Mid Eighties Dawes Racer

slowondefy2

Hi,

I'm looking for a road bike for the other half. Do you think a mid 80s Dawes Racer is a silly option as a cheap and fun way in?

Personally I really like the old racers (although I've just bought a Defy as my first road bike ), but I'm not sure if I should expect the gearset on such an old bike to be difficult/lethal!

Thanks

Monty Dog

Model and spec would be useful - Dawes were still building some decent frames in the UK at that time, but were also catering for the 'low end' of the market. Simple things to look for are Reynolds tubing stickers ie. 531 or 501 which would indicate a better quality frame.

slowondefy2

Thanks for the info. A Dawes Fleur was the specific bike that caught my eye.

sturmey

If you are old enough to remember bikes form this era and before (I am) you will be aware that virtually ALL bikes had steel frames. Most of these bikes were as heavy as RSJ's.

Unless you buy a 531 frame or better I'm afraid you are getting a workaday, overweight bike with absolutely no pretensions to speed or even efficiency-I would not pay over £50 for one of these, even if it was mint.

They were never any good then.

And certainly aren't now.

rolf_f

sturmey wrote:

They were never any good then.

And certainly aren't now.

Rubbish. (The post, not the bikes )

Monty Dog

If you want to understand the demise of the British bike industry, then take a look at the 'product' that was being produced and it's easy to understand why - a bit like Leyland cars.

sturmey

Of course there will always be idiots who will pay silly money for these rusting hulks on Ebay who sadly know no better and cannot distinguish between decent lightweight steel and something made out of old gas pipe.
Seems there is one such person posting on this thread.

meggiedude

Monty Dog wrote:

If you want to understand the demise of the British bike industry, then take a look at the 'product' that was being produced and it's easy to understand why - a bit like Leyland cars.

I still have an old 80s Falcon 501 tubed bike that I use for winter treks.
All the bits are still connected, its taken a lot of abuse over the years and never let me down.

I do hope you are not a brand t@rt sir.

rolf_f

sturmey wrote:

Of course there will always be idiots who will pay silly money for these rusting hulks on Ebay who sadly know no better and cannot distinguish between decent lightweight steel and something made out of old gas pipe.
Seems there is one such person posting on this thread.

Sigh... Why so much hate? You make an unqualified random comment. Even if the facts are right, the post was rubbish. If you don't like those bikes, tell us why. Don't just write negative nothing posts. And then insult people when they reply. Be nice

I have an old Dawes tourer - it starts as gas pipe at the back, works its way through 501 for the front triangle and finishes up 531 at the forks. It's fine. No lightweight but not meant to be. I've also had a few of recent miles of 1990 Peugeot. 531 front but no thoroughbread with, again, gas pipe rear triangle. Still almost as light as a new Bianchi C2C Sora. Both Dawes and Peugeot are nice bikes to ride, both requiring far less maintenance than any fancy modern bike.

I also have a Raleigh Record Ace with 531c which has superb Suntour GS gears. The front mechs of both the Raleigh and the Peugeot almost make me wonder what the benefit of integrated front mech actually is.

Not that I don't like fancy modern stuff. I have a Look 585 with Centaur/Record mix and a Ribble Gran Fondo Veloce 2010 on order. I presume you approve of those choices? I presume you don't think I 'knew no better' when ordering those?

There is a lot that is great about modern bikes but, ultimately, I reckon a 10 speed 80s bike of decent, but not necessarily top quality, is still the most sensible commuter bike you can get - almost all the advantages of SS with barely any of the disadvantages.

ynyswen24

Rolf F wrote:

sturmey wrote:

Of course there will always be idiots who will pay silly money for these rusting hulks on Ebay who sadly know no better and cannot distinguish between decent lightweight steel and something made out of old gas pipe.
Seems there is one such person posting on this thread.

Sigh... Why so much hate? You make an unqualified random comment. Even if the facts are right, the post was rubbish. If you don't like those bikes, tell us why. Don't just write negative nothing posts. And then insult people when they reply. Be nice

I have an old Dawes tourer - it starts as gas pipe at the back, works its way through 501 for the front triangle and finishes up 531 at the forks. It's fine. No lightweight but not meant to be. I've also had a few of recent miles of 1990 Peugeot. 531 front but no thoroughbread with, again, gas pipe rear triangle. Still almost as light as a new Bianchi C2C Sora. Both Dawes and Peugeot are nice bikes to ride, both requiring far less maintenance than any fancy modern bike.

I also have a Raleigh Record Ace with 531c which has superb Suntour GS gears. The front mechs of both the Raleigh and the Peugeot almost make me wonder what the benefit of integrated front mech actually is.

Not that I don't like fancy modern stuff. I have a Look 585 with Centaur/Record mix and a Ribble Gran Fondo Veloce 2010 on order. I presume you approve of those choices? I presume you don't think I 'knew no better' when ordering those?

There is a lot that is great about modern bikes but, ultimately, I reckon a 10 speed 80s bike of decent, but not necessarily top quality, is still the most sensible commuter bike you can get - almost all the advantages of SS with barely any of the disadvantages.

