Dawes Galaxy Touring Bike

DBCyc

Hello,

I am looking to get a Dawes Galaxy (or similar) touring bike on the Cycle to Work Scheme. I think I am restricted to Irish LBS to buy from.

Does anyone know which bike shops stock these (I am based in Dublin)? I am having trouble sourcing one - I appreciate that this is probably normal when looking for a touring bike.

Cheers.

Raam

The scheme doesn't restrict where you can purchase from, but your employer might.

DBCyc

Raam wrote: »

The scheme doesn't restrict where you can purchase from, but your employer might.

Sorry, you are right. My employer restricts us to using a company called Cyclescheme who are partnered with a lot of bike shops across the country. They don't seem to include UK websites or anything.

I just was wondering which shops would stock them to see if they are partnered with Cyclescheme.

Raam

Those schemes are just stupid.

galwaycyclist

It depends on your employer - I know someone who got a BTW bike through Wiggle. Other employers lock it down to one or two suppliers.

Had a Dawes Galaxy once myself - loved it. Got stolen from the shed.

vektarman

I see Cahill cycles Naas is on the bike shop list, I'm sure they sell Dawes bikes.
http://www.cahill.ie/about-us
Edit: Just noticed you're based in Dublin.

smacl

Probably no good to you, but I see that SPA cycles have 25% off the super galaxy at the moment. http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s21p2733

Nice looking tourer.

petethedrummer

Holligsworth say they do Dawes on their website so they should be able to get one in.

They also do the Surly LHT as do Cycle bike.

DBCyc

Cheers for those suggestions. I'll contact Cahills, Naas is pretty close.

It is annoying when you find a nice bike on offer on those websites and you cant just go with them because of poxy restrictions in work

Doctor Bob

Penny Farthing on Camden Street had a nice Dawes tourer (not sure if it was a Galaxy) on the shop floor a couple of months ago. I believe Little Sport in Fairview can also order them in (tomasrojo might confirm, as it's his story I'm remembering).

Both shops are on the cyclescheme.ie list.

Lumen

There's a Dawes tourer really badly locked up outside my office.

manwithaplan

Lumen wrote: »

There's a Dawes tourer really badly locked up outside my office.

OP, if you steal 59% of it, the Government will rob the rest for you.

cdaly_

DBCyc wrote: »

Sorry, you are right. My employer restricts us to using a company called Cyclescheme who are partnered with a lot of bike shops across the country. They don't seem to include UK websites or anything.

I just was wondering which shops would stock them to see if they are partnered with Cyclescheme.

Can you ask your employer if they'll stump up the 10% 'commission' that Cyclescheme are taking out of your €1000? You lose that bargaining power with the bike shop...

Andy-Pandy

Fitzcycles are on the list and they do a number of steel frame Kona touring bikes. I have a Honky Inc, I cant fault it and it might tick the right boxes for you, Link. They are based in Stillorgan and they provide an excellent service.

tomasrojo

Doctor Bob wrote: »

Penny Farthing on Camden Street had a nice Dawes tourer (not sure if it was a Galaxy) on the shop floor a couple of months ago. I believe Little Sport in Fairview can also order them in (tomasrojo might confirm, as it's his story I'm remembering).

Both shops are on the cyclescheme.ie list.

Yes, well remembered. It was a Dawes Horizon touring bike they sourced for me.

L'Enfer du Nord

Would also recommend Fitzcycles. Also Joe Daly's in Dundrum who are a v good shop do Dawes bikes.

reallyunique

It's not a Galaxy but... have you considered a Ridgeback Panorama? Hollingsworth do them for a surprisingly reasonable price and they're quite the touring machine. I'd have one if I had the cash.

feck sake lads

bikeshop north quay drogheda will give you a good deal.
call austin /dom/tommy, on 0419834526.

feck sake lads

the bikeshop in drogheda will give you a good deal
ring Austin/Don/Tommy on 0419834526

DBCyc

Cheers for all the replies lads. Dropped into Hollingsworth in Templeogue over the weekend and had a good chat with one of the guys there about building a touring bike and they had a Surly LHT there which is a nice bike.

After further research on here though, I would be tempted to go for a Bob Jackson World Tour frame. Anyone got one? I'm 5'9" and reckon a 19.5" should suffice yeah?

Doctor Bob

I'm pretty sure you can't buy just a frame, or frame and parts separately, on the cycle to work scheme. Complete bikes only. Pity- that Bob Jackson World Tour is a beaut alright.

DBCyc

Doctor Bob wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can't buy just a frame, or frame and parts separately, on the cycle to work scheme. Complete bikes only. Pity- that Bob Jackson World Tour is a beaut alright.

