Dawes Galaxy - current status? Still good option?

[LittleGreyCat]

Autumn is upon us and it is probably the time of year to think about a new bike from the 2018 range being heavily discounted as the 2019 range comes in.
I have a fondness for the Dawes Galaxy so had a quick look and there don't seem to be a lot of the usual suspects currently stocking it (my Google skills are regularly shown to be rubbish, though).
I did find https://dawescycles.com/product/galaxy/ though, which at £649.99 seems remarkably cheap for a brand new Dawes - noting 3 * 8 gears and cantilever brakes, so almost a retro version.

So is Dawes still a solid option for a traditional touring bike?

If not, how long ago did they stop being a default choice? To guide me through the second hand market place.

I'm losing the will to fettle, and considering disposing of my motley collection of bikes (quite possibly to a charity which ships to Africa) and settling on a single general purpose touring bike. As long as it has the relaxed frame geometry of my current old Galaxy.

[LinusR]

I did find https://dawescycles.com/product/galaxy/ though, which at £649.99 seems remarkably cheap for a brand new Dawes - noting 3 * 8 gears and cantilever brakes, so almost a retro version.

That price is for the model with aluminium frame and forks -- so not remarkably cheap. There are plenty of alloy bikes with better components (and probably frames) at that price. I would go to some showrooms and have a look at what's on offer and take them for a ride.

I used to have a Galaxy but swapped it for a Dawes Audax which was a lovely bike (until it got nicked). Both were 531 steel frames and forks. The Audax model was particularly comfortable and a great do-it-all bike.

I now have a Cannondale CAADX (10 speed Tiagra) which I got discounted for about £730 a couple of years ago. I've added mudguards, changed the brake calipers, some other mods. I use it for light touring, a winter bike, and gravel riding. Though I do miss a steel frame.

I quite like the Jamis Renegade Expat 2018 but these appear to have sold out. Seems very versatile and good value for a steel framed bike. https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/renegadeexpat.html

[LittleGreyCat]

Thanks - Super Galaxy seems more my style with 3 * 9 gears (which I assume has some serious granny in there).

Just an extra £300.

[landsurfer]

I quite like the Jamis Renegade Expat 2018 but these appear to have sold out. Seems very versatile and good value for a steel framed bike. https://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/renegadeexpat.html

Go for the Jamis Aurora ... tremendous bike for not a lot of money, excellent steel frame.

https://www.jamisbikes.com/17_pdf/17_aurora.pdf

[horizon]

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.

[reohn2]

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.

I agree,if I were looking for a tourer/one bike solution I definetly wouldn't be lookjng at Dawes,or the Jamis linked to by LinusR.
Spa OTOH are good value no nonsense solid well thought out bikes as are Genesis touring range.
Thorn IMO have become a little overpriced in recent years though.

[pwa]

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.

I agree,if I were looking for a tourer/one bike solution I definetly wouldn't be lookjng at Dawes,or the Jamis linked to by LinusR.
Spa OTOH are good value no nonsense solid well thought out bikes as are Genesis touring range.
Thorn IMO have become a little overpriced in recent years though.

+1 When the Galaxy was the default it was expensive, compared to the average wage. If you want a modern equivalent you have to pay £1000 or more, and start with Spa's offering.

[NetworkMan]

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.

I agree,if I were looking for a tourer/one bike solution I definetly wouldn't be lookjng at Dawes,or the Jamis linked to by LinusR.
Spa OTOH are good value no nonsense solid well thought out bikes as are Genesis touring range.
Thorn IMO have become a little overpriced in recent years though.

Not the Tour de Fer 30. The choice of Shimano Tiagra triple locks the buyer into a transmission that is just too highly geared for many people. We had someone on here trying to solve it and bought a Spa TD2 chainset. Jamis use a 110/74 chainset which is surely a much better choice.
Yes, Thorn are asking silly money for their Club Tour I just don't see why their frame is so much more expensive than Spa's.

[Brucey]

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

[horizon]

IIRC, Surly's LHT was for a time a must-have replacement for a Galaxy. But it seems now to have settled down as a heavy tourer and found its place. There certainly seems to be vastly more choice - it was Raleigh or a Galaxy for while it seems. Now the bike world is your oyster.

[slowster]

If you really want a Galaxy, Spa have a 51cm ex-demo Reynolds 631 steel frame Galaxy which has Spa's own choice of components, e.g. Deore/Halo handbuilt wheels and a Tubus rack, for £750.

However, if it were me I would be looking at the 54cm and 57cm ex-demo Spa tourers at £850, which have Reynolds 725 frames probably built to a higher standard than Dawes' frames, and which have a better spec, including dynamo lighting.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/smsimg/exdemobikelistaugust18v4.pdf

[reohn2]

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.

I agree,if I were looking for a tourer/one bike solution I definetly wouldn't be lookjng at Dawes,or the Jamis linked to by LinusR.
Spa OTOH are good value no nonsense solid well thought out bikes as are Genesis touring range.
Thorn IMO have become a little overpriced in recent years though.

Not the Tour de Fer 30. The choice of Shimano Tiagra triple locks the buyer into a transmission that is just too highly geared for many people. We had someone on here trying to solve it and bought a Spa TD2 chainset. Jamis use a 110/74 chainset which is surely a much better choice.
Yes, Thorn are asking silly money for their Club Tour I just don't see why their frame is so much more expensive than Spa's.

My post was more general with regards to Genesis bikes,but I take your point.

[yostumpy]

or even the upper Ridgeback range, and the Trek 520 disc is a good option, also the Kona Sutra

[LittleGreyCat]

Jamis Aurora isn't showing via Google search.
Evans Cycles did have it, but all they offer now is the Aurora Elite at £1k.

So possibly the 2018 has sold out and the 2019 isn't in yet.

[LittleGreyCat]

Spa cycles looks interesting.
One of the issues is, though "try before you buy" to see if the frame geometry suits.
If you don't live within striking distance of Harrogate then this might be a bit tricky.
In my case about 230 miles each way.
Much the same issue with buying from Wiggle.

It does look as though one off brands such as Spa and Edinburgh Cycles are fine if you've already seen and ridden one but very complicated if you just want to sit on one and see if it fits.