Zaphod Beeblebrox 

I wonder if I have the oldest of the bunch so far...

1939 Dawes Cyclo. Many of the parts (BB, Derailleur, shifter) are correct to the model and year, but some are period correct choices such as the Sturmey Archer Drum Brake hubs (1937 hubs, but not original equipment to this model). Still other parts are more modern stuff that simply fit the bill and looked acceptable.







unfortunately in its present configuration its mostly suited to be a garage queen and slow cruiser. The SA drum brakes are badly worn out and don't stop worth a damn and the lauterwasser bars just arent my cuppa. This bike is likely gonna get changed from the present EA3 wheels to some more modern 650Bees and get a less correct derailleur that operates with less slop and can take something more narrow than an 1/8" chain. The cranks may change too. The bars definitely will. Mostly I want to ride this bike and I've enjoyed looking at it in its present state for a while, but I wanna ride baby.

slcurts

I might have an older one, but it doesn't look quite as good as yours. I'm guessing this is a 1936, judging just by the features that fit in between those in the 1935 and 1937 catalogs - can't find any date codes on it, or a 1936 catalog either.



It has 531 butted main tubes and an early 531 sticker that I've never seen before. Photography is an amazing thing - this photo pretty clearly shows the words "Reynolds" and "Tubing", top and bottom, but I can't see those words for anything with my naked eyes, even now that I know they're there.





Not to hijack the thread, but I tried to send a PM about the Lauterwassers and am not allowed yet. This bike was supposed to have Lauterwassers but it appears someone has moved the original rear bars to the front and put some alloy bars on the rear. Are your bars available? I assume I can receive PMs.

rustystrings61 

I bought this Dawes Realmrider at the infamous Anderson (S.C.) Jockey lot in 1997 for $10. It had generic Wald fenders and steel North Road bars and a very worn B66 saddle. I was rolling it away when the seller's assistant mentioned it was a 4-speed. I looked down at the shifter and thought, "so it is!" When I got it home and started disassembling it for cleaning, I realized it had 27-in wheels and not the 26 x 1 3/8 I had assumed it had. Some quick internet research led me to Sheldon Brown's site, and here we are ...

23 1/2 frame built with what I am told are Ekla "Racelite" lugs; unmarked tubing, but at least decent stuff with some spring to it (maybe Tru-wel?); a 42-in wheelbase; Sturmey-Archer FW 4-speed gearhub dated 10 62; low-flange 32-hole Milremo alloy front hub that came stock with track nuts; stock steel rims that were too badly rusted to be saved and were replaced with Mavic alloy 27-in units in 32/40. In this photo it wears Nitto mod. 176 bars and a Tech deluxe stem, a modern Brooks B.17, and Lyotard Berthet mod. 23 pedals.

I was told 10 years ago by the VCC Dawes marque enthusiast that the Realmrider was typically sold as a derailleur bike in 4, 5, 8 or 10-speed configurations - but this frame had NO braze-on fittings for derailleur cables, etc., which I think they usually did. I never did dig much further than that for information.

I CAN tell you it had a lovely, plush ride that was a joy on any road surface. A couple of years ago I realized it was time for it to move along, so I sold it to a gentleman in North Carolina.

Dawes and Dave

Hey Wow !! some wonderful examples of these great bikes. Thought i would share my rebuild project i did. I bought this 1975ish Dawes Galaxy (Now this year model is based upon the limited info i was able to find on these bikes, so please correct me if i get any info wrong, happy to learn more). So I bought it for $50 as a present to myself last birthday, the idea and purpose behind this project was to get me out of my normal ways of buying the latest and greatest, simply put just go and buy an old bike no one wants anymore, something most people wouldn't look twice at and go and make something beautiful out of it. I wanted to teach myself patience and had a specific goal to just clean and repair and under no circumstances was i to start replacing old parts for new parts. I feel i learn't a lot through the process and am very happy with the result. It took about a month in total to complete and was happy to complete the project without replacing anything on the bike. I just cleaned, cleaned cleaned and cleaned some more. Yes and Plenty of blisters !!

I have included Before and After shots, the before photos are from the Gumtree ad, something about that engraved scrolling on the handle bars that had me hooked from the start, it let me know i was buying something special, unique and potentially beautiful.

