swampyankee2

So I picked up the Dawes Galaxy. It looks to be an early-mid 70s model. It was cheap, it was nearby, and it's classic British. Perfect bike to tinker on with low expectations.
Overall in good shape, though the paint is tatty. It could be rideable as is without too much work. But if I can find better quality period replacements cheap - the derailleur is pretty sketchy, the stem mounted shifters are hokey, and the suicide levers have to go.
In my grandest dreams I would outfit the bike with full fenders as some of them were supplied. We'll see how far I get though.

bikemig 

To get an old bike like this rideable, you will want to overhaul it and replace the consumables (cables and housing, handlebar tape, tires). You very likely will want or really need to replace the brake shoes. Kool stops make good replacements. If you replace the shifters and front derailleur (maybe try a bike co-op?), you may be pleased with how the rear derailleur shifts. The simplex delrin rear derailleurs seem to hold up; the same cannot be said for the simplex delrin front derailleur and shifters.

Pcampeau

Should be a nice bike when it’s cleaned up and overhauled. I picked up a green Galaxy from 1974 back in October and it had all the same parts as yours. Your right, they’re good enough for now but I’m slowly replacing mine with period correct upgrades too. I agree that it would be best to have a set of full fenders (on lower end and mid level early 70s bikes I always think that). Looks like it came complete with a Brooks B15 narrow. I know it’s not the high end Brooks but I’ve always loved that saddle. Judging by the low position of the saddle it seems the bike may have been a little tall for it’s previous owner. Nice find!

microcord

Pardon the brief digression, but is there a name for the tiny kind of fenders/mudguards -- just long enough to help protect the brakes and perhaps the saddle -- as shown above on the Galaxy?

Please don't let me derail this thread. A handsome bike, and if it were mine I'd be reluctant to have it repainted.

oneclick 

Yes.

"Useless".

swampyankee2

I read someplace that there were regulations about needing fenders on bikes of a certain type. The stub fenders were just enough to conform to the regulations.
i wil try cleaning up the paintwork and see how it looks. I just watched a youtuber who restored a full fendered Galaxy and resprayed it with new decals.

non-fixie 

I believe they're called "shorties".

Nice frame. They were, and still are, very much liked by their owners.

swampyankee2

As the seller tells it, he bought the bike 10 years ago from someone that had it hanging on the wall for 25 years. He hoped it would appreciate in value but it's strictly a rider not collectible. He had been asking more for it but it wasn't selling so he dropped the price just to get rid of it.

Narhay

Mostly useless but will extend the service interval for the bottom cup of a headset and keep the bottom of your saddle a bit cleaner.

microcord

"Shorties", uh huh. Thank you, all!

(As for their purpose/usefulness, if any, I'd always supposed that they were a compromise for the indecisive bike buyer. "It does rain a lot, so I'd better have mudguards or I'll be covered in filth.... But without mudguards, my bike would look so sporty.... Jeez, I dunno. Oh, you have sporty little mudguards? Yes please!")

So, this Galaxy. Yes, it's suicide levers should go. Perhaps thirty years ago, I had a pair (on a Bridgestone Eurasia), for about twenty minutes. I dimly remember looking at them and thinking that I could break them off with my bare hands, and then easily doing just that. My memory may be mistaken, but I certainly did get rid of them, leaving the business part of the brake levers unharmed.

SurferRosa

I think you can go two ways with a bike like this: keep the parts that work and make it a cool looking bike that you can lock up without worry, or replace everything with a cotterless crank, aluminum components and '70s Suntour, and make it a bike that you actually like to ride.

randyjawa 

I can only add one thing to oneclick's "useless" comment - "ugly". I have never liked those accessories and cannot help but wonder why anyone would install them. Other than that, I am a bit of a Galaxy fan. You will have fun building it but I strongly suggest that you make sure to install alloy rims.

jdawginsc 

Yep, as I said in the other thread on this little Dawes, SunTour VxGT, and matching FD and shifters, along with a Sugino Maxy or something would be pretty awesome.

And perhaps some hooded non turkey levers.

microcord

As the happy rider of a bike with a British frame built in 1961 that's now equipped with a cotterless crank, aluminum components and '70s/'80s Suntour gearing, I can recommend this approach (while not dissing the alternative).

BFisher

I sometimes wonder if I'm still in the C&V section. Some sound like Ollie from that GCN video.

To the OP, you may or may not like the cottered crank. You decide. I haven't had one fail. Shifting is fine. Service is not hard with the right tools.

Build how you want. Experiment, even. The Dawes is a great platform for that. You can go Suntour, stay Simplex, go Shimano, Huret or Campagnolo, or even a Sturmey Archer gear hub. It can all be made to work fine. I just had my low-end Humber with cottered cranks and (Gasp!) a Huret Allvit setup out for a ride. Shocker for those who say nay - it worked great and I enjoyed it.

Fresh consumables and bearing service for sure.

Bianchigirll 

Long live “Shorties”

microcord

I hope I'm not one of these people. I assembled my own dog's dinner of anachronistic parts because I was pretty sure that it would be good and the more authentic alternatives were more elusive and would have cost more. I'm happy with the way it turned out. I'm not saying I'd be unhappy, or even that I'd be less happy, otherwise.

(Well, one innovation that was certainly good for me -- where I live and for where I want to ride -- was 700 rather than 27 inch rims and tyres. Gravelking and foldable substitutes aren't available hereabouts in 27 inch size, as far as I know. Things may be different in swampyankee2 's part of the world, and their mileage [between pointy little rocks] may vary.)

jdawginsc 

OP said he’d like to replace the shifters and RD, and implied the crankset.

I assumed he’d want to lighten it up with period correct-ish alloy/reliable stuff. Just giving suggestions as to what he may be looking for...

swampyankee2

Yeah, the "shorties" will go in favor of full fenders. If anyone wants them let me know. As low-budget as this bike is, I'll be looking to upgrade with used parts where possible and practical.
Knowing nothing about vintage derailleur parts, will be looking for advice and suggestions. It'll be a learning process, which is why i chose something cheap and cheerful.
jdawginsc, I think you understand my intent.

big chainring 

I would love the shortie fenders. Be happy to pay for the shipping.

BFisher

@jdawginsc, @micorcord, I wasn't referencing you guys' posts, but the notion of having a bike one actually enjoys riding. Seemed an unnecessarily negative dig.
@swampyankee2, I hope to see the transformation you come up with. Good luck.

jdawginsc 

No worries here. I really like the bike he got. And it's his bike. We often present what we would do as suggestions (paint, don't paint, change, don't change)

And cottered cranksets often work just fine if really heavy. However, the cotterpins are often difficult to remove well/without bending, which makes crank maintenance touchy.

(Simplex rear derailleurs are only slightly better than those front derailleurs and shifters in my experience (I replace them and save for the BOC)).

uncle uncle

Just logging in, to get updates, because I'm updating a "rider" as we speak, and am hoping for some motivation. Like two people dieting or exercising together.

SurferRosa

"Unnecessarily negative"? Hey, I don't enjoy steel components on '70s lower-mid level bikes. Sorry. It's nothing against you.

swampyankee2

Staying motivated is key. My other problem is getting too far ahead of myself. What are you working on uncle uncle?