Seeking info on Dawes Continental

[Inthegarden]

Hello!

I’m looking for a cheaper second hand bike to cycle to my allotment. It’s only 2 miles away and a flat journey. I’m middle aged and not looking to enter the Tour de France in my lifetime so really just looking for something reliable and easy to toodle about on. I’d prefer a step though due to occasional arthritis.

Someone local to me is selling a Dawes Continental in decent shape. However google gives me almost zero information on this bike. Is there some sort of secret back catalogue of information somewhere? Has anyone ridden this bike that can comment?

Thanks so much!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It's a fairly modern, badge engineered Dawes - as they decided to shut their factory in Tyseley, Birmingham, and outsource the manufacturing to the Far-East but retain the name. It's more than adequate for what you want it for, so long as the selling price is right. TBH, pretty much any working bike will get you two miles down the road, no matter what type it is and who made it. Just make sure it fits reasonably well. Although a Ladies frame might be more convenient to dismount, a men's frame would be more useful for carrying gardening tools strapped to the crossbar.
When my mum had an allotment, there were a few old boys there who rode ancient 3-speed roadsters to their plots and they would often have hoes and rakes tied to their bikes with the heads sticking out front and rear. They would also sometimes sling a big sack of fertiliser over the crossbar and push the bike along, to save having to carry it.