Galaxy Brakes and Kool Stop Salmon Pads

[[email protected]]

I've never been that happy with my Dawes Galaxy brakes. Standard cantis
fitted with original equipment pads. While adequate in the dry without
any load they were not quite up to it for loaded touring. I xeven
looked at the cost of Diacompe 287V levers and converting to V brakes.
But instead I fitted a set of Kool Stop Salmom pads (as recommended
in prev threads on this group). I also checked the set up as per
Sheldons Canti brake pages. What a difference. Effortless braking with
plenty in reserve.
If anyone else has dodgy brakes on a Galaxy try Kool Stops before
spending any more money.
Iain

 

[dkahn400]

[email protected] wrote:

> If anyone else has dodgy brakes on a Galaxy try Kool Stops before
> spending any more money.

That's exactly my experience. Kool Stop Salmons are the only pads I've
tried on the Galaxy that give the brakes reasonable stopping power.

--
Dave...

 

[Tony W]

"dkahn400" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > If anyone else has dodgy brakes on a Galaxy try Kool Stops before
> > spending any more money.
>
> That's exactly my experience. Kool Stop Salmons are the only pads I've
> tried on the Galaxy that give the brakes reasonable stopping power.

UK supplier is?

 

[Pete Biggs]

Tony W wrote:

>> That's exactly my experience. Kool Stop Salmons are the only pads
>> I've tried on the Galaxy that give the brakes reasonable stopping
>> power.
>
> UK supplier is?

www.Wiggle.co.uk

~PB

 

[[email protected]]

Is this a covert sales promo? The first thing that struck me about my
Dawes Galaxy (new 3 yrs ago) was the the brakes were the best I've ever
had and very adequate when fully loaded with camping gear - so there!

cheers

Jacob

 

[Peter Clinch]

[email protected] wrote:
> Is this a covert sales promo? The first thing that struck me about my
> Dawes Galaxy (new 3 yrs ago) was the the brakes were the best I've ever
> had and very adequate when fully loaded with camping gear - so there!

All that that proves is you haven't ever had hydraulics! A well
adjusted mechanical brake will do a fine job, but once you've used a
hydraulic like the Magura HS 33 you'll realise that when it comes to
fine control you can do a fair bit better.

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 [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[dkahn400]

[email protected] wrote:

> Is this a covert sales promo? The first thing that struck me about
> my Dawes Galaxy (new 3 yrs ago) was the the brakes were the best
> I've ever had and very adequate when fully loaded with camping
> gear - so there!

No. Even having Sheldonised the setup I could neither skid nor lift the
rear wheel with the original pads. They were, however, superior to the
old Mafac cantis on my H.R. Morris, which shows how poor they were.

I also find I have to re-adjust the brakes much less often with the
Kool Stops as they don't seem to wear down so quickly.

--
Dave...

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] wrote:

> Is this a covert sales promo?

No. If you'd bothered to check you could have seen I'm a regular though
infrequent contributer to this group. In fact I commented in the
passing on my Galaxy brakes being "dodgy" in a Dec 2003 thread.


The first thing that struck me about my
> Dawes Galaxy (new 3 yrs ago) was the the brakes were the best I've ever
> had and very adequate when fully loaded with camping gear - so there!


I'm glad your bikes brakes are good. My Galaxys an older model and the
brakes were never that good. Perhaps Dawes listened to feedback and
improved the quality of the stadard pads fitted.
Iain

 

[Nick.]

On Wed, 07 Sep 2005 01:44:48 -0700, jaco wrote:

> Is this a covert sales promo? The first thing that struck me about my
> Dawes Galaxy (new 3 yrs ago) was the the brakes were the best I've ever
> had and very adequate when fully loaded with camping gear - so there!
>

I've always thought that the brakes were the major letdown on my Galaxy
(1995 IIRC), though I've never bothered experimenting with different pads.

The Dawes hasn't seen daylight since I bought my Trek 1500... What a
difference! But now winter's just around the corner it's probably time
to give the Galaxy an overhaul and replace the brakes[1]. Anyone know if dual
pivot brakes will fit on a Galaxy frame?

Nick

[1] Why? Can't get my shiny new bike wet & dirty now, can I?

 

[Al C-F]

[email protected] wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
>
>
>>Is this a covert sales promo?
>
>
> No. If you'd bothered to check you could have seen I'm a regular though
> infrequent contributer to this group. In fact I commented in the
> passing on my Galaxy brakes being "dodgy" in a Dec 2003 thread.
>
>
> The first thing that struck me about my
>
>>Dawes Galaxy (new 3 yrs ago) was the the brakes were the best I've ever
>>had and very adequate when fully loaded with camping gear - so there!
>
>
>
> I'm glad your bikes brakes are good. My Galaxys an older model and the
> brakes were never that good. Perhaps Dawes listened to feedback and
> improved the quality of the stadard pads fitted.
> Iain
>

Curious, the brakes on my 2001 Galaxy are fine.

 

[Pete Biggs]

Nick. wrote:
> I've always thought that the brakes were the major letdown on my
> Galaxy (1995 IIRC), though I've never bothered experimenting with
> different pads.

How about different cable settings?:
www.sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html

> The Dawes hasn't seen daylight since I bought my Trek 1500... What a
> difference! But now winter's just around the corner it's probably time
> to give the Galaxy an overhaul and replace the brakes[1]. Anyone know
> if dual pivot brakes will fit on a Galaxy frame?

Dunno specifically for the Galaxy but I fitted a DP front brake* to a
Dawes City Vision (with mudguards and 38mm tyres) that originally had a
canti, a bike that you'd never expect to see a DP on. All you need is one
hole through the fork to mount it--yours might currently be occupied by a
front reflector and cable guide thing, for example. Rear brake: I would
suggest sticking with the canti.

* Alongha deep-drop (with Kool Stop pads), braking was much improved in
practice despite supposedly being no better in therory.

~PB

 

[Al C-F]

> Nick. wrote:
>
>> Anyone know
>>if dual pivot brakes will fit on a Galaxy frame?
>
>
I don't think they would fit my Galaxy - it lacks the hole through the
fork for the centre bolt. (I suppose one could always drill one though.)

 

[Peter Clinch]

Nick. wrote:

> The Dawes hasn't seen daylight since I bought my Trek 1500... What a
> difference! But now winter's just around the corner it's probably time
> to give the Galaxy an overhaul and replace the brakes[1]. Anyone know if dual
> pivot brakes will fit on a Galaxy frame?

Maguras will, but then you're looking at a pretty high cost (my HS-33s
were ~£60 each). Depends how much of a hack the Galaxy is, but if you
plan on using it a lot then worth considering. Should be possible to
move them to other bikes in future, I'd think. And IME they're better
than any cable brakes I've ever tried.

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 [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/