Dawes Ultra Galaxy Rebuild

I took a half day off work last week to go for a cycle seeing as it was my birthday-should be a statutory holiday your birthday!, but not long after i got home the weather decided to open its heavens with some summer downpours-it`s not Wimbledon week yet!,
So instead i did some tinkering in the man-cave in the  affy enjoying a cider or two and finished building up the Dawes Galaxy i was kindly given dismantled by good friend Gary B...


What was needed;
New;  rim tape, tubes, chain;  cost £36
Used; seat, seat post, mudguards, pedals,

I first put on the Crossroads tyres that came with the bike on but then swapped them for the 32mm wide Schwalbe `CX Comp` tyres on the Surly Cross-Check so i could use the mudguards that were also taken off the Cross-Check.  seat and seat post were previously on the fixie bike and sitting doing nothing...

Everything else was in this box, all carefully bagged by Gary...

Cranks, Mechs, STI levers, bottle cages went on first...

Then the cables for both brakes and gears, this took the longest time to fit...

New chain fitted i then set up the gears and brakes,   don`t know what is going on with the rear mech but would not sync on all 9 gears so ordered a Sora mech- i use these on all my 9 speed bikes now as they are simple and seem to last a lot longer than XT mechs which seize up or the jockey wheel bearings seize...

Bar tape fitted once happy with lever position it was nearly ready.
Mudguards fitted it was then on with the commuting stuff, pannier with waterproofs, lights, tools and pump...

Then the postie delivered a rear Sora mech!, was not for this bike but for the KM 29er but it went on to finish the bike and the gears are real sweet now,

That saddle was just not right on this bike,  a Dawes needs a Brooks saddle...

1962 professional fitted  and got re treated with wax as a bit dry...

Daily commuter, weekend day tripper ready!...

Quick ride yest evening to the shops confirmed it is a lovely bike to ride, relaxed and comfortable riding position and feels like you really could ride it all day...

Rolling this week;
Commute into work this week has confirmed that this is a lovely bike to ride, it`s a real smooth ride...

OTT Commuter?...
Seems a bit overkill for a commuter?, Maybe it is, but Gary gave me it to build and use and enjoy,  and it `s not like i spent a grand to commute with it, it has cost me £36 in new parts, plus the extra commuter parts off of my present commuter, the Surly Cross-Check...

`Ridden not Hidden`...
 I suppose it`s a bit like using a Rolls Royce to drive to Tesco for the weekly shop!,  but my bikes are built to be used and often rebuilt and re used in different rolls, and not to be mothballed and polished...

So what of the Surly Cross-Check?
Oh it`s stripped down for summer and with fatter tyres fitted will be getting used for some Roughstuff type riding around the local old roads and trails, in fact i`m off out tonight for a spin on it!...

More soon...

Fuji XP 80 Waterproof Compact Camera

Got an ace Birthday pressie from my amazing girlfriend Francisca​,  a Fuji XP80 waterproof compact camera! :D
This wee thing has some cool features like the Sports action option in video that along with the available wide angle accessory (now ordered!) will be great for cycling films and pics!

Had wee try out with it at work today, Looking forward to using this as a one stop camera for all my outdoor, cycling, and blogging needs,

Here on YouTube is a review film of the camera. Skip to 6 mins and you will see the filming options of their neat wee camera...



Thanks Francis! :)

£600 bikes... Sunday catch up spannering...

First summer solstice for years i have not done a bike ride, weather was cool, cloudy, also weekend on at work so into work early,  so had no real get up and go to go ride all night,  So instead i spent the Sunday spannering on some of the bikes,

I have two bikes to still build up, the Surly Karate Monkey since i stripped most of it`s parts to build up the Surly ECR frame, and the Dawes Ultra Galaxy

I planned to build the KM up today having looked out all the needed stuff from the parts bins once i did some other stuff but by the time i did the other jobs on the list i left building it for another evening....



