Dawes Galaxy (maybe) restoration

Bugger. No pressed steel cable hangers at Condor (or Cycle Surgery, or Evans), only big chunky machined ali ones which won't fit in the space available on the headset. Test ride tomorrow looks in doubt...

looks amazing, gonna be a real head turner, sounds expensive though

Not really. Frame and forks were, I think, about 60 or 70 quid. The front mech and shifters I already had, same with the wheels - they were all sitting in the spares bin looking unloved having been taken off other bikes and replaced. Cranks, brakes levers and shifters were 65 quid all in. The handlebars were also sitting in the parts bin - I'd bought them for the Hetchins but then decided not to use them. Brakes were 22 quid for the pair off eBay, stem was 13 quid, saddle was 45 and the seat post was 20. Paint was sitting there waiting to be used, and the tyres were 36 quid. Mudguards were 29 quid from PX.

OK, so if I flogged all the bits I had lying around in the parts bin I could've got something for them, but that was never going to happen anyway. But I reckon the actual outlay will be less than 400 quid, and that includes a new Brooks saddle and bar tape. I think I'm being commendably economical on this one!

Looks great, albeit from a distance: just don't stop and no-one will notice the lining...

I like the way the Zipps are just in shot, in a "man for all seasons" kind of way. :)

Ah yes, the Zipp pile. Don't worry, it's not the entire collection. There's another 404 behind the chair, and a 202 (front) and 303 (rear) upstairs. I really do need to make a start on my wheel rack.

Curiously, everyone I've shown the lug-lining too has been very complimentary about it, despite the fact I think it looks a bit rubbish. It's possible they're all just being polite though.

I was only pulling your leg about the lining: I'm sure read (on here?) that someone had good results with a paint pen.

The overall effect is very good: definitely Waitrose. :)

Looking great already. Makes my own Galaxy look like the gnarly ill-treated nag it is

Looking great already. Makes my own Galaxy look like the gnarly ill-treated nag it is

same here, its putting my powdercoated workhorse to shame

Quick update. I started fitting the brake cables last week, and ran into a wee problem with the levers. The tops of the levers look like this:

The hole is just over 7mm in diameter - much bigger than any brake ferrule, and from the pictures I've found it looks like a piece is missing from both levers - a sort of conical bit which the cable fits into. So, some scrap 12mm aluminium bar stock and a few moments on the lathe, and I had the missing pieces:

I think I should be able to finish it off next week. Hopefully.

All done. Test ride tomorrow.

Brilliant work mate. Love it.

Proper job.

Very nice!

Regarding lug lining you're using the wrong brush, also guessing you used the brush straight away, you need to dip it in baby oil to soften the bristles before using with paint. Once you've done this you need to completely fill the whole brush with paint and wipe off the excess. Twisting the brush as you reach a corner helps :)

The overall effect is fantastic; if it rides like it looks...

Beautiful. What a great job and what a purdy bike

Thanks all.

I've just finished the bike's shakedown ride, and after 45 miles the only thing that's fallen off is one of the bar end plugs. Time to buy some champagne and make a new one.

Hi there!

Complete newcomer here (and also 4 years late) - I have been researching what to do with my kerbside Dawes Galaxy find!

It seems that a lot of peoples frames in this thread are pretty much identical! Just wondering what headset dimensions you used for yours? Was the arabesque a fit in the end?

Hope your Galaxy is still going strong!

Tom

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I fitted the Arabesque, and although there isn't that much engagement between the locking nut at the top of the headset and the threading on the steerer tube, there's enough. It's basically just a standard 1" threaded headset you need, but I didn't get round to measuring the stack height before I fitted it.