New Touring Bike, advice needed

[puffin]

Can anyone tell me what I am looking at?!

I have an urge to upgrade my 1990's Dawes Galaxy to the Dawes Galaxy Plus 520 2015 Touring Bike, £1000. I know very little about bikes (although I am a keen rider), so can anyone couch in layman terms if this is a good buy?

Here's a description from Evans' site http://www.evanscycles.com/products/daw ... e-ec114618

Any advice gratefully received

[horizon]

It's fine - Reynolds 520 and Alivio and all the usual Dawes trimmings. But you should aim to get it cheaper at a discount, otherwise there are better bikes (IMV) for the money including the Spa tourer. Try the 2014 model if possible.

PS Depending on the year, your existing Galaxy might be worth upgrading.

[tatanab]

Logical question - What attracts you to this model?

[horizon]

Logical question - What attracts you to this model?

Discs and STIs might clinch it for the OP. I can't find a cheaper one so it looks like he/she is not the only one who has spotted a good configuration.

But it's quite heavy (14 kg) and for the money I would go for the Spa but that means no discs etc. Really though I would stick with and upgrade (to what?) the exisiting Galaxy if it has brake pivots and 135 OLN. But that's just my own view. Maybe a respray??

[tatanab]

^^ I agree with every one of those points. Of the two I'd go for the Spa as well if I was in the market for an off the peg machine.

[beardy]

Was the Dawes' disc brake issue resolved for the 2015 models?

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=83944&hilit=dawes+disc

[honesty]

The galaxy plus is a good model, but I would expect to get something like 20% off the RRP if you wait a month or so. End of season usually means Dawes prices get slashed. The other Dawes option is the Coast to Coast, which is pretty much the same model but 26" wheels. Otherwise, the Spa steel tourer is an awfully good bike for the price. Spa have also discounted a lot of tourers recently. They are selling the Cinelli Hobo off for around £1000.

[mercalia]

whats wrong with the bike you have? maybe spend a £ upgrading it?

[puffin]

Thanks for all the advice, especially the alternatives... and the searching question as to do I need to buy a new bike. I have done 3 LEJOG's on this poor Galaxy, and it still gives good service.

I have attached photos of the bike in case anyone can suggest suitability to upgrade / replace. Thanks again for your kind help

[horizon]

Mudguards??

The biggest change IMV though would be to go for 8 or 9 speed gearing depending on what your bike already has - I assume it''s a 1995 or thereabouts with 7 speed.

It wouldn't be impossible to get V brakes or even discs though not necessary IMV.

But you could even think about a dynamo hub, new wheels, new luggage, shoes/pedals, Brooks saddle etc. These are expensive items: they don't come on the new bike but may make a bigger difference to your cycling than the new bike would.

The main thing is that the frame is sound. You might like a respray and swap out anything rusty looking but at that point a new bike might make more sense.

At this point though you ought to have some sympathy for the marketing folk at Dawes: having produced a perfectly OK bike back in 1995, how are they going to persuade you to replace it?

[fossala]

I would look at what I want from my bicycle that it doesn't give me and move from there. What don't you like about your current bike? If nothing, keep it.

[mercalia]

what would be upper most in my mind would be - whats the state of the frame? Your pictures dont really show how it is. if in good condition especially the paint work ( in those days the Dawes paint job was very good, I know, my Dawes 1-Down ( 1999 ) still has very good paintwork) then I might get a new pair of wheels if they are starting to show their age ( £150 or so hand built). I had a Horizon 1999 that had 7 speed gears & I was really quite happy with that - are you happy with 7 speed gears or do you need some thing more? You could get a complete 8 speed STI Claris system from Rose bikes in Germany for about £120, I think the frame would need attention to accommodate 8 speed? Maybe give the bike a clean as it really looks very dirty? and as some sone said get some mudguards.

[beardy]

I cant see anything about the new bike that qualifies as an upgrade on the old one.

Your existing bike is probably what somebody somewhere thinks is pretty ideal and changes I would make to it are more about my personal preferences than unarguable upgrades.
Unless you have something you can put your finger on as lacking in your existing bike, there is no reason that I can think of to go for the newer bike, except possibly being able to brake in the wet.

On the other hand speaking personally I would see exchanging your apparently 531 frame and forks for the newer 520 as a downgrade.
Plenty of arguments on this forum as to why old 7 speed wheels are better touring wheels than their replacements.

3 lejogs are about 3,000 miles, you would expect at least ten times that out of a Galaxy before even thinking about it needing replacing.

[honesty]

Don't let these people put you off. Buy a new bike. Go on. You know you want to.

[beardy]

Yes but you could buy a new bike that was completely different, some flash CF thing (or a Spa Audax ) for lightweight fun and keep the Galaxy as well.