Bought a secondhand Dawes Galaxy on ebay this week for £330. Its a nice
pearlescent green
which changes to deep blue/purple depending on viewing angle. Fitted with
straight bars and Deore LX shifters / levers, rear and front carriers and
two new Altura panniers. Only two years old and been ridden on two
occasions.
Would this bike be suitable for offroad use or would too much offroad ruin
it? For example last weekend I used my sons Giant MB from Slough to
Brentford along the Grand Union canal towpath and back to Slough along the
A4, about 20 mls offroad 20mls onroad.
Any examples of where you take your Galaxy and how you equip it would be
very welcome.

Many thanks

Tom McCabe

I've taken mine (still with original dropped bars and using Shwalbe Marathon
tyres) off road dozens of times (green lanes, forest paths, canal towpaths
and some rough stuff) - it'll slog it's way through mostly anything as long
as you take your time and remember it's not a MTB.

"Tom McCabe" <thomas.mccabe@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:ce03mp$in1$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
> Bought a secondhand Dawes Galaxy on ebay this week for £330. Its a nice
> pearlescent green
> which changes to deep blue/purple depending on viewing angle. Fitted with
> straight bars and Deore LX shifters / levers, rear and front carriers and
> two new Altura panniers. Only two years old and been ridden on two
> occasions.
> Would this bike be suitable for offroad use or would too much offroad ruin
> it? For example last weekend I used my sons Giant MB from Slough to
> Brentford along the Grand Union canal towpath and back to Slough along the
> A4, about 20 mls offroad 20mls onroad.
> Any examples of where you take your Galaxy and how you equip it would be
> very welcome.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Tom McCabe
>
>

"Fil" <S*n*a*p*p*a*t*i*o*n*a*l@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ce08br$81u$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> I've taken mine (still with original dropped bars and using Shwalbe
Marathon
> tyres) off road dozens of times (green lanes, forest paths, canal towpaths
> and some rough stuff) - it'll slog it's way through mostly anything as
long
> as you take your time and remember it's not a MTB.

Mine is getting on for 20 years old -- also with original drops. Its been
on all sorts of ruff stuff -- though nothing too ruff.

Your bum or wrists will give out before the bike does.

T

In message <2mi5cbFn3pt1U1@uni-berlin.de>, Tony W
<remove@chapmore.co.uk> writes
>
>Mine is getting on for 20 years old -- also with original drops. Its been
>on all sorts of ruff stuff -- though nothing too ruff.
>
Absolutely. Do they still do cyclo-cross on those?

You'll find your tourer a pain when you're riding in stuff rather than
on it (serious mud, deep sand or gravel etc) and on rough surfaces like
rubble or tree roots.
Many canal towpaths are completely free of this sort of thing.

Be sure to remove mud and caked dust from moving parts after your ride,
or your bearings and drivetrain will wear out amazingly fast.

--
Sue ];(

Tom McCabe wrote:

> Would this bike be suitable for offroad use or would too much offroad ruin
> it? For example last weekend I used my sons Giant MB from Slough to
> Brentford along the Grand Union canal towpath and back to Slough along the
> A4, about 20 mls offroad 20mls onroad.

If that's your definition of "offroad" then it'll take that no problem.
Descents at speed down tracks strewn with rocks the size of
cobblestones wouldn't be any fun on a regular basis, but if you're happy
riding it then it can probably take it.

> Any examples of where you take your Galaxy and how you equip it would be
> very welcome.

Anywhere it wasn't causing me pain in the wrists department would cover
the where. As to equipment, sound like you're mostly there.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Thanks to eveyone for taking the time to reply. Sounds like the bike is
going to be ideal for my type of riding.

Many thanks

Tom McCabe

"Tom McCabe" <thomas.mccabe@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:ce6gui$fhh$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
> Thanks to eveyone for taking the time to reply. Sounds like the bike is
> going to be ideal for my type of riding.


The Galaxy frame is very strong and will survive more than you bum or wrists
can. Put some slightly fatter tyres on it -- 32 mm should fit -- maybe even
fatter. That will give you a reasonable amount of 'suspension'.

T