Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
geocycle
Posts: 2177
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 9:46am

Re: Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

Post by geocycle »

pwa wrote:
Rohloff is so dull to use. I've got a rarely used tandem gathering dust in the garage and that has Rohloff. I'm sure it deadens the ride, robbing you of a bit of zip. I'd not pay for it again.


Maybe but dull can be good, rather like driving a Mercedes! For touring it’s an absolute pleasure especially the ease of use. But it’s probably hard to build into a lively bike. I’d not be without it on my do almost everything bike. I was surprised when I test rode the spa elan in a heavy build just how similar it felt to my thorn. The spa audax is much more fun, if I can just master the derailleurs!
pwa
Posts: 17371
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

Post by pwa »

geocycle wrote:
pwa wrote:
Rohloff is so dull to use. I've got a rarely used tandem gathering dust in the garage and that has Rohloff. I'm sure it deadens the ride, robbing you of a bit of zip. I'd not pay for it again.


Maybe but dull can be good, rather like driving a Mercedes! For touring it’s an absolute pleasure especially the ease of use. But it’s probably hard to build into a lively bike. I’d not be without it on my do almost everything bike. I was surprised when I test rode the spa elan in a heavy build just how similar it felt to my thorn. The spa audax is much more fun, if I can just master the derailleurs!

I've been using derailleurs for forty something years and for me they are as easy as Rohloff. Practice, I suppose.
zenitb
Posts: 832
Joined: 7 Aug 2018, 9:59pm
Contact:

Has anyone tried Oxford Bike Works ..?

Post by zenitb »

Steel frames for 26" + 700c with drop/flat options and I think they can semi customise..They look to use a lot of the components I use..24-36-46 Spa crankset..Ryde Zac rims LX hubs etc. I have been leafing through their range...keen to hear peoples views on them..

https://www.oxfordbikeworks.co.uk/models/overview
pete75
Posts: 16370
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

Post by pete75 »

Brucey wrote:one bike that deserves a mention is the Fuji touring bike. This has a Deore T591 chainset with small chainrings on it already and the spider will accept smaller yet. I think the standard gear range goes from over 100" down to 21". There are only a few bits that I'd reject on it. You get a rear rack but not mudguards, and there is plenty of clearance for fat tyres if that is what you want to fit. The wheels are pretty strong 36 spoke ones. Wiggle are doing the rim braked version (in limited sizes) for a bargain-munguous £637 right now.

cheers


Rarely mentioned by anyone in teh UK but highly thought of in other countries. At £637 an excellent buy. I've had a 2001 version for some years now, too small for me but an excellent loan bike - two friends have done double C2Cs on it and have nothing but praise for the machine.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: Has anyone tried Oxford Bike Works ..?

Post by horizon »

zenitb wrote:Steel frames for 26" + 700c with drop/flat options and I think they can semi customise..They look to use a lot of the components I use..24-36-46 Spa crankset..Ryde Zac rims LX hubs etc. I have been leafing through their range...keen to hear peoples views on them..

https://www.oxfordbikeworks.co.uk/models/overview


I was put off because at first they only offered straight bars (and, I assume, the geometry to match). When they went to drop bars, it was still the same geometry (I believe). Thorn offers a choice of top tube per size and Spa's geometry starts with drops.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
zenitb
Posts: 832
Joined: 7 Aug 2018, 9:59pm
Contact:

Re: Has anyone tried Oxford Bike Works ..?

Post by zenitb »

horizon wrote:
zenitb wrote:Steel frames for 26" + 700c with drop/flat options and I think they can semi customise..They look to use a lot of the components I use..24-36-46 Spa crankset..Ryde Zac rims LX hubs etc. I have been leafing through their range...keen to hear peoples views on them..

https://www.oxfordbikeworks.co.uk/models/overview


I was put off because at first they only offered straight bars (and, I assume, the geometry to match). When they went to drop bars, it was still the same geometry (I believe). Thorn offers a choice of top tube per size and Spa's geometry starts with drops.


Fair point horizon I think Salsa have shorter top tubes for drops with somewhat higher head tubes so the drops dont take you down too far. That said looking at the Oxford site it looks like they have gone for a short top tube anyway..I guess they are not selling flat out mtbs. I have a scrap of paper here with the comparative figures..cant upload though..
zenitb
Posts: 832
Joined: 7 Aug 2018, 9:59pm
Contact:

Re: Has anyone tried Oxford Bike Works ..?

Post by zenitb »

horizon wrote:[I was put off because at first they only offered straight bars (and, I assume, the geometry to match). When they went to drop bars, it was still the same geometry (I believe). Thorn offers a choice of top tube per size and Spa's geometry starts with drops.


