Post Touristique Blues
The best bike I’ve ridden for a while? The British Eagle Touristique. It surprises me, that a British touring bike from the early ’90s made such an impression and makes me want to find another to replace it. It’s very unlikely. I paid just £50 for the lovely Touristique, a bike worth at least five times the price and in seriously good condition. These deals come but once in a blue moon, so when I found this Dawes Galaxy for sale at the same price, £50, I jumped in and decided that perhaps I’d found, with this most famous of British touring bikes, the replacement for the lost Touristique..
Surface Rust
“Dawes are like Vauxhalls”
I remember how I used to dream of owning a Raleigh Ti Team 753 as a boy. I had a friend who used to bring in bike catalogues to school, and we used to pore over them during break time. British bikes, mind you, as who could get hold of a Mercier catalogue in those days? Anyway, I knew something about the hierarchies of road bikes back in 1982, so when an older kid turned up one day at the park on a brand new Dawes bike, my friend and I had to take a good look at it. It was my first encounter with a Dawes bike, and I have to say, me and my friend weren’t that impressed. It wasn’t an expensive bike, and our point of reference was the first page of glossy competition road bikes in the Raleigh catalogue stuffed in my friend’s coat pocket. The older kid waxed lyrical about his new bike, but I always remember my friend saying “Mate, it’s nothing special; Dawes are like Vauxhalls“.
Galaxy Quest
Perhaps that encounter in the park that day in 1982 is the reason I’ve never owned one, or ever tried to own one. Dawes never sponsored a team in the Tour De France, and had never bothered to develop any racing pedigree or an iconic team bike. They were best known for their two Reynolds 531 based touring bikes: the Galaxy and the Super Galaxy. Made in their large factory in Birmingham and proudly proclaiming the use of British parts on their bikes, Dawes always seemed a bit snooty to us ordinary kids. They didn’t produce a Chopper or a world beating professional bike, and always seemed a bit, well, straight-laced and boring.
Dirty Normandy Hubs
A Bike for the Middle Classes?
It was the racing bike that captured our imaginations as kids back then. I mean, come on! Who is going to inspire you more as a kid? Joop Zoetemelk on his Team Raleigh winning the Tour De France, or Mr Jeffries from number 16 taking his Dawes Galaxy out for a tour around Ambleside? I’ve always thought that touring bikes can sometimes seem a bit nerdy, with their array of extra mountings and knick knacks, their racks and frippery. Touring suggests leisure, not speed and graft, and that in itself could be a class thing in Britain. I would have expected my chemistry teacher to turn up on a Galaxy, but not a Holdsworth Professional.
Dawes, I mean, Sakae Crank
What is this Galaxy?
What a muddle this bike is. A Reynolds 531 frame in a vapid blue colour, that I can only imagine once shined very differently. It has a strange combination of parts: French made high flange Normandy hubs, a Japanese transmission with Suntour derailleurs and a Sakae crank ( branded Dawes ), Weinmann rims and brakes, an Italian saddle, and bits of other Japanese parts including a Tange bottom bracket and SR stem. All this adds up to one thing: that the only British element about this bike is the frame, the rest being a medley of average parts from Europe and Japan. Custom built then? No, because there is one on this page built to nearly exactly the same specifications.
Simple Lugs
It’s Heavy
I wouldn’t say that this is a great looking bike, and the colour seems to lack sparkle or shimmer, even though it is of good quality. It has 27 inch rims and, let me tell you, that wheelset is heavy. I think the bike weighs around 27lbs, and has no triple gearing to get this weight up the hills. Imagine this thing fully loaded; you’d be talking of more than 35lbs to drag it up the inclines on your world tour. Indeed, it seems to me that Dawes built this bike with bread and butter functionality in mind, for it is not a high performance machine with a quality groupset, and it was certainly not built with any wow factor. That said, it does feel bulletproof.
Get Rid of those Double Brake Levers!
