Date my Dawes....the plot thickens

[marge602]

Hi folks. Picked this up yesterday. It came up locally on Facebook, and being a bit of a Dawes fan I went for look and test ride. While not exactly set up properly, it still had a decent ride feel so i made an offer and took it away

I'm hoping someone may be able to suggest an approximate year of manufacture. I know that all of Dawes' records were destroyed in a fire around the late 80s. Maybe the components on it might help. It has Huret derailleurs and gear levers, Weinmann brakes, Rigida rims and Maillard hubs. All of this, I think, is original.

Definitely not original are the Tektro brake levers, Spesh bars, 'orrible modern saddle and I'm not quite sure about the chainset. Looks too new for it, but is probably late 80s.

I'd like to return it to original condition if possible, so if anyone knows which saddle, bars, brake levers etc it might have had when it was new I'd appreciate any advice

IMAG2044 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

IMAG2045 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

IMAG2046 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

IMAG2047 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

IMAG2048 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

IMAG2049 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

Regards

Marge

 

[legrandefromage]

Re: Date my Dawes.....hopefully

there'll be dates on the hubs

my guess is around 1983 ish

ish ish

 

[Midlife]

Re: Date my Dawes.....hopefully

Interesting, nutted brakes and all that cabling around the bottom bracket... But an under chainstay braze on ...very early 1980's

 

[marge602]

Re:

So i had a good look at the Dawes' hubs today, as LGF suggested....

Top pic is the rear hub, bottom one the front.

However much I look at it, the number stamped on the rear can only be an 87. The front is definitely an 81. The bike is far more likely to be from the early 80s (as has been mentioned by both LGF and Midlife) than the late 80s. Could it have has a replacement rear wheel at some point? Or even just the hub, as the rims are the same make and condition? It has cleaned up more readily than the front, and looks newer to my eyes.

I gave it a quick once over earlier, and went for a spin round the block. It rides really nicely, although the brakes are hopeless....

IMAG2052_1 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

IMAG2053_1 by Toby Taylor, on Flickr

Regards

Marge

 

[legrandefromage]

Probably a replacement. Its very low down the food chain so dont expect too much. Comfy bar tape and decent tyres and it will be a gentleman's steed for sure, as long as you're a gentleman of course.