Yeah I know that, its unfortunate but I am very tempted to build a touring bike now. Sure I can use the C2W for another bike in the future

feck sake lads

DBCyc wrote: »

Yeah I know that, its unfortunate but I am very tempted to build a touring bike now. Sure I can use the C2W for another bike in the future

i ride a thorn sherpa fantastic tourer none better well there is but i would say that bob jackson have a great reputation and its always great to build your own bike thats exactly what i did with the Thorn bought frame set.:cool:

cdaly_

Doctor Bob wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can't buy just a frame, or frame and parts separately, on the cycle to work scheme. Complete bikes only. Pity- that Bob Jackson World Tour is a beaut alright.

You can have the bike shop build up the frame for you and that should be covered by the BTW scheme.

feck sake lads

SPA cycles is fantastic for galaxy check them out.;)

mrbike

DBCyc wrote: »

I'm 5'9" and reckon a 19.5" should suffice yeah?

That sounds a bit on the small side. When I called about ordering a World Tour, they got me to do some measurements. I'm 6'2" and got a 23inch frame. It took about 5 weeks to arrive. Sometimes they need to build them up in the right size and then it needs to be painted.

It's a cracking frame though.

Here's a pic :

Doctor Bob

DBCyc wrote: »

I am very tempted to build a touring bike now. Sure I can use the C2W for another bike in the future

I'm in precisely the same boat, and regarding precisely the same bike.

cdaly_ wrote: »

You can have the bike shop build up the frame for you and that should be covered by the BTW scheme.

I would dearly love for this to be the case, but I'm not sure. It would be one thing if the shop sold all the parts including the frame separately, but if the frame comes from elsewhere, then either the shop must buy it at market value and sell it on as a full bike, or the end user must buy it and get their LBS to build it up. The latter sounds pretty sketchy; the former less so, but still not ideal.

(Apologies, Beasty, for shading into C2W Megathread territory, but it seems relevant here too.)

cdaly_

Doctor Bob wrote: »

I would dearly love for this to be the case, but I'm not sure. It would be one thing if the shop sold all the parts including the frame separately, but if the frame comes from elsewhere, then either the shop must buy it at market value and sell it on as a full bike, or the end user must buy it and get their LBS to build it up. The latter sounds pretty sketchy; the former less so, but still not ideal.

I think that's the only way in which it would fit BTW regulations.

DBCyc

mrbike wrote: »

That sounds a bit on the small side. When I called about ordering a World Tour, they got me to do some measurements. I'm 6'2" and got a 23inch frame. It took about 5 weeks to arrive. Sometimes they need to build them up in the right size and then it needs to be painted.

It's a cracking frame though.

Here's a pic :

Cheers mate, I'll talk to the experts there with regards sizing if I decide to go for it. I did some sums earlier and was thinking that I probably couldn't stretch to get a Bob Jackson. But seeing your picture there has me reconsidering again Great looking bike!

del88

Got a surly long haul trucker from Hollingsworth in April.

Great bike.

I commute 38km daily and spent 3 weeks cycle touring in France and Spain with out any hassles.

petethedrummer

del88 wrote: »

Got a surly long haul trucker from Hollingsworth in April.

Great bike.

Did you get a 26" or 700C wheeled version? They look like 700C.

del88

petethedrummer wrote: »

Did you get a 26" or 700C wheeled version? They look like 700C.

Got the 700c, Cant see myself heading for Uzbekistan or the Congo any time soon so didn't think i'd need the 26"...maybe I lack ambition.

DBCyc

del88 wrote: »

Got a surly long haul trucker from Hollingsworth in April.

Great bike.

I commute 38km daily and spent 3 weeks cycle touring in France and Spain with out any hassles.

The LHT is a nice looking machine alright. They had a nice 26" version built in Hollingsworth at the weekend. I'm very tempted by that also but I would probably prefer a 700C too

petethedrummer

del88 wrote: »

Got the 700c, Cant see myself heading for Uzbekistan or the Congo any time soon so didn't think i'd need the 26"...maybe I lack ambition.

Yeah, I'm debating the wheel size issue for a touring bike. I'd like 700C for the ease of using wheels I have but then I want to go to Asia and don't want to be caught short. Decisions, decisions.

DBCyc

I don't think the budget will stretch to Bob Jackson build unfortunately. After viewing a few bikes and doing a bit of research, I think I'll go for either a Surly Long Haul Trucker or a Kona Sutra. They both seem better value than the Dawes Galaxy.

I'm leaning towards to Kona to be honest. Cheers for the help, I'll post up some pics in a couple of weeks when I get my hands on the new machine