Just bought my first touring bike, do you think this will need much work?

[chefchao]

Hi everyone just picked up my first touring bike - a 1980s Dawes Galaxy, from these pictures do you think it will require much work to get it tip top?
I'm a complete novice when it comes to bikes no idea what's what

Also from these pictures what do you think might need upgrading? I'm going to be touring across Europe on this in the summer.

Think I'll probable take it in to a bike shop for a service

Thanks

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[chefchao]

 

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[chefchao]

 

[raleighnut]

Looks a good un, I'd say new tyres, replace the brake blocks and inner cables and give it a good clean and lube.(plus the saddle could do with a treatment with Proofide, the only stuff to use on a Brooks saddle)
Can't say about anything else without riding it but it depends on how much you want to spend on it, a budget of £500 would enable you to uprate it to an 'as new' touring specification with better wheels, indexed transmission and a lot more gears. A budget of £50 would be enough to restore it to its standard spec.

 

[chefchao]

Looks a good un, I'd say new tyres, replace the brake blocks and inner cables and give it a good clean and lube.(plus the saddle could do with a treatment with Proofide, the only stuff to use on a Brooks saddle)
Can't say about anything else without riding it but it depends on how much you want to spend on it, a budget of £500 would enable you to uprate it to an 'as new' touring specification with better wheels, indexed transmission and a lot more gears. A budget of £50 would be enough to restore it to its standard spec.

Thanks man what kind of tyres would you recommend?

I'm guessing I could youtube vids on how to change the inner cables or would I be better taking it to a shop?

Looking to spend more the £50 side of the scale

 

[raleighnut]

Depends what size the wheels are, it looks like they may well be 27" in which case the choice is fairly limited but if they are 700c then Schwalbe Marathons are my choice.
Tyre/wheel size will be on the tyrewall and probably stamped into the rim (similar to how the brand Weinmann is) the numbers to look for are 27x ? or 622/28/700c x ?. Its those 'whitewall' tyres make me think it could well be 27" though.

 

[outlash]

Looking to spend more the £50 side of the scale

I think you'd be looking at spending considerably more than £50 to get it tip top and fit to tour across europe. TBH, a LBS would probably charge you more than that to look at it and tell you what needs doing/changing on it.

Going by the photos, it needs a damm good clean, saddle needs cleaning/proofing, new gear & brake cables (and brakes too probably), the rust on the spoke nipples doesn't inspire confidence so wheels may need changing and that's without looking at the mechanicals. On the plus side, the frame doesn't look too bad.


Tony.