Comparing it
So let’s be clear: there’s no way this bike is going to rival the beautiful ride of the Touristique, a bike from the early 1990’s with a very different set up. The twelve year difference between them is everything, and it shows the great leaps in technology that occurred in the 1980’s. This Galaxy was built in 1979, ( dated by the Normandy hubs and comparisons with other models ), and it feels like a 1970’s bike. Friction shifting, a 5 speed freewheel and a standard double crankset for what is a touring bike ( 52/40 ), centre-pull brakes and clamp-on mounting, yes, this is a bike from the time which enthusiasts would call “the era of classic touring bike”. Better strengthen those legs then.
Condition
Not great. 5/10, perhaps. The well-settled surface rust on the paint has marred the finish and spoils the general look of the bike. The lugs are understated but elegant and in keeping with the rest of the frame, I’m not sure what brand they are. Paint details are minimal and the fork crowns are plain and undecorated. Interestingly, the frame has half chromed forks but not stays. The word “tatty” comes to mind as far as the rest of the bike is concerned. All of its components need a thorough cleaning, though nothing seems broken or cracked. I don’t think this bike has been abused like some sad old junkers, but it was definitely abandoned, given up on. The rear wheel is so out of true it can’t spin between the wide-spaced Weinmann brake pads. And I hate that spongy handlebar grip, the double brake levers and that awful saddle. No, they have to go.
Specs
- 1980 Dawes Galaxy
- 59cm Centre – Top; 59cm Top Tube, C – C
- Chainstay Length 46cm
- Wheelbase 99cm
- Headtube Angle 72 Degrees
- Reynolds 531 Straight Gauge Main Tubes
- 10 Speed, 2 x 5
- Suntour Compe Front Derailleur
- Suntour VX Rear Derailleur
- Suntour LD-1100 Shifters
- Weinmann Vanquier 610/750 Brakes
- Weinmann 27¼ Inch Rims
- Michelin Tyres
- Dawes Branded Sakae 5 Arm Crankset: 170mm, 52/40
- Selle Italia Saddle
- Normandy High Flange Hubs
- SR Stem, Unbranded Bars
- Tange Bottom Bracket
What finally happened this Dawes Galaxy? Did you clean it up and keep it, or sell it on? If you kept it, how has it been for you?
I sold it to a friend not long after I restored it, and it’s being ridden daily as a commuter. He loves it, even though he found it a bit heavy ar first, it’s really grown on him.
Heavy? The Galaxy was always marketed as a heavy-duty touring bike. The sort that you could load up to the max with all your luggage including camping gear for a three week spin down to the south of France. It was never meant for swift passage; mote for solid comfort.
As for the components: few manufacturers made a touring groupset. You had to mix and match components to get low gears and adequate brakes for the tank-like load you carried.
A well designed, reliable touring workhorse for its day…
1980? not with that head badge ,that became in for the 81/82 season
I had one in 1981 in that same blue. Was eventually stolen outside Ickenham station in about 1987.
To this day, I have never ridden a more comfortable bike.
Bought a 10 speed Dawes Galaxy in 1971. Had little 5-6 inch aluminum fenders, & Brooks saddle…rode it for 30 years. A beautiful bike. I sold it in great condition! Bought a larger frame Schwinn, still a road bike, rode it for ten years. Currently riding a large frame Trek FX Series…more of an ‘intermittant’ flat bars and slightly fatter tires…a bit slower, tho a good workout, and much more comfortable and safer to ride on the srteet.
I bought a slightly cheapo Dawes Galaxy from a bike shop in Victoria in 1979. Over the years I had it refitted twice so that it became customized for me. I used it mostly for commuting until it was stolen in 2009. Although I bought another bike it was not the same and I wish I had it back.
Big question!! I am looking to buy a Dawes Galaxy from 1987 on eBay. I love bikes but know very little!! Is it hard to find replacement parts!?? I read that older bikes are harder to get fixed/replace parts when broken.
Go for it! That’s a great bike, components can easily be replaced but they should last for decades. If you do buy it, why not upload a photo of it in the comments section? Thanks!
Hi everyone, I have a Hawes Galaxy Reynolds 531 super Tourist in Green that I want to sell and based in New Malden , Surrey. It has racing pedals and happy to post pictures if people are interested. I know these bikes go for a few hundred pounds but am looking for a reasonable offer.
