Dawes Galaxy vs Dawes Super Galaxy

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fatboy
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Re: Dawes Galaxy vs Dawes Super Galaxy

Post by fatboy »

Old Super Galaxies had 853 frames and Galaxies had 631, now both have 631. The gear shifting is different on each and which is better is a matter of taste. Bar-ends are less convenient to ride with but easier to muck about with front chainrings etc and also more convenient to carry bar-bags etc.

Looking at the spec there is very little difference seemingly only the gear shifters and the stem; the Super Galaxy have the neat SVO stem that allows you to adjust bar height without fiddling with washers.
"Marriage is a wonderful invention; but then again so is the bicycle puncture repair kit." - Billy Connolly
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horizon
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Location: Cornwall

Re: Dawes Galaxy vs Dawes Super Galaxy

Post by horizon »

Las year's Super Galaxy (2010) was 853. This year's brochure gives Reynolds 631 butted. I don't know the reason for the change or whether it is that significant. It also of course may be an error in the brochure.


Edited: sorry fatboy, we posted at the same time so I missed your post above.
Last edited by horizon on 20 Apr 2011, 10:44am, edited 1 time in total.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
GregLR
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Joined: 3 Mar 2011, 10:06am

Re: Dawes Galaxy vs Dawes Super Galaxy

Post by GregLR »

horizon wrote:Yes you do need such low gearing. It's for carrying loads up hills even on road. You could go even lower...


I thought that this (& the rest of the passage) was very well said. But I'd also like to note that lower gears that can be fitted for loaded touring by adapating MTB technology can also be very helpful to those who don't have the strength or experience when riding unloaded in hilly areas. My partner Toni gained the confidence to ride challenging audax events and to tour in difficult terrain by riding in the steep and/or long hills near where we live with a 25/34 (20") after I fitted an XT rear mech to her road touring bike.

I had previously swapped the 30 teeth inner chainring for a 25, and well as swapping the larger chainrings so that the 52/42/30 became a 48/38/25. So the bike has gone from having a 30/27 (30") low to a 25/27 (25") and now 25/34 (20"). Without this intervention she would not have been able to develop the confidence to ride in hilly areas.

It continues to disturb me is that Shimano keeps putting out a road triple that results in bikes that are overgeared and are likely to stunt the development of cyclists who don't have access to the knowledge about how to modify the gearing (at extra expense) to suit their purpose. Even though various touring bike manufacturers like Surly, Salsa, Galaxy, etc, are mixing MTB & road components for touring bikes Shimano obviously sees no profit in bringing out a suitable touring component group.

People who know that they are doing keep having to muck around experiementing with different components (particularly front mechs, gear changers and brakes) to see if they work together. And now their new 10-speed MTB group will not be able to be mixed so easily for road touring bikes.

Greg
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horizon
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Location: Cornwall

Re: Dawes Galaxy vs Dawes Super Galaxy

Post by horizon »

I suppose we'll never know who is telling the truth - the manufacturers blame the consumer and the consumer says that they are only buying what is there. TBH it hadn't even occurred to me that what we get on a touring bike is indeed a hotch-potch, though when I think about it AFAIK Shimano don't make drop levers for their own V brakes. For them the world is forever three types of cycling: city, race and MTB and nothing else between.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
fatboy
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Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 1:32pm
Location: North Hertfordshire

Re: Dawes Galaxy vs Dawes Super Galaxy

Post by fatboy »

GregLR wrote:It continues to disturb me is that Shimano keeps putting out a road triple that results in bikes that are overgeared and are likely to stunt the development of cyclists who don't have access to the knowledge about how to modify the gearing (at extra expense) to suit their purpose. Even though various touring bike manufacturers like Surly, Salsa, Galaxy, etc, are mixing MTB & road components for touring bikes Shimano obviously sees no profit in bringing out a suitable touring component group.
Greg


I am constantly pleased that I bought a tourer so I can get up hills with ease (well relative to if I was geared as a road bike)! Recently I've lowered my gear to 22F/32R and still use it! I've done audax events and generally riden around country lanes and been amazed at how hard others find hills (and these are just Hertfordshire Hills!). Who is to blame I don't know but large proportions of the "experts" and LBS staff don't understand it - somehow having low gears on a bike for the road is not the done thing. If you want a road suitable bike and drop bars and low gears you get into a right mess! Dawes, Ridgeback, Thorn etc are forced to sell bikes with stuff operating outside Shimano's recommendation with a combination of road and MTB components and not a "groupset".

Still allows me to chuckle when I, on my low-end steel tourer with Carradice bag (usually filled with books, tools, locks etc), cruise still seated past riders on carbon bikes standing on the pedals and grimacing to death! I enjoy counting how many gears I've got left after such encounters!
"Marriage is a wonderful invention; but then again so is the bicycle puncture repair kit." - Billy Connolly
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