Old Galaxy

[upsidedown]

Hi

I have a 1979 Super Galaxy, pretty much as it came out of the box, i love it and commute about 100 miles a week. It has a double suntour cyclone 5 speed which is fine for the commute but want to tour on it. How much work/expense would it be to change to a triple 7/8/9 speed ?

Love the fit and feel of the bike, have a 2006 Dawes and it feels horrible in comparison so would really liker to get this one upgraded, an ideas ?

Cheers

paul

 

[Dave5N]

Those old Dawes ride really well. You might need to 'spring' the back a bit to get a wider hub in.

 

[Dave5N]

I have two 18 speed bikes - don't use more than ten anyway.

 

[Zoiders]

Stick to road spacng hubs, we had a Dawes Galaxy in at the workshop, it had hit an unlit skip, the owner wanted the parts transfered on to a vintage galaxy frame, new galaxies have 135 mtb hubs, they just would not go in to a 126 frame, the wheel dish was all wrong and the BB shell was the wrong size as well

The spacings in a new galaxy are the same as a MTB, an old frame is just not compatable with the bits

 

[upsidedown]

Ok thanks for the advice, guess i just need to get fitter then !

 

[hubgearfreak]

old frames..new parts. not simple, but easy enough

http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

 

[Bromptonaut]

In standard fit the G is probably overgeared. Companies such as Spa cycles may still be able to supply TA/Stronglight pattern chainwheels which allow at least the inner to be changed for something more amenable to hill climbing.

Can you still get "standard" screw on freewheels with a range of sprockets to match? 25 years ago a good shop would do you a custom one with your own choice of ratios.

Hubgear's sheldon brown link mentions the ultra 6 hub which used narrow sprockets to get six into a 125 or thereabouts frame. These were fitted to some mid eighties Galaxies. I don't suppose however they, or even parts for them, are any longer easily available - is there the cycling equivalent of an auto jumble?

 

[Smokin Joe]

CW has details of cyclejumbles in the classified section most weeks. Nothing within 100 miles of me though, which is probably just as well as I already have a garage and a loft full of junk.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I fitted an 8 speed hub into my early '80s Galaxy frame by the simple expedient of pulling the rear stays apart a bit. It's worked fine for years.

 

[beanzontoast]

One other thing you have to watch with 'springing' to fit a wider hub is that should you have a puncture in the middle of nowhere, it can be fiddly holding the stays apart to reinsert the wheel. I made a little wooden dowel out of broom handle, 'v' notched each end and with a felt pad stuck on. I carry it in my toolbag. It holds the stays apart just enough for me to get the hub back in without wrestling.

 

[beanzontoast]

... and you might need a new front mech to accommodate a triple.

There are places that will 'cold set' the rear stays to a new width, and I believe there were instructions on the web on how to do this at one time, but I have no experience of this.

Best to check the whole idea out with your LBS (which is what I did) rather than get in a mess.

 

[upsidedown]

Thanks for the advice all. Think i'm going to leave it, and enjoy it for what it is, the odd push can't hurt !

Out of interset, when these bikes were designed, were people fitter, did they do less miles, or did they accept knee injuries and early retirement from cycling ?

thanks again

 

[hubgearfreak]

I believe there were instructions on the web on how to do this at one time

yep, it's here. as it was yesterday

old frames..new parts. not simple, but easy enough

http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

 

[Bromptonaut]

Thanks for the advice all. Think i'm going to leave it, and enjoy it for what it is, the odd push can't hurt !

Out of interset, when these bikes were designed, were people fitter, did they do less miles, or did they accept knee injuries and early retirement from cycling ?

thanks again

I think the knee injury thing is nearest. Spinning a low gear seems to be post seventies advice.

 

[upsidedown]

Ok, gave this some more thought, as a couple of you mentioned i think i'm going to go to LBS and ask about changing the chainrings. Currently running 36 - 48, looking at the newer models they have 26 - 36 - 48, which sounds a bit easier.