Another bike... steel is real...

I have been thinking about getting a drop bar big wheel bike for commuting and faster A-B speeds for a while, drop bar for cycling into the winds we often get here in the flat(ish) centre of the County, and more road speed for going to the shops/visiting parents/friends etc...
I don't want a pure road bike as the roads around here are quite rough and there are always new pot holes appearing, i also want a bike that can take panniers without my size 11 feet getting heel contact like on MTBs, moving the panniers back to clear always make the handling even worse,

Cyclocross bikes like the Surly Cross Check spring to mind, but i think i would end up using it off road too much and end up wrecking it,
So maybe Surlys Tourer the Long Haul Trucker, both these bikes are very versatile in typical Surly Bikes style and have good tyre clearance and mudguard/rack mounts etc...

However I'm not to keen on the parts spec of both and i remembered a bike of a friend, sold to another friend, which was supposedly for sale,
An icon British tourer, hand made in England from finest steel,

Bought for less than a years road tax of a Ford Fiesta plus dog sitting Andrews German Short Haired Pointer Pup for a week, i am now the proud owner of a British racing green mid 1990s Dawes Super Galaxy...











The bike has its original MTB Shimano deore LX gears and brakes which i like, as i understand!, chainrings,cassette and chain were replaced but used once...




I have spent about £100 getting the bike rolling, i fitted new Schwalbe Marathon 700 x 32mm tyres and Continental 28" Scrader tubes so i could add some Stans Juice to help eliminate punctures, both items reduced in the CRC sale,
i fitted a B17 Brooks saddle and a frame pump i was given, the frame has a headtube lug for the pump,
Also in a sale a pair of On One Midge bars at £15 give a nice comforable bar, i managed to re use the leather bar tape, the bar end shifters are original...




I needed a seatbag for tools and stuff so bought a Carradice Barley bag...


Carradice are another old English bicycle company, who like Brooks make some nice stuff...


The bag is a bit bigger than i thought but means i dont need a pannier for commuting, theres enough room in there for waterproofs,
i needed to space the bag out from the seat tube as my legs were touching it, maybe because i cycle with a very high seat post/straight leg,

The bag,seat and bars suit the classic looks of the bike, and like people who talk about ride quality of a classic steel bike, it does ride really smooth, unbelievably smooth on the bumpy tarmac country roads, and it corners like its on rails,
a dynamo front hub and lights are going on in the future,
Im really pleased with this bike and its ride, definitly will be a keeper...