Old Dawes touring bike. Max tyre width

how old a Galaxy ?

had a galaxy in the 80's. pretty sure it was on continental top touring tyres in a 32c version.

Not sure 80 or 90

I looked at this and ended up buying new - most older tourers had really poor tyre clearance, particularly with guards on.

Iirc, there were a few early hybrids with much more clearance.

My wife's Dawes Galaxy took 38mm gravel king SKs as a max with no mudguards.

Edit: It made quite a good gravel bike for her really especially with a triple so nice low gears, did plenty of Scottish estate tracks on it.

well i rode with the roughstuff fellowship in the 80's and 90's on mine.
so i reckon 32c will be fine.

cheap enough to try anyway.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m14b0s122p2340/SCHWALBE-Delta-Cruiser-Delta-Cruiser-Plus-HS392-HS431

My 90s Galaxy was around 32mm max with guards. But made up for it with smooth handling. Though that might vary with frame size. Mine was 25"

Worth a go if you can get one cheap but I prefer min 700*40 for an off road Tourer these days

I'm also kinda looking out for a 'not massive' gravel-esque type tyre, something probably 35c max but with just enough knobble to cope with a bit of loose rock/stone and towpath-type mud.

Currently on Vittoria Voyager Hypers which are mainly brilliant but a) they're essentially slicks so can be a bit sketchy and b) they don't make them any more.

I have 32's on my early 90 Dawes Galaxy. Tight on the mudguards, but I'm sure you could push another couple of mm without.

K

Strangely enough, I have a Super Galaxy SS project in my workstand at the moment awaiting suitable rubber. I can confirm that 45c doesn't fit (it was worth a try!) I'm going to try 35s tonight as I don't have any 32s to hand. I'll report back.

I’m also kinda looking out for a ‘not massive’ gravel-esque type tyre, something probably 35c max but with just enough knobble to cope with a bit of loose rock/stone and towpath-type mud.

I've just bought an On One Pompino, and looking for 32/35 mainly urban tyres but with a bit of off road ability (not too much though, as have a gravel bike and 2 MTBs for proper offroad. Thinking Gravel King?

Shame you haven't got a cross bike you could use eh, Craig? ;0)

I can confirm that a 35 fits (Maxis Overdrive) with a little room to spare. Pretty sure I could fit mudguards as well but I wouldn't want to go bigger. The chainstays are the limiting factor (predictably).

Using a ss cx bike for work. But would be nice to have something that fits guards and a pannier (and relatively cheap) my commute is 80percent off road so the the cx bike is good for that.but it’s an effort on the way home!

35’s are not bad.

Mine used to take 27 X 1 1/4.

33c. These served as cross bikes before we went and bought carbon disc braked 1xn trail/gravel slayers with odd wide bars.

My 1990ish super galaxy ebike conversion with 35c vee speedsters and guards:

bags of room, could prob go to 38c

Just be aware, if you're talking early Dawes Galaxy there's probably 20+ "versions" of the frame from launch to mid 80's, some of which were available at the same time. All with broadly the same features/braze ons/bosses/geometry but different build tolerances.
So a frame built in Jan 1980 won't necessarily have the same clearances as one built a month or two later...

Mine is an older one and doesn't have the clearance shown in those photos. You'd fit a 40 in there. 35 is plenty for what you need though.

I had an 80's Claud Buttler Dalesman which was a badge engineered Galaxy, I think I ran it with 28's and guards, but that was nowhere near the max.

Didn't particularly rate it as a frame, 531st isn't very compliant when unloaded.

From memory the other faff when building it up was it took different sized canti brakes front and rear. Or rather the same brakes (as long as they're not froglegs), but you'll need a spares box of spacers and different length washers to get the pads to meet the rim.

Didn’t particularly rate it as a frame, 531st isn’t very compliant when unloaded.

That was the entire point of 531ST, and the Galaxy lineup. Heavily laden touring.

Pretty sure my 2001 ish era Super Galaxy has 28 or 32mm Schwalbe Marathons on. Indestructible but quite possibly the most dead feeling tyres ever invented. I'v ridden it around a lot of bridleways and poorly surfaces lanes and its never struggled.
I dont think im hugely sensitive to frame 'feel' etc but always really enjoyed mine. Was my only road bike for years. The triple chainring Shimano XT means it will pretty much climb anything which is the one thing my far newer gravel bike struggles with a bit.

Didn’t particularly rate it as a frame, 531st isn’t very compliant when unloaded.

it is plenty compliant with 4 x panniers and a 20 stone rider onboard.......... ;o)

Haha, that's why I specified unladen.

I did (over several trips, with a couple of Volvo T5 estate fulls for the furniture as well) move house with it once.

I ride a 1998 Galaxy - 32mm tyres

I'm still using a 1995 Dawes 'On Road/Off Road' Hybrid that I purchased in 1995.

Running a 700 x 32 Continental tyre for all occasions.

Frame is Reynolds 501.

Using mainly the original components as well - BB, hub bearings, rear brake cable, steering head bearings, front mech, rear mech (jockey wheels replaced) paintwork. Keep it clean and when washed, dry off with the airline. Clean and grease once per year.

Commute 4 miles each way most days. 80% tarmac.

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The chainstays are the limiting factor

Pffft not with a g clamp they aren't. Get them squished.

Thanks guys. So should there be other like bikes to look out for (like the dalesman someone mentioned). 38mm would be perfect for long canal rides (currently do these on 35mm and often thing a few more mum would help after a number of hours)

How tall are you, I have a (85?) Super Galaxy sitting doing nothing since my Fargo came along a long time ago. Suits about 5'10-6'3, a 23" frame in old money. Unmodernised with period upgrades, wide Shimano cantis, 3x6, early Deore, Record hubs with Saturae rims, still 27 x 1 1/4 rims. I have DiaCompe bar end shifters to go on it. Easy upgrade to 700c and V brakes. I'd rather someone take it and use it than it sit doing nothing. On most skinny tubed steel frames, you'll not be short of comfort.

Other bikes to look for would be the Raleigh Superbe, Edinburgh world traveller, Koga Miyata, Spa, Thorn etc.

Cheers all. I pick one up tomorrow. £100and sounds pretty straight if not in great nick! Just needs some panniers and then off I can go.