Dawes CX

I bought what originally I thought was going to be a Dawes Galaxy off Hillary, but it then after someone noticing the lack of any braze-ons it transpired that it was actually some sort of 90s CX frame.

Either way it’s a nice classic 531st with nice lugs and a shit paint job.

The original intention was for to create a low spec version of velocio's "one-bike". Its first incarnation being a singlespeed cross-ish bike, with flat bars (this was back in August 2010). That never happened. Next was a big tyred winter bike for this years snow. That never happend.

Since then I’ve been building it with the aim of getting it ready for a tour from Bordeaux (ish) to Santiago de Compostela.

... so it’s been a slow project to say the least.

I have slowly amassed the parts:

**Frame: 531 ST Dawes mystery CX
Chainset: Decore Triple Chainset 26 / 36 / 48t
FD/RD: Decore XT
Cassette: Decore 9 Speed 11-34t
Shifters: DA bar end
Wheels: 36h Mavic A319s with DA hubs and 28c pasela panaracers
Brakes: Tektro 720s and 105 aero levers
Bars: 48cm Nitto noodle bars

**
Now my girl friend wants to get a bike so I thought I’d help save her some money in the short term while she decides what she wants, plus it'll finally get the bike on the road where it should be!

So the brief has changed a bit:
**
• Flat bars
• Shifters pods
• Tekro levers
• *Maybe *fatter tyres
**
I would like to have bought some Pauls Thumbies and used the DA shiters, but I'm not that flush right now and there are a few other things to buy. Plus these 9-speeds were going for a bargain.

Short term to do:

• get BB threads chased and BB installed
  
• find temporary front wheel (if anyone has one please let me know - wanted thread here)
  
  

Wheelset:

• Replace cones in front DA hub
  
• Service hubs
  
• Build wheels
  
  
  

Long term once I get the bike back I'd like to build it as a town bike with fast 32c tyres, respray, and then have a 1x9 (or 7 or 8) with a more classic chainset and a close ratio cassette. Especially as there aren't any braze-ons so it could have quite a smooth look.

OK so my project has fallen at the first hurdle.

The driveside threads on the bottom bracket are fucked.

My options are:

1. Sell the brand new decor crankset, buy another square tapper crankset, and buy a threadless BB
   
2. Buy a new frame
   
3. Repair
   
   

None of them are cheap options. At least with option 1 I don’t have to look for a new frame in the right size.

Anyone got any recommendations?

The ideal situation would be if someone wanted to swap cranksets.

Can they not be chased?
....or do they need rethreading?

If its just chasing. Maybe you could borrow a tool, or have a LBS have a go. Isnt there a tool share thread?

I have a Cyclus BB chasing tool on the way. Not that that helps you. It would be a £35 round trip if I was to post it, for you to borrow :(

(My Longbike frame ate the non-driveside cup of my crankset, then started on the replacement.)

Bet you still beat both my long and fat bikes. They're proper jinxed.

I have some parts from my defunct CX-commuter BTW.

Such as a 50/34 Shimano Ext BB crankset (Tiagra level I guess, Its only branded shimano). No BB. Only put a hundred or so miles on it.

You could have it for postage cost.

Can they not be chased?
....or do they need rethreading?.

It's only the right side and the mechanic said there's basically nothing left to rethread, and the tool pretty much just slid in. Hence the clever Oak idea of boring it out to an Italian thread.

I have some parts from my defunct CX-commuter BTW.

Such as a 50/34 Shimano Ext BB crankset (Tiagra level I guess, Its only branded shimano). No BB. Only put a hundred or so miles on it.

You could have it for postage cost.

That would be awesome - just to be clear you mean it takes a standard square tapper? I've got my eye on an old decore square taper at the moment.

Nope. External BB (shimano hollowgram) type.

Shit news about the BB. I'd be looking for a new frame. But thats me.

Ok so the square taper Decore went for ~£50... clearly I'm missing something.

Anyway. I think I'm going to persist and find a square taper crank.

Still a bit gutted as the cranks were one of the new and more expensive parts and they were very functional. However they'd have never suited the build so maybe this is chance for something more in keeping.

withy a 11-34 cassette a compact crankset makes more sense to me. I had a 26/36/48 triple with 11-32 cassette. The 36T chainring was great offroad, and the 48 give a big road range. I went to a 34/50 compact and actually preferred it. The 34 is better for the steep mountain trails, and the 50 is just that little bit faster.

Not a load of options in square taper compact.
http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/sunrace-r-compact-double-chainset-with-a-x-rings-mm-cranks-56044007.htm?from=googleshop_uk

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/stronglight-impact-compact-item79757.html

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/118054.html

My gut feeling was to go with a compact in the first place, but then I thought that if I wanted an ultimate all-rounder, (especially for touring) then a mtb triple with a 48t was the way to go.

Plus the front and rear mech were xt... so it all seemed to fit.

Those all look good, but I’m now a bit tight on cash so I wouldn’t really want to go over £40 as I’ve got to get the BB as well.

These Sunrace ones look almost exactly like sugino messengers, and are only £45. Any thoughts?

Anyway, now another blow has struck the project - my GF is nervous about using my bike in case of damage of theft... so we'll see where it goes :(

Spa Cycles do a cheap square taper touring chainset

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s109p2000

Those look like the Lasco branded cranks doing the rounds now. They'll do the job but the rings might not last long.

A step up from those would be the Spa cycles Sugino XD2 style cranks with TA rings. Trusted old technology but very high quality.

I've got a nice Denton steel CX frameset I'm hoping to built up before the winter (fixed/free with drops). I'm really excited about it. It's going to be the thinking kid's fixeh.

^^ I was too late...

