Scientific_cyclist
Retro Newbie
Hey folks,
Thought I would share with you my latest bike,
won on fleebay for a measly £20 listed as "Dawes Racingcycle" it barely had anything going for it and the main photo didn't even do it justice (just a photo of the head badge). It looked complete and being listed as barn find thought it'll probably need a full strip and re-build....
I was wrong. turned up and found tires were pretty much dust held together with a tiny bit of string that was perishing and the thick rubber centre strip. But it's the original decals, pretty clean paint for it's age. all original parts including a bizzar tool box on the bars. original cotton bar tape that was also past it's lifetime but all straight and in very nice condition.
Here's how I got it (in the alley at 10:30pm when I'd got it home...
I soon got to doing some research as the history of old Dawes and their serials are very murky waters I delved into the VCC library and found their 75' catalog had my Dawes and a list of specs.
turns out mine's pretty much original minus lacking a set of mudguards and having been bought with upgraded "Galaxy spec" Simplex 10speed gears.
Now with a slight check on some of the rust with some steel wool with more that needs a rub down a different saddle with some give as the original plastic one had a very hard ride, borrowed tires from another 70's bike and the disintegrating bar wrap removed it's ride-able!
Here's how it stands's now:
I'll add more as I know more as I haven't much more knowledge on it
Still muddled on why it's brazed and the catalog and other ones of the same era had lugs.....
(serial is E2844)
next on my list new cotton tape!
Thought I would share with you my latest bike,
won on fleebay for a measly £20 listed as "Dawes Racingcycle" it barely had anything going for it and the main photo didn't even do it justice (just a photo of the head badge). It looked complete and being listed as barn find thought it'll probably need a full strip and re-build....
I was wrong. turned up and found tires were pretty much dust held together with a tiny bit of string that was perishing and the thick rubber centre strip. But it's the original decals, pretty clean paint for it's age. all original parts including a bizzar tool box on the bars. original cotton bar tape that was also past it's lifetime but all straight and in very nice condition.
Here's how I got it (in the alley at 10:30pm when I'd got it home...
I soon got to doing some research as the history of old Dawes and their serials are very murky waters I delved into the VCC library and found their 75' catalog had my Dawes and a list of specs.
turns out mine's pretty much original minus lacking a set of mudguards and having been bought with upgraded "Galaxy spec" Simplex 10speed gears.
Now with a slight check on some of the rust with some steel wool with more that needs a rub down a different saddle with some give as the original plastic one had a very hard ride, borrowed tires from another 70's bike and the disintegrating bar wrap removed it's ride-able!
Here's how it stands's now:
I'll add more as I know more as I haven't much more knowledge on it
Still muddled on why it's brazed and the catalog and other ones of the same era had lugs.....
(serial is E2844)
next on my list new cotton tape!
