1980’s lady’s Dawes Galaxy to gravel bike conversion….

Might be sacrilege but just got the bike below off an elderly neighbour, a 531 Mixte frameset, thinking it’ll be a good project to turn into something else for a bit of rough stuff. It has plenty of tyre clearance & standover with the mixte frame. Got loads of later mtb and road stuff lying about. Could make something interesting. Guards, springy Brooks saddle & rack off, add big tyres, drop bars with STI levers etc. Any thoughts on a way to go? (or not bother). Cheers

Leave as is.
Sell to epicyclo.

I’d leave that saddle on – I bet that would be as comfortable as your sofa. Weigh the same too mind.. .

It’s a ladies bike. Just sell it and give it some of the money back to old lady. Seems a shame to convert it into a gravel bike as it looks so nice as it is. Would make a new owner very happy.

It’d be worth checking the dropout spacing on a frame of that vintage. If it’s 130mm fitting you choice of modern wheel will be easy enough. Any narrower may make a bit of a faff squeezing hubs in.

As a first pass, other than stripping some stuff off, personally I’d replace the bars, probably also the chainset and BB, stick V-brakes on, and singlespeed it with the existing wheels.

I’d be a bit reluctant to ride it too hard with light forks and a 1″ steerer, but I’m 14 stone and if that bike fits you then chances are you’ll be less of a burden to it :)

Nice rack, by the way. I’d keep that.

I’d be a bit reluctant to ride it too hard with light forks and a 1″ steerer

Yep any bike before what 1995? Just falls apart when ridden …

Stick some Jones bars on it and you’ve got yourself a full beard mountainbike.

Yep any bike before what 1995? Just falls apart when ridden …

Not so much falling apart as being excitingly flexible.

That’s a really nice looking bike, and it looks to be in good condition. I’d be tempted to just leave it like that.

I used to ride my mum’s Raleigh Misty (Mixte frame, Shimano Positron gears) when I was a boy, and I seem to remember it was fairly flexible. It was never abused, but it ended up slightly twisted – I was once stopped by the police who said, “Do me a favour son, and ask your parents to buy you a new bike – your back wheel is three inches out of line from your front wheel”!

It looks so perfectly sorted as is for the job it’s made for. Mixte + gravel? Again, depends what mean by ‘gravel’. I’d personally sell or give it someone who would be made a happy retroish cycle tourist 🚴🏼‍♀️

eddiebaby

Leave as is.
Sell to epicyclo.

:)

Here’s one I prepared earlier – all NOS – for my wife’s birthday. (Note the 40mm tyres :) )

Mixtes make good gravel bikes. Very comfortable. Also good for touring.

I regard them as a unisex bike rather than a lady’s bike – the twin down tubes differentiate it.

That looks much to nice to butcher though.  Try riding it first, you may not want to change it. You’ve probably got a fast bike already, so regard this as a scenery bike where you sit up and enjoy the view.

A decent Dawes Galaxy is likely to appreciate in value, so it’s worth hanging on to IMO.

The only change I’d make is to put a Sturmey-Archer 5 speed hub on it instead of the derailleur.

And I’d have it like a shot if a neighbour offered one like that to me.

Seems a draft bike to convert on many counts:

Ladies
Flat bar (ie longer top tube)
Sti won’t work with that front mech…
…or 6 speed.

Lovely old thing that would make a perfect tourer/commuter for someone instead of a quarter-arsed conversion that won’t get used.

Here’s one I prepared earlier

😁 I should have known!

Dawes of that era didn’t change top tube length between flat and drop bars (they just bunged on a different set of bars). I’ve got a catalogue somewhere if you really want me to check.

I’d say go for it – it was semi-mass produced and never going to be a collectors piece, plus you can still convert it back at a later date.

Dawes of that era didn’t change top tube length between flat and drop bars (they just bunged on a different set of bars)

Which were they set up for?

LOvely bike. That one is from 1991-2. I couldn’t afford the men’s version and had to lower my standards to a 501 framed grey Horizon (that was too small – thank you Holdsworth Cycles). Leave it as it is.

Take the guards off and fit some wider tyres if you must. Perhaps go 1xX on the back, fit some upside down midge/sparrow 1″ bars, and level that saddle.

I used to have one of those Brooks saddles. Saddle and post together were over a Kilo in weight. Super comfy though.

Just dug out the brochures (’94 and’ 86). Unfortunately no geometry other than frame size vs inside leg.

Not enough pictures of comparable ladies frames, but have tried measuring mens versions. Galaxy vs Mean Street (flat bar hybrid) looks and measures to be the same frame (both 531st) but lugged vs unicrown forks. Guess the drop bar version existed before the flat…..

Would agree with 1991-92 age. No mixte frames by 94.

Mick, I so wanted that blue Galaxy. But when I Peugeot was stolen from my house, I just couldn’t afford the extra money for the blue 531 frame. It was a £500 bike in 1991 and I a poor PhD student. My supervisor rode the earlier liveried green Galaxy.

It looks pretty much perfect as is.

I’m in the keep it as it is camp. I’d probably buy it off you/the lady as i kniw someone who would live it as it is!

Looks a bit like a skinny tyred Stooge to me…

I think it’s a good idea: I had a mid 70’s Galaxy for a while, built up as something similar. The only trouble was the tyre clearance, where 32’s were a bit of a squeeze even with the wheel slammed all the way back. How wide could you get on these ones?
You could look at Rivendell Clem L’s and Cheviots for a bit of inspiration.

It looks pretty much perfect as is.

Agreed, it’s too good and too complete for a project. Keep it as it is or find someone who would.

Bruise Willies

I had a mid 70’s Galaxy for a while, built up as something similar. The only trouble was the tyre clearance, where 32’s were a bit of a squeeze even with the wheel slammed all the way back…

I suspect you’d get a pretty decent 650b tyre in there, maybe as much as 50mm, but at least 45mm.

But then brakes become the issue – which could be sorted with a dropper plate.

Or use drums – which are more than adequate for gravel.