Dawes Super Galaxy - Early 1980s 531 - Questions and upgrades to early 1990s spec

[Steel_My_Heart]

Hi all. Picked up this old Galaxy (Super Galaxy?) the other day for £120. Seems like a bit of a bargain with the condition of the frame, and the XT parts. Thought the frame set was an early 1990s model from the decals and seller's photos, but after studying some old Dawes catalogues online, it appears to be a repainted early 1980s (maybe 1983?). Has the "531 renovated" sticker on the seat tube. The paint looks beautiful though with the sparkly bits inside, silver detailing around the lugs, and the decals all look original too. As far as I can tell it was repainted in the early 1990s and fitted with updated parts then, as that is when these XT and 105 bits hail from.

I am not an expert on these bikes so have a few questions before I start purchasing parts to upgrade it. Any advice would be very helpful:

• Could the repaint have been done by Dawes? Did they offer this service in the late 1980s / early 1990s?
• What purpose does the mounting point on the side of the right hand fork serve? The other side has no mount. Front light maybe?
• The early 1980s Galaxies came with a dual ring crankset - this Stronglight might be the original one. I would prefer to upgrade it, and the front Deore XT mech is apparently meant for triple rings (I checked the model number on the back of it). Can I change to a triple crankset without any chain alignment issues if the frame was meant for dual rings? And would a 48t or 46t big ring both work with this front mech?
• The front wheel is 700c / 622, but the rear is 630, so I need to get a matching rear. Probably the early 1990s spec, with DX hubs and Alesa 917 rims. Anything I need to watch out for with rear spacing? Apparently the rear DX hub came in 130 and 135mm versions. Yet to remove the rear wheel and measure this frame's rear spacing.
• Does anyone know the original seat post diameter for these frames? Sometimes bike shops don't fit exactly the correct size when replacing them for newer ones. As the rear wheel is a different size to the front one and the brake cable routing is around the wrong side of the stem etc, I am watching out for little inconsistencies like that. The post in there right now might not be exactly the right width.

Will be changing pretty much everything except for the 105 shifters, XT mechs, XT brakes, stem (maybe), and mudguards. Thinking: Turbo saddle, Cinelli Giro d'Italia or similar bars (42, as these ones are 40), the previously mentioned wheel and crankset upgrades, 105 brake levers, SwissStop Rat pads, Schwalbe Marathon Plus or Continental Contact Plus 35c tyres (opinions on either?), and DMR V12 Mag pedals in silver. Not sure if to stick with black for the saddle and tape or go with white for both. And saddle / handlebar / pannier bags. This will be used as a general commuter / touring / tank bike, but I'd like to set it up nicely.

Thank you

https://imgur.com/tNnIOwG

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More images here:

https://i.imgur.com/Ze16i9n.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/6FN76BH.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0FSOOFi.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8OKzLjt.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HOJB2yc.jpg

 

[pigman]

I personally dont think its an 80's model(happily corrected tho) as it has forged dropouts with adjusters. From memory, the earlier galaxies had rear flat plate dropouts

 

[pigman]

And the earlier galaxies had weinmann centre pulls, not cantilever brakes

 

[Steel_My_Heart]

Hi Pigman. Thanks for the replies. I'm going by the fork crown designs, and the mount on the right hand side of the fork which is missing from later models. Oh and also the tops of the seat stays are sort of an indented diamond shape with no text printed there, which also matches the images in the catalogues from that time.

https://dawescycles.wordpress.com/catalogues/

Compare the 1982 (pages 6 and 7) and 84 catalogues (page 7) - there is no 83 - then you can see the 1982 frame looks the same except for the fork crown (sort of a curly design, whereas mine is a centre point / half diamond shape), whereas the 84 fork is missing the side mount found on the 82 models, but the fork crown is the same design as mine.

What you mentioned about the dropouts: Check page 6 of the 1982 catalogue where they have the frame sets for sale separately and all is in clear view, and I think you can see the adjusters there.

So that's how I dated this 1983.

Brakes: Yes - the previous owner changed many of the parts over the past 40 years. I just mentioned the crankset seems to be original spec.

As far as I can tell it was repainted in the early 1990s and fitted with updated parts then, as that is when these XT and 105 bits hail from, and also the Dawes Galaxy decals are early 1990s.

If anyone can help with the questions I had that would be much appreciated.

 

[Steel_My_Heart]

There is a 75 stamped on the BB area, so that's the most likely date, but I still cannot find any catalogue photos of this frame and fork combo from that time. Only a standard Galaxy and not Super Galaxy is shown in the 76 catalogue (not sure when the Super was introduced), and the frame looks the same but slightly different fork design and top tube cable routing. So it might be a 1975 Super Galaxy, which explains the frame differences, but that model was just not in the catalogue in 1976.

Rear spacing appears to be 126/127mm.

If anyone could help with my other queries that would be very useful.

 

[mdvineng]

It's not that unusual to have the bosses brazed on for cantilever brakes at the time of refurbishment or just add a front lamp boss too! Forks could be none original to the frame also? I bought a galaxy fork to upgrade mine in the early 90's to put cantilever brakes on the front. Steerer might be stamped?

 

[Nob]

Drilled rings on a galaxy..very unusual & possibly bling added…..

 

[mdvineng]

Drilled rings on a galaxy..very unusual & possibly bling added…..

That was std on mine too. Triple 99 late 70's to mid 80's. If the extractor for the crank arm is Stronglight std then it's pre 82, if it's 22mm then 82 onwards, iirc!
82 catalogue shows the 99bis drilled chainset. So looking like added cantilever mounts during refurbishment.

 

[mdvineng]

Here's a stock one of the period https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185673902259

 

[legrandefromage]

It does look like an older frame that has been refurbished

Changing the wheels would be the best upgrade before anything else, that allows for better gears.

Bar end shifters next, those mechs will do 9spd quite happily