Introductions - Hello from Lancashire, England

Greetings from the north of England. I’m 57, and a former legal advocate for a large utility company, now semi-retired. My road bike is a Dawes Galaxy from the seventies, currently in pieces for repainting. Also around the place are a Hercules 3-speed from 1982 (essentially a Raleigh in all but name), a Vindec shopper (similar to a Raleigh Twenty, but better-built and without the thread compatibility issues), and my wife’s two mountain bikes which I’m having to borrow while the Dawes is laid up. I’m really interested in Schwinns, which are a rarity over here, and my ambition is to own a New World or something similar. I’m building the Dawes as a 5-speed, because I think you can have too many gears. Just build up your legs and you’ll sail up the hills. As for all this fixed-wheel nonsense, I’ve been there years ago. Isn’t freewheeling nature’s way of rewarding us for the effort of climbing the hills? A passing fad, in my opinion.

Welcome to Bike Forums. Do you have any photos of your bikes?

Thanks, it's good to be here. No photos, unfortunately. I wish I'd taken photographs of all the bikes I've had over the years, because my memory of some of them is vague, and it would be nice, now, even to know what make some of them were. I'll probably start a topic in the appropriate forum about the Galaxy, in case that might be of interest to any US members, and I'll take some photographs as the rebuild proceeds. That bike was a barn find in Wales, when we lived there. Its owner had got it for his 16th birthday, toured all over Europe on it (meeting his German wife in the process), but it was in a sad cosmetic state, although basically sound. That was 10 years ago, and I've just got around to doing something with it.

Hello Proofide, what part of Lancashire? I was born in Swinton, myself. Please do visit the Classic & Vintage forum--we have several members who would enjoy hearing about your Dawes.

Welcome to BikeForums!

East Hill

Thanks East Hill. I'm in St. Helens. I'll certainly spend plenty of time in Classic and Vintage, and hope to see you over there.

Thanks East Hill. I'm in St. Helens. I'll certainly spend plenty of time in Classic and Vintage, and hope to see you over there.

You aren't related to me then--I haven't any rellies in St. Helens :lol: .

Yes, you will definitely see me in C & V!

East Hill

Welcome to bike forums...

Thank you. :)