Just a wee image of my Dawes galaxy, older than me and previously ridden by my father on a few tours… it has been catered a fair bit, changed group set wheels and handlebars after I was knocked off by a bus in London. These frames though… it’s just about to be prepped up for the NC500 this year.
That’s an awesome example of a Galaxy, looks bulletproof and ready for that ride. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Thanks for the interesting article.
Does anyone know how to tell a galaxy from a super galaxy?
My friend gave me his Dawes bike when he gave up cycling and i would like to restore it but it has lost the top tube decals. I think he said it was a super but we are not sure. He toured Nepal on it so it has been up the Himalayas. It has Cantilever brakes and gear levers on lugs.. similar to Seb’s picture. Regards
Hi, thanks for the comment, and your question is definitely worth an investigation. I hope someone who is a Galaxy expert can answer it for us, as I’ve never owned a Super Galaxy and I’ve never learned the difference between them. Cheers!
Dredging the recesses of my mind, the differences as I recall were better handlebars, brakes and a triple chainset. I believe a Sanyo Dynapower was available as an option on Super Galaxy too. I had the Dawes sales brochure from the late 70s at one time as I was contemplating buying a Mirage.
Dawes Galaxy “barn find” currently for sale on eBay
Dawes Super Galaxy, also currently on eBay UK
I had a super galaxy new in 1981 and took it to Iceland on the CTC holiday. Had to reduce chain ring size to get low enough gears.Broke gear hanger lug whilst in mountains and had to reset gearing by chain breaking and re linking when we got to the tarmac road. Got a new replacement frame under guarantee when I got back. Next year took it to North Cape Norway. Had a sanyo dynamo fixed to front pannier lamp bracket which avoided the grit near bottom bracket. Great for touring with camping loads and rough stuff off road trips into the Dales. Sold it so I could upgrade a Holsworth with cantilever brakes and two extra bottle cages. One for the meths bottle for stove fuel.
I have been looking for a Dawes Touring ,Possibly the Dawes double Blue. Would like the Reynolds DB frame all tubes. I was in the bicycle business for 34 years and sold Dawes. The one I had was stolen out of my warehouse. My interest is I am A Dawes, and and liked my name on the frame.
Never liked the Galaxy, but I have a circa ‘78 Echelon in pearl white patina that I love. Replaced the original kit with a mixture of DuraAce and Campagnolo with Mavic Open wheels – all acquired really cheaply. And it rides beautifully.
Hi, do you have a picture of this Echelon? Cheers!
I have a galaxy and love it! I am wondering what the bracket at the front for the light is called and if anyone knows where I can get a replacement? I’ve lost mine… Better yet – I am trying to figure out how to mount a dynamo light on the fork, preferably at the top but can’t imagine how the brakes won’t get in the way. Any advice on that?
Can anyone identify my Galaxy? I bought it in a charity shop. It has a triple chain set but the gear levers are handlebar mounted.
I have a 1973 Dawes Galaxy that I bought as NOS in 1983 for $195.00. It’s yellow. The dealer told me that he thought that the reason it wasn’t sold was the color. I ride mostly at night so a bright color works for me. I’ve taken it on a lot of local tours over the past 30 years. At least 20 New York 5 Boros Tours. After 38 years of use, I have changed every part but the handlebars. Modern parts. In the 80s I changed to a Campy Athena drive train; 6 speed derailleurs, synchro (click shift levers on the down tube. B&M generator LED lights, Brooks B72 saddle, MKS pedals with Christophe toe clips and straps, Tektro dual pivot brakes. It doesn’t feel heavy to me. I built wheels for it: Rigida 27″x1″ rims, Omega hubs, and 14gauge DT spokes. My 1989 Raleigh Courier 3 speed is about 10 pounds heavier. I
know absolutely nothing about a Dawes…got at a garage sale here in Iowa this am..love it already!
Thanks for posting your Dawes, great to see it!
