End of the Galaxy

[RichardB]

I think the rot set in once they stopped building lugged 531 Galaxy frames with horizontal top tubes. The same can be said for the Raleigh Royal/Randonneur. A large part of the touring market is ultra-conservative and lugged lightweight steel is what those buyers wanted. By attempting to force the buyers into adopting a new style of bike they didn't particularly want, all the manufacturers achieved is to put those customers off buying any kind of bike from them. All that will happen is those customers will occasionally purchase a new wheelset and replace some worn drivetrain parts, and simply keep using their old 531 frames, which are not going to wear out.

This is me exactly. In my youth, a Galaxy (or, even better, a Super Galaxy) was the aspirational tourer bar none. In the early 90s I even bought one (and a matching one for the Mrs). It was a fantastic bike. Shame, but I sold it (long story, medical issues).

When I wanted a touring bike a few years ago, I looked for another. LBS had a Galaxy Chromo (the steel frame was no longer the mainstream offering, which should have been a warning) and I bought it. I was a bit suckered in there - I read 'designed in Britain' and not the unsaid corollary 'made in Thailand', and it was a bit of a surprise when I discovered that Dawes were no longer 'hand built in Britain' as my 1990s model boasted. My fault, but disappointing. It was a nice enough bike, rode quite well, nice touches like a set of spokes fastened to the rear stays. But it just didn't have the pzzazz of the original. I didn't like the sloping top tube, and couldn't get on with the STI levers. Touring bikes should be, as far as possible, simple, robust and field-repairable, and STI seemed an unnecessary complication for little benefit. I didn't bond with it, and returned it to the shop at a small loss.

 

[RichardB]

I'm very tempted by this … strong money, but I bet the seller will get something close.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VERY-CLA...1980S-DAWES-GALAXY-TOURING-CYCLE/193711545879

 

[itboffin]

its a super ugly heavy bike for way more money than it should command which is obviously why there not selling and hence not making anymore

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'm very tempted by this … strong money, but I bet the seller will get something close.

Very nice, but I ain't paying a coronacycling premium, especially not in the middle of November with months of increasingly crap weather and short days to look forward to. Pre-virus, I'd expect a really clean tidy example to go for around the £200-250 mark.
The Raleigh Royal/Randonneur has also historically tended to fetch strong money like the Galaxy, yet by biding my time, I managed to pick my Royal up a year ago for £30 - largely I suspect because it had a busted mudguard and needed a replacement saddle.
Now is really not the best time to be going bike shopping either new or used. Not much choice and even less value to be found. There will always be the odd bargain even so, but you are going to have to trawl through a lot of overpriced dross to find that rare gem.

 

[Juan Kog]

its a super ugly heavy bike for way more money than it should command which is obviously why there not selling and hence not making anymore

Absolute heresy , skip diver and I will come round and smother you with Drago’s old y fronts

 

[Drago]

I'm very tempted by this … strong money, but I bet the seller will get something close.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VERY-CLA...1980S-DAWES-GALAXY-TOURING-CYCLE/193711545879

Aside from the U brakes the spec is virtually identical to a Claud Majestic or Sierra of the same era, which cost less when new, cost a lot less now, and probably ride better.

 

[chriswoody]

I was surprised to hear they were still making them. Back in the early nineties they we're still hand made and a respected touring bike. I purchased mine in 1994, a 1993 Super Galaxy model in Purple with white lettering. A Deore DX groupset, bar end shifters and seven speed cassette married to a triple up front. A lovely bike which i rode every where.

In the late nineties it was resprayed yellow (Don't Ask!) and rode down to the Picos mountains in Spain, my biggest single trip on it. For many years it was my only transport, daily shopper, touring bike, weekend fun, it did it all. Then in the late Noughties it turned blue with no stickers or markings. By this time I'd changed the groupset to a nine speed Deore LX with a triple Hollowtech 11 crankset. roll forward to three years ago and I stripped off the mudguards and fitted the fattest gravel tires I could squeeze in there (38mm). I rode it all over the forest around here and took it Bikepacking up the highest mountain in Northern Germany. By this point the only original components were the frame, seatpost and front brakes. It now resides on the turbo trainer downstairs waiting for its day in the sun again, which will hopefully come. I have far too many memories on this lovely bike to ever contemplate selling it. Sadly I have no digitised photos from it's early years, but here's a couple of more recent ones.

 

[mustang1]

At first I was thinking about outer space. Then I started thinking about phones. And finally the bike.

 

[RichardB]

I was surprised to hear they were still making them. Back in the early nineties they we're still hand made and a respected touring bike. I purchased mine in 1994, a 1993 Super Galaxy model in Purple with white lettering. A Deore DX groupset, bar end shifters and seven speed cassette married to a triple up front. A lovely bike which i rode every where.

In the late nineties it was resprayed yellow (Don't Ask!) and rode down to the Picos mountains in Spain, my biggest single trip on it. For many years it was my only transport, daily shopper, touring bike, weekend fun, it did it all. Then in the late Noughties it turned blue with no stickers or markings. By this time I'd changed the groupset to a nine speed Deore LX with a triple Hollowtech 11 crankset. roll forward to three years ago and I stripped off the mudguards and fitted the fattest gravel tires I could squeeze in there (38mm). I rode it all over the forest around here and took it Bikepacking up the highest mountain in Northern Germany. By this point the only original components were the frame, seatpost and front brakes. It now resides on the turbo trainer downstairs waiting for its day in the sun again, which will hopefully come. I have far too many memories on this lovely bike to ever contemplate selling it. Sadly I have no digitised photos from it's early years, but here's a couple of more recent ones.

View attachment 558189

View attachment 558188

Now that's a proper bike, doing proper bike things.

At first I was thinking about outer space. Then I started thinking about phones. And finally the bike.

This could be the modern version of the William Tell Overture/Robin Hood joke:

"A gentleman is someone who thinks of touring bicycles and not mobile phones when he hears the word Galaxy."

 

[cisamcgu]

This is a better value example, and only 5 miles from me ...!!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/dawes-galaxy-touring-bike/193750164583

 

[Cathryn]

This is a better value example, and only 5 miles from me ...!!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/dawes-galaxy-touring-bike/193750164583

Please buy that, it's beautiful.

 

[Paulus]

Shame the name will disappear from new builds. But they will live on for decades to come.
This is my old Galaxy which I bought from a work colleague in 1976. It was year old when I got it.
It is more or less original. Only the running gear has been replaced. New wheels and tyres of course. Freewheel and chain replaced several times.
The saddle once belonged to a famous pie eating, explosive fan of this forum. Vernon.

 

[simongt]

Shame indeed, but that's the way of so many famous British marques; costing more and more over the years and not taking serious notice of the competition.
Always fancied a Galaxy World Tour, but now not so sure as there's now so much choice with better spec.

 

[rogerzilla]

Surly ate their lunch.

 

[Smokin Joe]

People might complain about the price of the Galaxy, but if you want something built in Britain by craftsmen who earn a decent wage for their skills you have to pay for it. Otherwise stick to stuff made in far eastern sweat shops.