Thoughts/impressions on Dawes Discovery 201

[SkipdiverJohn]

I much prefer a MTB-derived triple set up, as I have on my old Raleigh hybrids, but there's nothing wrong with a Dawes Discovery just so long you accept you'll be walking up somee gradients I could get up without dismounting using the granny ring of a triple.
I don't use the super low gears very often on my bikes, but when I do need them I'm very glad they are there to use!
Brakes are a non-issue, so long as the bike has some. I definitely don't want discs and I won't buy anything fitted with them.

 

[jay clock]

not sure what youre saying here jay clock?

sorry. if you watch this vid it should be clear.
View: https://youtu.be/4As0e4de-rI?t=11583
. one of those bikes is me (near the back going anticlockwise). BEST FUN EVER

 

[GeekDadZoid]

sorry. if you watch this vid it should be clear.
View: https://youtu.be/4As0e4de-rI?t=11583
. one of those bikes is me (near the back going anticlockwise). BEST FUN EVER

That's fab, did you get to keep the bike.

 

[jay clock]

That's fab, did you get to keep the bike.

no. they went to some sort of community project

 

[Chief Broom]

Hi folks thought i would give an update on the 201. Ive put a fair few thousand miles on it and can heartily recommend! As in my first post i'll state im a newbie of 2years so no expert and is from my perspective. No problems whatsoever apart from the usual consumables which i tend to do before they absolutely need doing...maintenance costs are peanuts compared to a motorcycle- whats a sports bike tyre cost these days..£200? Anyhow its performed very well and i still really like it! I'll probably try an upgrade one day but have a suspicion that im not going to be blown away by a bike 5 times the cost. If i only get to ride the 201 for the rest of my life thats fine by me!

 

[Punkawallah]

’Quality doesn’t wear out; it wears in’.
:-)

 

[chris667]

Which is why I never user QR levers.

I don't even use QR axles!

"Through I trundle along,
my resolve it is stolid,
for I know full well
that my axles are solid."



That is a very purposeful looking hybrid bike. Very nice.

Dawes have made some excellent "cooking" bikes. If I could only ever own one bike, intellectually it would be an MTB but practically, I'd have a 1990s Dawes Galaxy. Comfortable, and because you're comfortable that makes you ride more, which makes you quick. Racks for carrying stuff, and mudguards to keep you and the bike dry. Good quality, but it doesn't scream "look at me!".

This applies only to earlier 1990s Dawes bikes though. Sometime in the late nineties they moved production to Poland and the general quality went downhill somewhat. Then, they moved production to Taiwan and the quality got better but IMO they changed the design in ways that made me like them less. I tried a later Reynolds 853 Super Galaxy (maybe 2006ish?). It was a good bike but much sportier and less forgiving things than an earlier one.

Yep, I reckon 1994ish was the sweet spot.

Mind you, that might be because in my head I'm still in my early twenties. I think a modern hybrid might suit me better in many respects. I have a beer belly and a slightly iffy back now so my drops are higher than my saddle. I would probably be better served by your Dawes, although I'd want a granny ring to winch myself up the hills.

 

[Cycleops]

View attachment 697777

If you could have an accompanying soundtrack playing over this image I thing the Beatles song 'Long and winding road' might be appropriate.

 

[Chief Broom]

If you could have an accompanying soundtrack playing over this image I thing the Beatles song 'Long and winding road' might be appropriate.

Or a fave of mine 'Fool on the hill'

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I don't even use QR axles!

Front is QR 😁

 

[Punkawallah]

I don't even use QR axles!

"Through I trundle along,
my resolve it is stolid,
for I know full well
that my axles are solid."



That is a very purposeful looking hybrid bike. Very nice.

Dawes have made some excellent "cooking" bikes. If I could only ever own one bike, intellectually it would be an MTB but practically, I'd have a 1990s Dawes Galaxy. Comfortable, and because you're comfortable that makes you ride more, which makes you quick. Racks for carrying stuff, and mudguards to keep you and the bike dry. Good quality, but it doesn't scream "look at me!".

This applies only to earlier 1990s Dawes bikes though. Sometime in the late nineties they moved production to Poland and the general quality went downhill somewhat. Then, they moved production to Taiwan and the quality got better but IMO they changed the design in ways that made me like them less. I tried a later Reynolds 853 Super Galaxy (maybe 2006ish?). It was a good bike but much sportier and less forgiving things than an earlier one.

Yep, I reckon 1994ish was the sweet spot.

Mind you, that might be because in my head I'm still in my early twenties. I think a modern hybrid might suit me better in many respects. I have a beer belly and a slightly iffy back now so my drops are higher than my saddle. I would probably be better served by your Dawes, although I'd want a granny ring to winch myself up the hills.

1983 Galaxy with Suntour 14-32 freewheel and Spa Cycles 36/48 chainrings.

 

[chris667]

1983 Galaxy with Suntour 14-32 freewheel and Spa Cycles 36/48 chainrings.

Now that, sir, is a decent bike.

 

[Punkawallah]

Now that, sir, is a decent bike.

‘Preen, preen’ ;x)

It’s just done the ‘tour of the moors’, about 200 miles round the North Yorks National Park. So it will get me up the hills - not Skelton, though. Too much for my legs.

 

[freiston]

Wow! I haven't seen a rear derailleur like that for a long time. Suntour? Possibly a VGT/Luxe? I had a touring Suntour RD like that back in the early 80s with a 14*-34T freewheel and a 42/52 chainset. It seemed important to me at the time for reasons I can't recall but you don't have to break the chain to get the derailleur off the bike, on account of the outer cage plate. A 36/48 would have been much better than my 42/52.

*Edit: correction of typo

 

[Jameshow]

1983 Galaxy with Suntour 14-32 freewheel and Spa Cycles 36/48 chainrings.

Just missing a carradice saddle bag.