dawes? yes or no?

[jax13]

where do people stand on dawes as a brand?

I remember one of my mates had a triangular framed thing in 1998ish and he loved it, mainly because it was something different i think.

can't remember what spec it was built to but price wise it was on a par with the higher level stuff from raleigh and probably similar to the entry level univega bikes that the shop also sold.

the main reason i ask is that i've not seen a lot of mention about them on here and i was under the impression that they weren't too shabby (just nothing spectacular).

so - good, bad, not great but good in a retro kind of way or just overpriced tat?

 

[nathanman]

I had a Dawes Kick Back BITD and thought it was a great ride, never going to win best specced bike awards but it had a decent reynolds 501 frame and LX kit iirc. IMO it was a nice bike and Dawes always had a decent rep at my school at the time.

 

[hydorah]

Depends

Dawes are a bit like Raleigh, made some awesome bikes and as time wore on a lot of shady ones

But I'd say largely they are cool frames, were always really well put together - as MM says if it's made of Reynolds tubes that's cool

To my knowledge they made frames in 500, 501, 531 and 653 with increasingly well specced components

Early lugged ones, with 3 piece forks are beeeeeautifull!

 

[brocklanders023]

Always thought of them as the same as Raleigh, Claud Butler, Ridgeback etc. Made some ok stuff but there was always something you'd want more for the same price. Parents would buy children these because they'd heard of the brand.

 

[godders]

I had a Dawes one track for a couple of years ... got it new in 93 i think and once i had thrown away the heavy bars, stem, seat post, saddle and replaced for much lighter but still cheap kalloy stuff + a set of spd"s it wasnt a bad bike at all realy, used to keep up with everyone else on there flash mega bucks bikes ok been looking for one for a while now but they dont seem to come allong very often .... at least not in my size or the colour i want .. still will keep looking

 

[hydorah]

Arg

Always thought of them as the same as Raleigh, Claud Butler, Ridgeback etc. Made some ok stuff but there was always something you'd want more for the same price. Parents would buy children these because they'd heard of the brand.

I'd agree they were not a glamorous maker, nor were they adventurous, they declined George Apps offer of rights to his all terrain bicycle designs

Much like turning down the Beatles, they showed an astonishing lack of foresight

But they did build really soundly constructed frames - In the UK too - I had a '97 Acoma as a fix-up-sell-on jobbie, UK made, great frame even on a bike which was fairly low end it was heat treated 7005, you really can't knock that - But I'm pretty sure they're in BSO territory now, whereas Raleigh have always been doing BSOs

- Pre Falcon Claude Butlers are quite often amazing bikes, they were owned by Holdsworth for most of the '80s

Falcon are the kings of BSO and will kill every brand they consume with their cheapo evil!

 

[highlandsflyer]

Falcon made some lovely bikes back in the day as well.

It is all cyclical.

 

[Xesh]

Dawes Edge Xtra. Mmmmmm!

 

[Dawes-Man]

Dawes Edge Xtra. Mmmmmm!

This one?

 

[hydorah]

Really?

Falcon made some lovely bikes back in the day as well.

It is all cyclical.

I have, quite literally, never seen a decent Falcon MTB - but I would love to

- If anyone has a cool Falcon MTB, or a pic of one, please post it!

I remember Falcon Pro BMXs had the Edge (pardon the pun) on the lower model Raleigh Burners for a bit... But that's no recommendation