galaxy was then pensioned off as a runabout.
I have to say his ageing Galaxy looked a mere stripling to your battered one!
colin54
Posts: 2529
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by colin54 »

Is this the Galaxy you talk about in this thread?
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=147916
Here are a couple of links which have pictures of the bike with the correct colour and graphics scheme.
One saying the bike is 1987 & another saying 1989, take your pick.
I note the Retrobike ('1989' bike) post states the frame was built for 27'' wheels, this may complicate things with brake pads lining up on the rims, assuming you don't have the originals and are going to rebuild with 700c wheels.
I don't know how this works out on a bike with cantilever brakes fitted like yours, others may comment who have done the swap if they read this. I don't know what year bikes started going over to 700 wheels in the UK, anyone ?
If you have a set of 700 wheels on another bike you could try one in the frame to see.
A bike of this era was probably running a 6x3 triple, so the frame is likely to be spaced 126mm at the back, not 130mm which would accomodate 8/9/10 & 11(?) speed at the back..
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ ... -538455966
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/198 ... xy.372439/
Not to put you off, but building a bike of this era from a frame only is full of hidden pitfalls with regards to compatibilty of
parts. Better to build from a complete bike, even that can be a money pit ; ask me how I know, as the saying goes.
It's definitely worth checking the frame is straight using the string method before spending any money at all.
Is your son over 6 foot tall, that looks like a 24'' or larger '' frame to my eyes ?
Sorry if this comes over a bit pessimistic, I like messing about with old bikes as a hobby, and don't particularly count the cost, but forwarned is forearmed .
Good luck.
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colin54
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Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by colin54 »

Here's a 1990 catalogue with a similar looking colour scheme ffrom the VCC site
Described as Antigua Blue metallic, is your paint metallic ?
700c wheels !
Page 11

https://dawescycles.files.wordpress.com ... at-vcc.pdf
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thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by thirdcrank »

Thehairs1970 wrote: 19 Sep 2021, 6:52pm Where would one find the frame number on a 1990ish Dawes. Looked on the bottom bracket shell and nothing. Would like to find out a bit about the original frame I have acquired.
I see from drossall's link that somebody is trying to build a database of Dawes frame numbers. I think the first point there is that they are presumably doing that because it is said that all the company's own records have been lost. I've heard it said by a couple of firms that enquiries about frame numbers from people who believe they have acquired the next Antiques Road Show gem are a burden.

The usual advice for this type of query is that date stamps on any original equipment are a good guide to age. Not easy with an almost bare frame. colin54's advice about old frames is something I'll second
Thehairs1970
Posts: 603
Joined: 11 Aug 2018, 9:30am

Re: Old Dawes

Post by Thehairs1970 »

Thanks all for the replies. I measured the frame between the dropouts as 130mm. I was told it was a 1990 and had been running 700c wheels. The guy who sold it had a garage full of bikes and bits so I tend to think he knew what he was talking about and he had had the bike for a number of years.

My son, like me, is well over 6’ so shouldn’t have any problem reaching the floor!

I still can’t find the frame number…
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Old Dawes

Post by thirdcrank »

Without wanting in any way to sound clever, why not ask the vendor?
Thehairs1970
Posts: 603
Joined: 11 Aug 2018, 9:30am

Re: Old Dawes

Post by Thehairs1970 »

I got what info I could. I just wonder if I can nail down the model a bit more.
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