My old Dawes. What is it?

[JonoB]

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=17440&id=100000106287808&l=ea93d2ac22

Just purchased an old Dawes from an old mate of mine. He has had it collecting dust in his spare room for maybe 30 years or more.
Needless to say I now have it (I wanted some 27x1 1/4 wheels for my 70's Dawes Galaxy.)
It's in great original condition but no name/model or anything. What the hell is it, anybody got an idea???
The tyres have perished so I haven't ridden it yet. Is it worth keeping or should I just break it up for spares?
Picture link is to Facebook (hope it works).

 

[Arch]

I can't tell you what it is, but if it works (and it looks good), keep it! Always worth having a spare/hack bike. It's very pretty, you could have is as a very stylish classic ride.

If it does work, then it seems a shame to break it up anyway.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Don't break that up ... that's a lovely bike. 531 tubing, and it looks to be in reasonable nick. I'll give you fifty quid for it if you really want rid of it. Serious offer, by the way.

 

[Hilldodger]

£51 from me

It's a good steel frame, keep it and upgrade as bits wear out.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

£51 from me

Oi!! I'll have to use my moderator super powers to make your bids look less impressive than mine if you persist!

 

[PpPete]

The shape of the frame (especially the long rear rear triangle) makes me think it must be a Galaxy.

All the 531 Dawes bikes that I've seen from that vintage (1970's ?) that are not Galaxys have shorter chain stays.

The cut-out lugs on the head tube are identical to this one I restored some years

The Vainqueur centre-pulls are correct too.

The only significant difference I can see is that mine had chrome fork crown as well chrome on lower part of forks.

Wholeheartedly agree with others. T'would be a shame to break that up. It looks in remarkably good shape, even the paintwork, which is often the weak point on old Dawes.

Maybe it's had a respray which is why the Galaxy decal is missing from top tube?

 

[Hilldodger]

Oi!! I'll have to use my moderator super powers to make your bids look less impressive than mine if you persist!

Drops bit to £49.50

 

[JonoB]

Maybe it's had a respray which is why the Galaxy decal is missing from top tube?

I know the previous owner and he has owned it from new. I already have an old Galaxy and the components on this appear to be quite "low quality" in comparison. He says it never had Galaxy or anything else written on the top tube. Confusing......
I've just removed the inner tubes and tyres which had gone "crispy" with age. Now to Chain Reaction to get it some new shoes. Marathons or something lighter? This is the best bit.......

 

[Norm]

Drops bit to £49.50

I'll bid £49 then. (Am I missing something? )

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Don't break it up, if it rides like the 531 Dawes
http://tinypic.com/usermedia.php?uo=2099HrFb/qtGOE74UHNvAoh4l5k2TGxc
I had in the nineties it will ride lovely.

 

[normgow]

Looks like super condition. You can find 27x1 1/4 t tyres and tubes but may have to search a bit.

 

[Norm]

I asked in my LBS and they were delivered the next day. £9 each for Michelin something-or-others, by coincidence, exactly the same make/model designation that I had on there from about 20 years ago.

 

[Davidc]

It looks very much like a friend of mine's which I got to know intimately (mending it in a field near Royan) on a tour in France in 1970. That bike was from about 1966. I don't know the model name though.

It looks in fantastic condition - it would be a crime to break it up, it needs lots of restoration TLC.

 

[JonoB]

It looks very much like a friend of mine's which I got to know intimately (mending it in a field near Royan) on a tour in France in 1970. That bike was from about 1966. I don't know the model name though.

It looks in fantastic condition - it would be a crime to break it up, it needs lots of restoration TLC.

The guy I bought it from says it was his when he was 15/16. He's now retired. I didn't think it was that old because frankly it doesn't look that old. Maybe 1960's is correct. WOW.

 

[Davidc]

You might be able to date the bike more closely with a bit of research on the type numbers of the Weinman centre pull brakes - they did a number of changes and renumbered each time. The gears are probably Campagnolo and again they were a company which was into continuous improvement so that might help with dates.

I was neveer familiar with Dawes model names as I I'd never owned one (until last year). A number of my friends at the time had them and they were a very well respected name.