I’ve got a bike exactly like your Galaxy. I bought it for £40. Originally up for sale for £90 and reduced to £80. When I said it was too far gone for me to consider renovating, the seller said how about £50? It had a chrome rear wheel and a Weinmann alloy front wheel but otherwise was original and had a similar amount of rust on the frame as yours. I’ve polished it with Autosol chrome polish which has cleared a lot of the rust and deeper rust has been cleared with a wire brush on the electric drill. I painting rear forks with a chrome paint to match the front forks. In addition to replacing all the cables, both tyres and inner tubes, refreshing the handlebar tape, hoods on the brake levers, new chain and a massive clean up the bike will remain mostly original with an oily rag finish to the frame. Photo is of what it looked like when I picked it up. It looks fab from a distance!
I didn’t realise I was only allowed one photo per comment, here’s a photo of the full bike! Incidentally mine is dated as 1981 on both the Weinmann front hub and on the end of the handlebar underneath the tape on the right hand side as “05 81”. Taking off the paint by the dropouts has revealed the frame has “Reynolds” engraved just in case you didn’t believe the worn and tatty sticker declaring it to be a 531 Reynolds frame.
That’s a cool project, the frame looks in good shape. It’s also good to know the year, we need as much info on these vintage Dawes and British Eagles as possible. Thanks for posting.
50 pounds was a good deal! How are you going to match the paint colour, any particular brand and shade? I repainted a vintage French bike’s fork with a shade of red that worked pretty well, you can read it here: https://thevelocollective.com/damaged-steerer-threads-repair/
I only paid £40 as I countered with that as my offer and had my hand snatched off. I don’t intend matching the paint colour as it even an exact colour match would look odd against the worn paint on the rest of the frame. I’ve bought some chrome paint of Amazon and plan to paint the bottom half of the seat stay and the chain stay to match the chrome on the front forks. They’re so far apart I’m hoping that the difference of the chrome finish isn’t obvious.
Found a brown ’72 Galaxy in a churchyard for $40. Frame and fork are in great shape, but the rest has seen a lot of use and new paint is on the way. Have already disassembled for a “resto-mod” with a Shimano generator up front and a Nexus 7 in back to cruise the dales of WI. The Galaxy is a bike I heard talked about, but rarely saw. Very pleased to find one. Will give it my best.
The Dawes Galaxy was old technology by the late 70s early 80s. My brother bought a new one in 82. I was looking for a new bike in 83 and ended up with a new Raleigh Record Ace. There was no comparison. I believe the price at the time was similar. The Galaxy was heavy by comparison and used components that, with the exception of non-cotter pinned cranks, had hardly changed since the early 70s. The ride was quite soft and lacked the agility of the Record Ace. We toured the UK on them in 84. Triple chainsets were relatively scarce and expensive in those days so the rear sprocket on the Galaxy was changed instead. The Galaxy was still a good quality sturdy bike. I did a complete restoration on one last year. Even now putting both bikes next to each other it’s like stepping into a different era. Photo of restoration as below.
The Dawes Galaxy was a great sturdy touring bike but by the late 70s there were better, lighter, more agile bikes on the market. My brother purchased a new one in 82 and I needed a new bike. I opted for a Raleigh Record Ace. It was far lighter, more agile and had ballraces rather than individual ball bearings. With the exception of derailleur and cotterless chainset I don’t believe the Dawes Galaxy changed from the early 70s to early 80s. It was still a great bike and my brother and I toured the UK in the early 80s on both. The rear sprocket on the Galaxy was changed to lower the gears. Triple chainsets were expensive in those days and rarely available (if at all) on the mass market. All in all the Dawes Galaxy of this era was a sturdy reliable workhorse. I fully restored one last year from a poor barnfind.
Thank you for posting the picture of your Galaxy and for your contributions to the discussion of this classic bike. I agree with you about the superior bikes available in that era, but even though the Galaxy couldn’t match these high end European models, it has become an icon of the practical and reliable British tourer that could take on the longest and most demanding rides. I do sometimes wish, however, that they had been appointed with higher end components, with more of an emphasis on lightness than durability. Cheers
What a great project! Thanks for posting, great to see a Galaxy in the US, they are indeed quite rare there. $40 is a great deal for a classic British tourer! Safe riding, Dominic