Dawes and Dave

And more ...

non-fixie 

Well done! I really like it. And welcome to C&V.

BTW, you might find that tilting the saddle slightly backward, instead of forward, improves comfort.

laklop

Does anybody know the age or model?

3speedslow

@laklop that is one I do not recognize. My guess is that it is from the European market. Can we see a few more close up pics?

Dawes-man

Yes, particularly with photos of the components (front & rear derailleurs, brakes, cranks and hubs) it will be possible to at least date the machine.

Bobtoo

This is my Super Galaxy from (I think) 1982. It had been well used when I got it three years ago and broken/worn-out components had been replaced with whatever was current at the time.

I've been returning it to original spec as and when I find the bits on eBay. I haven't decided whether to keep the triple chainwheel, which is dated 1982 so might well have been an upgrade when it was new. The front mech is wrong but at least it's the right era.

P1050701 by RichardB5, on Flickr

Road Closed by RichardB5, on Flickr

2017-05-06_03-45-02 by RichardB5, on Flickr

I was lucky enough to get a pair of little used 27" x 1 1/8" tan wall tyres (which you just can't get in the UK any more) on a pair of wheels I bought for another project. The rack was another lucky find. It appeared to be black in the pictures so I was expecting to have to paint it, but when it arrived it was actually the correct colour already.



Looking at the catalogue for 1982 it seems that the Super got some better components and a front rack.

This is my other Dawes, the opposite end of the range. It's from 1979 and has had quite a few components changed. I did do some period upgrades but it became redundant when I got the Super Galaxy, so I've returned it to the way it was when I got it.

cambiker71

I've just started a rebuild on this poor thing...

cambiker71

Starting to look a little better, got to refit the replacement mudguards yet...

3speedslow

If you peel back the electrical tape, you might find the lovely Dawes scroll work. That's going to be a nice looking machine!

cambiker71

I don't think these are the original bars, they're horribly uncomfortable anyway so I've changed them for something closer to original, I'm much happier with how it looks and rides now...

3speedslow

^^ looks like a great city bike. What model is it?

Would look great with a carradice saddle bag!

kcblair

[QUOTE=cambiker71;19614551]I don't think these are the original bars, they're horribly uncomfortable anyway so I've changed them for something closer to original, I'm much happier with how it looks and rides now...

That speedometer, is Kool. I had one on an early bike. KB

cambiker71

It's a Flair, approx 1975 model, yes a saddle bag would certainly be a good addition too.

sendgridover

Hi guys, the time has come for me to part with my 1986 Dawes Jaguar (Reynolds 531) as I have no more space in the garage and no time to commit to do a decent restoration. My bike is currently set up as a single speed and I have using it for local rides and trips to the shops. I do however have all the original bits, bars, brake levers, brake calipers, cranks (Solida 52:42), derailuers, for it to be re-built. I am UK based (Sandhurst) and would welcome sensible offers. Not sure how to attach pictures to this forum?

3speedslow

Sad to read your bike has to go. You will need to pay a small fee to advertise sale items in the specific for sale sub thread here.

Good luck, would love to see pics of a Dawes Jaguar.

cambiker71

Had a nice relaxing ride out with the mrs today on her old Raleigh Chiltern, my Dawes Flair is great to ride...

Peterborough cathedral



Part of the Green Wheel cycleway

3speedslow

Looks smashing! The English uprights make a nice couple. How long does the green wheel cycleway go?

cambiker71

Thanks, the green wheel circles Peterborough with routes (spokes) to the city, its about 45 miles in total, a big part of it is well away from roads too which is great, I use it often to go the 8.5 miles to work too

Peterborough Green Wheel - Map | Sustrans

3speedslow

I am very impressed! And very jealous. You have a great cycleway to get around on. Is road traffic there accepting of cyclist or do they expect you to stick to the green wheel ?

cambiker71

It's not bad at all, a lot of cycle lanes have been added to roads over the last few years too, most people are ok with cyclists around here, there's a few idiots but there's a few two wheeled idiots too!

3speedslow

It's a Galaxy. The cable stop for the back brake is right for the Galaxy model. To my mind, that would elevate the bike over the Atlantis!