+1

I still have, and ride regularly, a Dawes Impulse... badged as having 531 tubes without specifying how many and it rides very well.

rolf_f

ynyswen24 wrote:

I still have, and ride regularly, a Dawes Impulse... badged as having 531 tubes without specifying how many and it rides very well.

The Reynolds stickers usually give it away - I can't recall if they always say main tubes only when they aren't full 531 but I think they do say 531 throughout if that's the case.

ynyswen24

Yes, it specifies main tubes but not how many or which ones... I have my doubts about the seat tube - 26.8mm rather than 27.2 and unbutted (as far as I could tell shining a torch sown there once). No complaints though, it's 20 years old now and gouing strong even if it is a bit tatty now.

rolf_f

Main tubes will mean (I believe) front triangle only - so the seat tube ought to be 531. So seat stays and chain stays will be plain. Again, I think, in the case of 501, seat and chainstays will always be plain steel as I don't think that Reynolds made 501 seat and chainstays.

There are some useful websites out there.

BTW - I can look in the Dawes catalogue for your bikes spec. It is the same age as mine

ynyswen24

i'm pretty certain you're right about the rear triangle being plain steel. it's the seatpost diameter that leads me to think it has a 501 seat tube with 531 butted top and down tubes. I've just had a look at the Reynolds sticker which says '531 forks and butted frame tubes', thus providing a get out clause to the frame builder! I was working in a shop that dealt with Dawes in the early/mid 90's and - great firm though they are - things did get increasingly chaotic with them, leading if I recall to a management buyout.

I'd be interested to hear what the catalogue lists as the spec. It's a bit of a lovable mutt - ridiculously long top tube for the frame size 55.5c-c top tube on a 52c-c seat tube!

rolf_f

ynyswen24 wrote:

i'm pretty certain you're right about the rear triangle being plain steel. it's the seatpost diameter that leads me to think it has a 501 seat tube with 531 butted top and down tubes. I've just had a look at the Reynolds sticker which says '531 forks and butted frame tubes', thus providing a get out clause to the frame builder! I was working in a shop that dealt with Dawes in the early/mid 90's and - great firm though they are - things did get increasingly chaotic with them, leading if I recall to a management buyout.

I'd be interested to hear what the catalogue lists as the spec. It's a bit of a lovable mutt - ridiculously long top tube for the frame size 55.5c-c top tube on a 52c-c seat tube!

I have it the catalogue. Price list dated Jan 1991 so maybe a year out. The impulse in the catalogue Interference Aqua (a funny pale greeny colour) and silver. Definitely 531 forks and maintubes only (as per the next model up, the Stratos) - the top frame, the Linear, had Reynolds 653 throughout (but that cost £699.95).

Spec - Exage Q/R hubs, Rigida 1320 rims, black anodised, gears: Exage 400EX 14 speed SIS, Chainset = Exage 400EX 52/42 with Biopace rings, HG50 13:23 cassette, brakes Exage 400EX SLR, 42cm bars, Vetta Turbo lycra cover, gel insert saddle. All for a price of £374.95 (a little more than the £349.95 my Horizon cost)

andy162

I have a real soft spot for these old steelies. I've got an Ilkeston Raleigh from 85. It's a proper team issue Panasonic job & to be fair I like it more than my Scott Addict R1. Obviously for very different reasons. It's a beautiful thing to behold. A proper craftsman built race machine with pedigree. I used it on our Saturday chaingang last week & it really caused a stir, strangely with the younger lads.

Re: your Dawes, use it. Keep it & enjoy.

Higgsyboy

I have recently purchased a 'Dawes Impulse' Reynolds 531 frame (no mention of size) in my professional opinion (BIG).
I paid £50, its immaculate and very fast (i have very little to compare it with). All in all i am very pleased with it but i have run into a problem because i commute with it and it has tubeless tires, It cost me £30 when the rear tire went flat, its gone flat again and i am unwilling to keep shelling out this sort of money when i feel i could simply repair a tune mysef!
So finally my main point! Can anyone point me in the direction of somewhere i could find a set of wheels for this bike, maybe more suited to commuting?

Thanks in advance, Dave

rolf_f

Higgsyboy wrote:

I have recently purchased a 'Dawes Impulse' Reynolds 531 frame (no mention of size) in my professional opinion (BIG).
I paid £50, its immaculate and very fast (i have very little to compare it with). All in all i am very pleased with it but i have run into a problem because i commute with it and it has tubeless tires, It cost me £30 when the rear tire went flat, its gone flat again and i am unwilling to keep shelling out this sort of money when i feel i could simply repair a tune mysef!
So finally my main point! Can anyone point me in the direction of somewhere i could find a set of wheels for this bike, maybe more suited to commuting?

Thanks in advance, Dave

In the case of my old Dawes, when I first dug it out of the garage both original wheels were a bit bent so I bought some cheap Raleigh wheels (probably about £40 the pair) - they were OK but the hubs weren't that well sealed and the rims ended up heavily worn and scored (didn't keep them clean and let a pad wear through to the bolt.....) so I invested in handbuilts from Spa Cycles in Harrogate. These are worth more than the bike but they have covered thousands of miles and are still as straight as a die. So, personally, I would recommend the same approach. Spa are excellent - you'll probably end up with Rigida Chrina rims on Tiagra hubs with Sapim stainless spokes.