My inner geek got woken so I thought I would do a comparison. Figures are "seat post" - "virtual top tube" - in mm .. nearest size to mine !!

Oxford 700C .................570 – 590
Dawes Galaxy ..............580 – 592
Thorn Club Tour Mk4.....580S - 560
Thorn Club Tour Mk4.....580L – 600
My B’Twin Triban 540....560 – 570
My Cube Travel(flatbar).540 - 580*

Bit confusing because of the different sizes the vendors use but probably fair to say that Oxford 700C model is nearer to the classic Dawes Galaxy and the Thorn "L" model with the Thorn S models as a shorter option than both. The Galaxy has drops of course but I have always seen it as a "day tourer" so fairly stretched geometery. I guess it depends what you want. I have relatively long legs and a short body (and like relaxed touring) so maybe the Thorn S models would be better suited for me (I often shorten stems). The B'Twin was surprisingly short.. my son has borrowed my old (531) Dawes Galaxy so unfortunately I could not compare it to the current model shown above.

*my Cube Travel is a 29er and sits much higher off the ground..... its like a 58cm bike to stand over.
rmurphy195
Posts: 2199
Joined: 20 May 2011, 11:23am
Location: South Birmingham

Re: Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

Post by rmurphy195 »

horizon wrote:LittleGreyCat: the Galaxy was certainly a default option but in the past was a single model. It comes now in several variations so you have to choose the one that best meets your needs. Dawes isn't the company it was: the bikes are built in Vietnam and struggle to find much of a place in today's market. The person who used to buy a Galaxy will now be found looking at a variety of makes (and a variety of bike types) but I reckon most have migrated to Thorn and Spa.


And in my case, Condor!
Brompton, Condor Heritage, creaky joints and thinning white (formerly grey) hair
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
User avatar
531colin
Posts: 16083
Joined: 4 Dec 2009, 6:56pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Has anyone tried Oxford Bike Works ..?

Post by 531colin »

zenitb wrote:…………….
My inner geek got woken so I thought I would do a comparison. Figures are "seat post" - "virtual top tube" - in mm .. nearest size to mine !!

Oxford 700C .................570 – 590
Dawes Galaxy ..............580 – 592
Thorn Club Tour Mk4.....580S - 560
Thorn Club Tour Mk4.....580L – 600
My B’Twin Triban 540....560 – 570
My Cube Travel(flatbar).540 - 580*

Bit confusing because of the different sizes the vendors use but probably fair to say that Oxford 700C model is nearer to the classic Dawes Galaxy and the Thorn "L" model with the Thorn S models as a shorter option than both. The Galaxy has drops of course but I have always seen it as a "day tourer" so fairly stretched geometery. I guess it depends what you want. I have relatively long legs and a short body (and like relaxed touring) so maybe the Thorn S models would be better suited for me (I often shorten stems). The B'Twin was surprisingly short.. my son has borrowed my old (531) Dawes Galaxy so unfortunately I could not compare it to the current model shown above.

*my Cube Travel is a 29er and sits much higher off the ground..... its like a 58cm bike to stand over.


I don't know what you want to use these measurements for, but there are a couple of problems...
Everybody talks about "The Dawes Galaxy" as if it has been the same bike for 30 years. It hasn't. Since production moved overseas, the "design" tended to change depending on which factory produced the bikes. I don't know about the UK built ones, but somebody on here will!
"Effective top tube" is next to meaningless unless you know the seat tube angle. In round terms, one degree difference in seat tube angle moves the saddle 10mm (forward or backwards) for a rider of average height.
Brucey
Posts: 44521
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

Post by Brucey »

absolutely.

In fact 'the galaxy' hasn't even been one model only (in any one year) for about forty years, when they first introduced the 'super galaxy' model. That has at various times been about the same but different (better) or lighter weight/duty or heavier weight/duty vs the standard galaxy models.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

Post by mjr »

531colin wrote: 6 Oct 2018, 9:26am But only if you want a riding position thats close to the traditional position for recreational/touring cyclists, as here... http://wheel-easy.org.uk/uploads/docume ... 02017a.pdf
Both the above link and the one on www.wheel-easy.org.uk/bike-set-up/ seem to be broken now. Does anyone know where the guide lives now, please?

Edit: and now the link on www.wheel-easy.org.uk/bike-set-up/ worked for me. What's going on!??!
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
gregoryoftours
Posts: 2234
Joined: 22 May 2011, 7:14pm

Re: Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

Post by gregoryoftours »

To add another suggestion to a very old thread I think that Ridgeback make some solid good value touring bikes too.
Post Reply