Show us your Dawes

[Crackle]

2006 Dawes Audax. Dawes always had a reputation for good bikes when I first started riding. Subconsciously I must have always wanted one because I was immediately drawn to it when I was looking for a new road bike. It's not the lightest bike by carbon standards but it fits, is comfortable, has all the gears I need and is flexible enough to be used in a variety of guises. I can't see me ever getting rid of it.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Here's my Dawes Shadow. It's a 1980s bike that I got off ebay for £40. It was in pretty good-ish nick, but I've replaced quite a few bits: the gearing with something suitable for my 21st century legs, and the Weinmann single pivot sidepull brakes, which were gunked up and sticking, and the suicide brake levers one of which was a bit bent. And, of course, the bar tape.

Here it is with spiky winter tyres.

 

[Duffy]

Had this since I was 13 (40 years ago, when I depart this mortal coil it's going with me)
It's like the Jannie's broom, you know new handle 3 times and new head 4 times but the same broom I've always had!
Been painted and re-chromed twice, original saddle, fork and frame, pretty much everything else has worn out and been replaced over the years.

I love it!

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

I'll always have a soft spot for Dawes. Made in Tyseley, not far from my childhood home in Shirley. When I was getting into cycling in the early 80's the Galaxy was the touring and commuting bike to have. When I joined my first club one of my new found club mates worked there and ran a side business out of his home selling their products at knockdown prices. He did me a nice deal on a Dawes Imperial frameset, part of the deal being that he could get it any colour in the factory. I chose a nail varnish pink that they used on their girls' shopper bikes. Rather lovely it was too.

 

[further]

My new old Galaxy

 

[Cycleops]

This is weird one. I picked it up down here, it had been resprayed red, maybe powder coated and had Rory O'Brien stickers applied but Dawes stamped on the top of seat stays. I'm sure it was 531. How it got down here I'll never know.

Lovely ride. Most of the stuff on it was shot so spent a fair bit getting it into shape. Managed to get some rather nice fade red to white handlebar tape for it before a local LBS sold his stock to Burkina Faso. Nobody here likes drop bar bikes which is why I bought a nice Colnago frame off the same guy for fifteen quid! Seen outside one of the local bars.

 

[craigwend]

1997 Galaxy

Naked !

& Dressed

 

[jayonabike]

My Century SE. This is my work/pottering around town-shops bike. The only original parts are the frame, forks & headset. Started out as tiagra triple now full 105 compact with Fulcrum 5 wheels.

 

[robjh]

This is my tourer - a Dawes Sardar, the steel version from about 2003. Not the best picture ever, but it is in full touring mode, ready to go. I've had it for 11 years now and find it a very comfortable ride, and with the low MTB-style gearing that I've put on it, it is good for some quite serious climbs.

 

[Iainj837]

My Dawes Galaxy 2012 model

 

[biggs682]

A ladies mixte sadly being stripped to rebuild other machines.

The wheels,bars,guards and pedals have been used so far .

 

[ORO]

No pictures but my first proper bike was a Dawes Red Feather back in the 60's. Anyone still got one?

 

[uphillstruggler]

Started out like this, in a bit of a mess when I collected it

Had it stripped and resprayed which I was never that happy with

Then had a moment and stripped it again and repainted and converted to this

now with full mud guards for winter. I like this a lot.

 

[Aravis]

I've posted pictures of ths before, in the "Which bike did you long term covet but when you got it, you didn't like it?" thread. It remains an enigma, but it's nice to look at and it is relevant to the thread! All evidence suggests its a 1980 model.

I'd never want to update it, but at the same time I'm not comfortable nowadays with the old school brakes, gears, pedals etc. The front changer works in reverse, which feels especially bizarre.

 

[Threevok]

Not sure this counts - but my son's Blowfish