How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
LittleGreyCat
Posts: 1177
Joined: 7 Aug 2013, 8:31pm

How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by LittleGreyCat »

Apart from buying it some flowers, then suggesting a quiet meal somewhere discreet.....

I'm not sure that very much is original, and the frame has been repainted so there are no obvious distinguishing marks.

In fact there is nothing on it that says Dawes or Galaxy but the frame does look like a friend's Galaxy.

So how would you go about establishing the age?

Cheers

LGC
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by horizon »

It will say Dawes stamped on the top of the seat stays.
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
User avatar
robgul
Posts: 3088
Joined: 8 Jan 2007, 8:40pm
Contact:

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by robgul »

horizon wrote:It will say Dawes stamped on the top of the seat stays.


Not necessarily so .... in fact I would say very unlikely.

If you can find a frame number (rear dropout or under the BB shell are the usual places) you may be able to get some idea by asking around on cycling fora for other people's Galaxy frame numbers and comparing them (Dawes don't have any records ... I asked them)

... and see this viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25390

and this http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... 2&t=154461

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
Cytech accredited mechanic . . . and woodworker
User avatar
gaz
Posts: 14648
Joined: 9 Mar 2007, 12:09pm
Location: Kent

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by gaz »

It may not have any original componenents but wheel size and brake type will narrow it down a little. 27" wheels and centrepulls will put it into a category marked pre 1988, 700C and cantilevers post 1988 (IIRC, give or take a year or two at most).

Threaded steerer or aheadset would be a further cut-off point, probably early 2000's but I don't know for sure.

Brake cable routing on the top tube has changed over time, including a period of internal cable routing.

Pictures may help the Dawes cognescenti.
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
User avatar
chrisw
Posts: 76
Joined: 12 Apr 2008, 9:44pm

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by chrisw »

The rear spacing might tell you something as well, as long as someone hasn't cold set it wider. In the eighties they would have been around 120mm (I forgot the exact width,but someone on here will know) I don't know when they went wider but my 93 has a 135mm rear end as standard.

So my 93 Super Galaxy has 135mm rear spacing as standard, Dawes stamped into the top of the seatstays and external cable routing on the top tube. The next year Dawes increased the diameter of the top tube( Quite rightly too in my opinion as mine shimmys like a pig fully loaded!) and popped the cable into the top tube. This internal cable routing lasted a few years though I don't know when they stopped. I also have bosses as standard for Canti Brakes. Again this will date the frame as mine are very close together and will only take very early style low profile Canti's. Later they increased the width to whatever is the standard these days.

My 1994 Dawes response frame in comparison has internal cable routing, a 130mm back end and Dawes stamped into the top of the seat stays.

There's lots of Dawes fans on here so maybe post a pic or tell us more and someone will be able to pin it down!
LittleGreyCat
Posts: 1177
Joined: 7 Aug 2013, 8:31pm

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by LittleGreyCat »

gaz wrote:It may not have any original componenents but wheel size and brake type will narrow it down a little. 27" wheels and centrepulls will put it into a category marked pre 1988, 700C and cantilevers post 1988 (IIRC, give or take a year or two at most).

Threaded steerer or aheadset would be a further cut-off point, probably early 2000's but I don't know for sure.

Brake cable routing on the top tube has changed over time, including a period of internal cable routing.

Pictures may help the Dawes cognescenti.


Picture to follow in the next day or so when I get it out of the bike storage area and wash enough crap off to save some shame.

Centre pull brake, so pre-1988.

[I did see a picture of one with side pull brakes but I don't know if that is earlier or later.]

I can't be sure that the wheels are original and I doubt that it had a triple at the front and 7 (including granny) at the back when new.

Brake cable is along the top of the top tube.

Single set of bottle cage tappings.

Front mech clamped to the frame.

My feeling is that it is quite old.

Cheers

LGC
gerrymcm
Posts: 450
Joined: 30 Oct 2012, 2:52pm

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by gerrymcm »

I have an 83 it has centre pulls and 27" wheels and ill post some pics ASAP, which may help.
I also have a copy of catalogue from that year somewhere on the pc which I'll post when I find it.
Cheers.
Gerry
gerrymcm
Posts: 450
Joined: 30 Oct 2012, 2:52pm

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by gerrymcm »

Hi this is a snap of my 83 SG, it might help.
Fairly low quality, if it helps I can mail you a high quality version, PM if required.
good luck.
Attachments
83 super galaxy
83 super galaxy
User avatar
robgul
Posts: 3088
Joined: 8 Jan 2007, 8:40pm
Contact:

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by robgul »

...... and another giveaway on age is whether it has a large lamp bracket boss on the front forks - can't recall when they disappeared but someone might?

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
Cytech accredited mechanic . . . and woodworker
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by horizon »

LittleGreyCat wrote: but the frame does look like a friend's Galaxy.



In what respect?
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
Pompey Monkey
Posts: 74
Joined: 23 Sep 2013, 1:27pm

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by Pompey Monkey »

gaz wrote:It may not have any original componenents but wheel size and brake type will narrow it down a little. 27" wheels and centrepulls will put it into a category marked pre 1988, 700C and cantilevers post 1988 (IIRC, give or take a year or two at most).


My first "proper" bike was a Galaxy, which I bought second hand at the start of 1984. It definitely had side-pull (Weinmann) brakes. Not sure if the wheels were 27" or 700c though... Just to muddy the waters!
Brucey
Posts: 44516
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by Brucey »

well AFAIK it didn't come out of the factory with side pull brakes and galaxy stickers on; one or the other was added later...

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
User avatar
andrew_s
Posts: 5795
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 9:29pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by andrew_s »

I had a 1984 SG.
A dark red/brown colour called "burnt cherry", steel rod racks similar to gerrymcm's but with added "wing" bits below the top to keep floppy panniers out of the spokes and painted to match the frame, centre-pull brakes (with rigid links rather than a straddle cable), 5 speed screw-on block. 27" wheels, clamp on shifters

I swapped it for a Raleigh Randonneur in 1989/90. That had 700c, 6-speed screw-on, cantilevers, frame gear lever bosses
User avatar
horizon
Posts: 11275
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Cornwall

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by horizon »

robgul wrote:
horizon wrote:It will say Dawes stamped on the top of the seat stays.


Not necessarily so .... in fact I would say very unlikely.


Rob


I understood the opposite - all the Galaxies I have seen have Dawes stamped on the stays below the seat post but I could be wrong of course.

But without that in any case I would still like to why the OP thinks it is a Galaxy. Bit pointless dating it otherwise I would have thought.
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
gerrymcm
Posts: 450
Joined: 30 Oct 2012, 2:52pm

Re: How do you date a Dawes Galaxy?

Post by gerrymcm »

Re the Dawes stamping on the top of the seat stays.
My 83 SG pictured above doesn't have this although my later one, from the early 90's does.
What the 83 SG does have is a decorative leaf pattern painted in the same colour the lug detailing (in my case a dark brown) and is original.
I think from memory the tops of the seat stays are concave, i.e. they've cut a bit of seat stay tube and flipped it over to create the concave panel. On the later ones the end of the seat stay with the Dawes stamp is flat.
Post Reply