£600 bikes; 

All my bikes use older cheap Shimano Deore/Sora  type 9 speed drive trains and cheap used Avid BB7 brakes and secondhand parts sourced on eBay. It can be done if your patient and wait...
Yes i have been lucky having been given an offset 29+ Offset Krampus wheels set from Tyler after he came to the first Forth Fat, also good friend Gary B has given me a lot of spares too, but apart from the first Pugsley, then the Moonlander all the bikes i own have `evolved` over the last few years, and will no doubt keep evolving!...
Once a certain age all these types of bikes fall to a base level of value, of around £600,  enough value for a bike that will be parked outside shops, cafes etc, not worried about thembeing scratched etc either, they are just bikes after all, and built to be be ridden and enjoyed.
I could sell all 6 of these Surly  bikes and own one new bike like a Pugsley with spare 29+ wheels but then i don`t have the variety of bikes for cycling here in East Lothian,

With the ECR now rolling i am letting a Pugsley go, and one Pug will remain as a 29+ - as basically this is my Surly Krampus for now, but i still really want a full blown Krampus!...

Bikes now will be;

2 x Fatbikes;  4" tyre Alfine Pugsley and 5" Surly Moonlander

2 x 29+ bikes;  Surly ECR and Surly KramPug

2 x 700c Road bikes;  Surly Cross-Check  and Dawes Ultra Galaxy

2 x MTB`s;  Surly Karate Monkey 29er  and 1985 Retro Muddy Fox Courier



Surly ECR;
The ECR is maybe worth a bit more than £600 with the new frame set and brakes, but it will get ridden and scratched etc like the rest,
After running out of gearing in places on the Capital Trail with tired legs after many miles i have now swapped out the 26tooth inner chain ring for a regular MTB 22 tooth, it will climb nearly anything now with this!...

Surly Cross-Check;
a 39t chain ring was bought last month to replace the 48 tooth to lower the gearing for off road use on the CC,
The full lenght mudguards will be coming off this bike soon to use on the Dawes Ultra Galaxy, along with fatter tyres going on for doing a spot of Roughstuff riding...

Needs a chain tensioner too so i tweaked one to fit with a bit grinding and the Dremel to fit the lock washer...

Alfine Hub Pugsley;
All wee jobs but all been needing done a while now, like the Bottom Bracket on the old Pug has a bad chain line and needed the drive side spacer removed...

The On One square taper 100mm BB i bought used for £20,  They don't get good reviews on the Internet-`too heavy`, `naff bearing`s etc...  Once you swap out the bearings for some decent ones i think it is actually a pretty good BB esp for a budget Fatbike build. Pity no longer for sale as were only £40 new...

Spacer on non drive side now and chain line a lot better...

Pugsley frame swaps;
Time to sell another old Pugsley as adding the ECR to the fleet i don`t need 3 Pugsleys.  In fact i will only be running the old Pugsley on the beach now as the Pumpkin Pug will be left as a 29+ KramPug  99% of the time...

The Green frame set which i bought off friend Gary B has been powder coated Olive green and looks ace,
It is a `Snow blind`  white frame so there is no need to loosen and move the rear brake calliper to remove the wheels.
I like tool free wheel removal for when sticking the bike in my wee car...
The strip and swap over took a couple of hours, bars with all controls cables, mechs, and brake callipers attached came off as a whole saving time...

Olive green frame ready to rebuild...

Next up!
Same strip down with the KramPug...

This frame when rebuilt will be up for sale, Orange stickers removed as my own stickers not available here in the UK,

Proper Pumpkin Pugsley now!
Headset pressed in it was then a case of rebuilding all the KramPug parts on the green frame...

Nearly finished, needing the finishing touches...

Orange stickers!...

Other bike built; ready to sell;
So another old Pugsley that is already sold for £600.  I could sell £600 Pugsleys all day long...

Finishing touches to the Pumpkin Pug were install some Rivi Nuts for mud guard and bottle cages...

And ready to go...

Meanwhile Mowgli was flat out snoring in the garden! lol...

Will hopefully get the Karate Monkey 29er built up soon, and finally the Dawes Ultra Galaxy...

More soon...