Dawes Galaxy - which one

[CREPELLO]

The thing that swung it for me though is that the Super has a noticeably more compact frame - which I'm not so keen on - than the Ultra.

Are you sure about that? The two models always shared the same frame in the past.

My apologies. The Super Gal now has a 631 frame, like the standard Gal. But referring to the geometry for each model, the table says that all vital stats are the same for all the steel touring models.

[vjosullivan]

But referring to the geometry for each model, the table says that all vital stats are the same for all the steel touring models.

Agreed. It's almost impossible to judge from the data available. The pictures certainly differ and the numbers are certainly the same. Unfortuately, the numbers are a bit sparse and don't include the top tube angle, so there's still room for uncertainty. The only way to tell will be to see them side by side.

[nez]

We always get multiple threads about the same thing....
Theres some stuff here about Galaxies...http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=47462&hilit=galaxy
And some stuff here debunking a few myths about bike comfort...http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=47448&hilit=arrogant....and more here..http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=47117&hilit=cynic&start=30
There will be more if you search!!

Personally, I would go for 853, although not necessarily the high end cycle parts, you can always upgrade parts as they wear out, but the frame is for life.
If you want comfort, fit big light flexible smooth tyres at a sensible pressure.

I have a brown Super, three years old now, with the 853 frame. It's excellent. I've never had trouble with thewheels and I'm a heavy fellow. I have struggled with the saddle, but I think that may be me. I just can't get it right. At the moment I've gone for a Fizik Aliante, so we'll see how that works. Previously I had a Brooks B17 which was horrible, a bizarre departure after my Brompton B17 which is great. If I get desperate I'll become the only Dawes owner with a Brompton saddle on his bike!

But I'm intrigued by the tyre choice Colin refers to. My other big wheel bike (which lives oop North) now has 700/25 Gatorskins on it, which are superb. Roulez roulez. The Marathons which came with the Super Galaxy have never done much for me. Which smooth big light sensible tyres do you reckon for the super Galaxy Colin? Because I am in the market for a change. I like the Gatorskins so much I'm tempted, but 25 Gatorskins on a touring bike? Unlikely.

[aide555]

I have a standard Galaxy and love it (631 tube). The ride with 32mm tyres and a brooks sadle is fantastic. It does everything I want from a bike. Yes something lighter would be nice sometimes but it's one tough bike that's taken everything I can throw at it. The only thing slightly wrong is that it's quite high geared for fully loaded touring (well it is for me...). As to the bar end shifters i did wonder about them but they are great (apart from breaking one when I was knocked off) and I've got them on friction only at the moment.

[531colin]

I agree this should go most of the way towards the quality of a handbuilt wheel. Although are the spokes on all bikes the same quality? Are the rims on Galaxys as good as the best rims like Sputnik etc? I'd be interested in 531colins opinion here as I don't know the answer.

It would take me 2 or 3 hours to get a pair of machine wheels as good as they can be. The only bit of the machine build which would remain is the lacing up, which is the easy bit you do on a night in front of the telly.
It would take me until 5 past Hell freezing over to get a pair of machine wheels as good as a pair of our rather exactingly-specified heavy touring wheels.

[531colin]

...............But I'm intrigued by the tyre choice Colin refers to. My other big wheel bike (which lives oop North) now has 700/25 Gatorskins on it, which are superb. Roulez roulez. The Marathons which came with the Super Galaxy have never done much for me. Which smooth big light sensible tyres do you reckon for the super Galaxy Colin? Because I am in the market for a change. I like the Gatorskins so much I'm tempted, but 25 Gatorskins on a touring bike? Unlikely.

The ones easily available to me are Marathon Racer and Supreme, (or Durano, but biggest is 28mm).
However, there will be many other contenders in our extensive threads on tyres....

[wearwell]

Mines a 6 yr old Galaxy tour. Done a lot of miles including Lejog and numerous camping excursions fully loaded.
Bar end shifters indexing failed (year 5), but it's no problem doing without. One spoke broke early on. Have now second set of rims but on the old hubs which seem to last forever. Several exchanges of block, chain and chain rings. Fairly problem free all round.