Dawes - are they really that bad?
- Thread starter JonoB
- Start date
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mickle
innit
- Location
- 53.933606, -1.076131
Dawes (like every other brand) use several different factories to produce their range of bikes. Since the Galaxy doesn't change much from year to year it would surprise me if they couldn't maintain quality control. There's no question that whoever manufactures and assembles their lugged frames does a good job but further down the range the quality appears to have dropped substantially. last year they were sending a brand new BB with some models because the factory fitted ones were so poor. It looks to me like poor communication with the factories.
Bigtallfatbloke
New Member
...they are great bikes...I just got in from a great 40k loop on my galaxy in the wind and greyness...I felt great riding it...it was smoothe, fast and handles superbly in the wet as well..today it was my ride of choice over the new Bianchi...says a bit I reckon.
My gripe is not with the bike...just the poor attitude of Dawes towards after sales care in my experience.
My gripe is not with the bike...just the poor attitude of Dawes towards after sales care in my experience.
Fechin hell, i have a horizon which i have absolutely hammered over the last year and its still great. I commute every day on it (6 miles each way) and do at least one 50k run a week on the mother in addition i have seen a fair bit of Scotland this year on it with nae bother. I just joined this here forum to try and track down a good super galaxy frame ... so if any one is punting one give me a shout.
Nigeyy
Legendary Member
- Location
- Massachusetts, USA
I bought a Dawes Sardar (a 26" wheel Galaxy frameset with disc tabs?) frame off ebay (got it shipped to the States, so it was a little nerve racking) but since I paid about 100 quid for it including shipping, I figured it was worth a gamble. Now obviously I built it up with my own components, but I have to say I love the frame -welds, design, paint job all seem very up to snuff. I think I read somewhere the Sardar frame was made in the Czech Republic.
It is really nice to have a touring frame with discs and 26" wheels, and for it to be a little unique (well, at least over here as Dawes aren't sold in shops). It's a purchase I've always felt good about. It takes pride of place in my collection of bikes.
It is really nice to have a touring frame with discs and 26" wheels, and for it to be a little unique (well, at least over here as Dawes aren't sold in shops). It's a purchase I've always felt good about. It takes pride of place in my collection of bikes.
indiana jones
New Member
- Location
- Wherever I lay my hat.
Tony said:
Do what I do (if you want),at certain dates put your mileage into your phone as a note on the calender.That's what I do as a backup.
bleakanddivine
Über Member
- Location
- Way on down south, London Town.
Hi
Here's a photo of my Super Galaxy, bought in 1981 after I left college for £257.50.
That summer I toured England on it with a mate who had also bought one. In the first 10 days or so we were each breaking a spoke or so a day. We cut short the tour and cycled to the Dawes factory in Birmingham. We rode into their nice clean executive-looking foyer in sweaty touring kit with dusty pannier-laden bikes and harangued them about the problem. After all they were top of the range touring bikes and the back wheels couldn't cope with carrying a little bit of weight on reasonable UK roads. At the time there had just been a story in the national press about a couple of blokes who were going round the world on Super Galaxies - I wonder how their back wheels fared.
Anyway. the Dawes service then was excellent. They put together a couple of 40-spoke rear wheels for us there and then, no charge, and gave us a guided tour round the factory while we waited, so we saw the frames being put together and sprayed, the wheels being laced etc etc. Never broken a spoke since.
The bike is pretty much as it was then - 531 DB, Brooks B17, Sun Tour Cyclone, TA cranks, Weinmann centre-pulls, Campag hubs, SR stem, Maillard skewers.
Jonathan
Here's a photo of my Super Galaxy, bought in 1981 after I left college for £257.50.
That summer I toured England on it with a mate who had also bought one. In the first 10 days or so we were each breaking a spoke or so a day. We cut short the tour and cycled to the Dawes factory in Birmingham. We rode into their nice clean executive-looking foyer in sweaty touring kit with dusty pannier-laden bikes and harangued them about the problem. After all they were top of the range touring bikes and the back wheels couldn't cope with carrying a little bit of weight on reasonable UK roads. At the time there had just been a story in the national press about a couple of blokes who were going round the world on Super Galaxies - I wonder how their back wheels fared.
Anyway. the Dawes service then was excellent. They put together a couple of 40-spoke rear wheels for us there and then, no charge, and gave us a guided tour round the factory while we waited, so we saw the frames being put together and sprayed, the wheels being laced etc etc. Never broken a spoke since.
The bike is pretty much as it was then - 531 DB, Brooks B17, Sun Tour Cyclone, TA cranks, Weinmann centre-pulls, Campag hubs, SR stem, Maillard skewers.
Jonathan
