Bought a secondhand Dawes Galaxy on ebay this week for £330. Its a nice pearlescent green which changes to deep blue/purple depending on viewing angle. Fitted with straight bars and Deore LX shifters / levers, rear and front carriers and two new Altura panniers. Only two years old and been ridden on two occasions. Would this bike be suitable for offroad use or would too much offroad ruin it? For example last weekend I used my sons Giant MB from Slough to Brentford along the Grand Union canal towpath and back to Slough along the A4, about 20 mls offroad 20mls onroad. Any examples of where you take your Galaxy and how you equip it would be very welcome.
I've taken mine (still with original dropped bars and using Shwalbe Marathon tyres) off road dozens of times (green lanes, forest paths, canal towpaths and some rough stuff) - it'll slog it's way through mostly anything as long as you take your time and remember it's not a MTB.
"Tom McCabe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Bought a secondhand Dawes Galaxy on ebay this week for £330. Its a nice pearlescent green which changes to deep blue/purple depending on viewing angle. Fitted with straight bars and Deore LX shifters / levers, rear and front carriers and two new Altura panniers. Only two years old and been ridden on two occasions. Would this bike be suitable for offroad use or would too much offroad ruin it? For example last weekend I used my sons Giant MB from Slough to Brentford along the Grand Union canal towpath and back to Slough along the A4, about 20 mls offroad 20mls onroad. Any examples of where you take your Galaxy and how you equip it would be very welcome.
In message <[email hidden]>, Tony W <[email hidden]> writes
Quoted message said:
Mine is getting on for 20 years old -- also with original drops. Its been on all sorts of ruff stuff -- though nothing too ruff.
Absolutely. Do they still do cyclo-cross on those?
You'll find your tourer a pain when you're riding in stuff rather than on it (serious mud, deep sand or gravel etc) and on rough surfaces like rubble or tree roots. Many canal towpaths are completely free of this sort of thing.
Be sure to remove mud and caked dust from moving parts after your ride, or your bearings and drivetrain will wear out amazingly fast.
Would this bike be suitable for offroad use or would too much offroad ruin it? For example last weekend I used my sons Giant MB from Slough to Brentford along the Grand Union canal towpath and back to Slough along the A4, about 20 mls offroad 20mls onroad.
If that's your definition of "offroad" then it'll take that no problem. Descents at speed down tracks strewn with rocks the size of cobblestones wouldn't be any fun on a regular basis, but if you're happy riding it then it can probably take it.
Quoted message said:
Any examples of where you take your Galaxy and how you equip it would be very welcome.
Anywhere it wasn't causing me pain in the wrists department would cover the where. As to equipment, sound like you're mostly there.
Pete. -- Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
"Tom McCabe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Thanks to eveyone for taking the time to reply. Sounds like the bike is going to be ideal for my type of riding.
The Galaxy frame is very strong and will survive more than you bum or wrists can. Put some slightly fatter tyres on it -- 32 mm should fit -- maybe even fatter. That will give you a reasonable amount of 'suspension'.
