Is a Dawes Discovery 501 worth rescuing?

[Aston]

As per the title, I’ve been given a free Dawes Discovery 501, believe it’s about 2011? DIY and some corrosion, notably the bottom bracket. Aluminium frame with carbon forks and Deore transmission.

Is this something worth investing time and money in? I was thinking as a winter/grotty weather bike and riding to town, about 8 miles away.

 

[biggs682]

As per the title, I’ve been given a free Dawes Discovery 501, believe it’s about 2011? DIY and some corrosion, notably the bottom bracket. Aluminium frame with carbon forks and Deore transmission.

Is this something worth investing time and money in? I was thinking as a winter/grotty weather bike and riding to town, about 8 miles away.
View attachment 820813

Can't see why not but not one to invest a lot on otherwise it will be expensive

 

[Paulus]

Doesn't look too shabby. I think it's worth cleaning up throughly and giving a new lease of life. As long as the gears change throughout the range and the brakes work OK it should be alright for a winter hack.
It might be worth investing in some mudguards though for winter riding
The Discovery range generally were quite good.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I've had a second hand DD 701 for around ten years. It too had the common problem of aluminium bloom on the BB area, which I sanded off and repainted. It's been a great bike to ride, and, provided you don't have to spend silly money on what was a free bike I'd go for it. From the photo you've shown it doesn't look as if it needs a lot of new stuff.

 

[Jameshow]

It's a good spec hybrid.

The carbon forks will give a smother ride than alloy forks.

 

[Aston]

Right, it's home and I'm back from a bike rally

I've given it a wash and lubed everything that moves, the gears run nicely, it need new brake cables and blocks, but otherwise looks OK for my intended use.

However, I've not experienced an aluminium bike before, there's some patches of corrosion, that under the bottle cage obviously caused by galvanic corrosion, but also aluminium oxide showing near the steering tube and some other bubbles. As it's a short term project, maybe a 2 year bike I was thinking of just sanding back the corrosion and applying a few dabs of paint, won't be pretty, but assume it wan't fall apart?

 

[Rusty Nails]

None of those spots look too bad. Just sand them to clear all the corrosion (go a little bit wider than the surface marks you see) and if it does not look as if it's penetrated the alloy you should be fine.