My gut feeling was to go with a compact in the first place, but then I thought that if I wanted an ultimate all-rounder, (especially for touring) then a mtb triple with a 48t was the way to go.

The 34:34 would get you around with all but the heaviest loads. Nothing wrong with a triple though.

Hmmm... well the pressing need for speed has been somewhat negated by my GF buying a friends bike. Which also means a few wasted parts.

I'm going to try and keep on for a second hand square taper decore on the basis that I can switch the rings and it will be more practical in the long run.

The other option is an old touring double.

The good thing is I can now ditch the flats and pod shifters in favour of bar ends. The pain is that until I've got the cranks I don't know what length BB to get... which kinda means that there's not much point in moving on it.

On thing I was wondering tho, was whether to spray the top tube? It has a dent that was filled so it's just an undercoat at the moment. The colours a nice metallic green, so I was wondering about trying a rattle can (but good) blue fade from the top 1/4 of the rear stays along the top tube, but stopping before the headset (so I can just mask). It also means less paint to buy.

Any other suggestions for more intereting DIY paint jobs.

I'm glad you're going for proper handlebars.

On thing I was wondering tho, was whether to spray the top tube? It has a dent that was filled so it's just an undercoat at the moment. The colours a nice metallic green, so I was wondering about trying a rattle can (but good) blue fade from the top 1/4 of the rear stays along the top tube, but stopping before the headset (so I can just mask). It also means less paint to buy.

That sounds quite bad to me. Literally half-a-job.

Any other suggestions for more intereting DIY paint jobs.

It's a bit ratty. Work with it or go for an enamel or a good powdercoat.

I think you are right.

The paint is just at that weird Inbetween stage where on the whole it's nice , but then there's the random top tube and a few bits of pealing paint.

I think I'll get it on the road to work out if it's a keeper first. It doesn't have any brazeons so maybe at some point if I like it I'll get a vaz respray with some mudgaurd mounts and a threadless fork.

Right now it just needs to get on the road!

I have a Dawes Galaxy tandem with the same shade of paint and same decals.
It looks like it could be powdercoated as the paint seems quite tough. It also has a '5 year warranty' sticker on the paintwork.
I would hang on to the existing finish it if you can rather have a respray.

TBH I'm generally not big on respraying things. Where the paint is in tact, it's good. But there are a few ropey bits. It's the top tube that's the main thing. If I like it, it may get a fresh coat one day.

For now though the build is starting to get back on track. Thanks to Citygent I now have some worn but functioning decore square taper cranks.

Now it's just a case of working out the BB length and buying a threadless BB.

If anyone has any recommendations on brands I'd appreciate it.

Velo Orange sell great threadless BB.

Result!

Just the man I was after.

Have you used one, and is the design worth the extra?
http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/grand-cru-threadless-bottom-brackets.html

Velosolo have a Zenith one they seem to rate.
http://velosolo.co.uk/shopchain.html

Had used one, they're amazingly useful, you don't even need to read the instruction and work with standard BB tools, I swapped it five times between bicycles.

One minor nugget is that the one I used (122.5mm) get in the way of the 50.4BCD bolt on the back due to the cup sticking out, on normal chainset (110-144BCD) perfectly fine.

Just mean I need a longer version.

A couple of steps back.

My GF's new bike is being delayed so with the Olympics coming I thought I'd go back to the plan of setting it up with trigger shifters as an interim solution.

Crankset issue sorted thanks to a square taper version of the existing one. FD set up after much confusion and the removal of a ramping pin. Many thanks to Dammit for the last bit of clarity.

As it standing it's heading straight for anti. Especially once it gets it's neon green grips back.

However, I shall see how it rides and once I get it back the drops and bar ends will go on. Ultimately the more I think about it the more I like the idea of using TA cranks with a 1x9 set up and a closer ratio for the city. Then when I do need the extra gears switch the chainrings round for a touring double.

First things first though; (I) build as is, (II) drops/bar ends, and (III) build wheelset.

So it’s finally in a ridable state and half way there.

In its current guise it’s set up for my gf until her bike comes. Afterwards it’ll have drops and bar ends. Then wider silver wheels.

The Good:

• It rides well. It’s a lot stiffer than I expected. It’s most probably 531ST I wouldn’t have thought you’d be able to feel “the ST“ as much as you can.
  
• I can’t really describe the geo very well but it feels fairly quick and nibble rather than sluggish.
  
• The cheapo second hand trigger shifters are surprisingly good.
  
  

All in all pleased.

The Bad:

• The FD needs adjusting, still. There is rub on the middle ring and the shift onto the big ring isn’t immediate.
  
• The gear ratios... I need more time on the bike, and some more hills, but the increments just don’t feel quite how I would have liked. Maybe I’m just too used to 10 speed with a closer ratio, or need practice with a triple.
  
• The rear QR keeps slipping when I put my foot down – moving the wheel and then rubbing the tyre on the inside stay. This is obviously a serious issue for a bike for my inexperienced gf! Any suggestions?
  
  
  

The Other:

• Cables need tidying
  
• Some brake cables need shortening – but until the bars are switched I’m reluctant.
  
• Canti’s still need a little tweaking
  
• Front fork mounted cable holder was a mod-job and flexes and moves a little. Shortening the front cable may resolve.
  
• 28mm tyres feel small/thin. With the firm ride, I think I need something bigger, but will have to check the clearances.
  

Some goodies in the post:

• 36h 105 5700 hubs
  
• 32mm Bonti Racelites
  
• hope vision 1
  
  

Veloplugs on their way.

Next:

• order spokes
  
• build wheels
  
• get bike off my GF
  
• drops
  
• barends
  
• grommet cable stop things
  
• work out bag placement