Dawes Galaxy Cross bikes and other equipment - a review.

The Bikes (Dawes Galaxy Cross) and other equipment.

After cycling over 5000 km over the past 6 months on these two bikes, we think we're in a position to give an opinion on them.

Overall, they have been great. We have had hassle-free cycling; we have not developed any serious injuries; we have had no major mechanical issues; they have performed well with heavy loads on different road surfaces; they are relatively fast and lively for touring bikes, yet are comfortable on the long road; they are well-priced, but in our case needed improvements.

The Dawes bikes are sold through their agents as fixed packages with standardized components - or that's what we were told. On receiving the bikes we had to make a number of changes. We found the front crankset too large for a loaded touring bike in hilly terrain. We changed them for 42-32-22 sets which were far better. We may have lost a bit of speed, but you definitely don't want to have to get off and push a loaded touring bike up a 15% incline.

We changed the pedals to the hybrid clips and flat combination. We rode in Specialized mountain bike shoes which one can walk around in normally. These worked very well for us as clips are far more efficient and one feels far more secure.

The stem on Ian's bike was too short and low for him, so that had to be changed. This is probably because the length of the crossbar needs to be increased on a flat handlebar bar compared to a drop-handlebar bike. It seems that Dawes does not make this adjustment.

Jenny changed her saddle to a Specialized Women's Ariel Comp very soon after the bikes arrived. She has been very happy with it. Ian started our trip on the standard issue Dawes Comfort Touring Saddle which was anything but. He was struggling with chafing and pressure on the "softer parts" after about 1000 km so bought a Bontrager saddle in Vienna at considerable expense. This is narrower and much harder, allowing weight transfer through the "sit bones".  A huge improvement.

The bikes came with Vittoria Randonnier tyres (32mm). These performed well but Ian needed to replace his back tyre after 4000km as it had worn right through. Ok, the bike was quite heavily loaded, but he weighs only 65kg. We had had quite a problem seating these tyres evenly on the rims after the odd puncture, something we have never struggled with before. The cycle shop in France only had 700 x 35 tyres so we bought one. The ride is definitely more comfortable without losing any performance.

So if Dawes wants to improve their service, we suggest that they become more flexible in the selection of components. The added expense to personalizing the bikes was big. We would happily have bought the bikes without pedals or saddles. We would have liked a choice of crankset and tyre size. We appreciate that these are entry-level touring bikes, but we are not asking for better components.

We were happy with our flat handlebars and the 24 gear Shimano gear system was perfectly adequate and robust for touring. The mechanical disc brakes worked well, but do need tweaking. You do need to understand how they work, and how to adjust them while touring - bike shops are not around every second corner! Ian did have to change the brake pads on the back wheel of his bike once on the trip.

Other equipment is also important. The flat bars require that you have good gloves with sponge (not gel) cushioning to avoid nerve injury of the hands and figures. Ian developed a marked weakness of his left little finger after about 2000km, which improved after buying new gloves. Equally we both needed to buy new cycling shorts during the trip, but maybe that's us showing our age. The racks are fine, and compatible with Ortlieb panniers (the best) without heel strike. The Ortlieb bar bags are great. There are quite a few gripes about the attachment system on the cycling blogs, but we had no problems with them.

So yes, our bikes have been great and we couldn't have wished for a better cycle tour. Can Dawes up their game? Yes, to that too! Will we tour on them again? Yes, definitely!

 

Day 79: Arradon to Carnac (the Atlantic) and back.

Day 79: Arradon to Carnac and back. 73 km, 3:46.

L'océan Atlantique.

The day has arrived! This is the final stretch of our Epic journey; we have completed what we set out to do, cycle from the Adriatic to the Atlantic in 11 weeks covering 4410 km. It is a bitter sweet feeling, sad to have finished this incredible journey and excited to see family and friends again.

We woke up this morning to the sad news that another Malaysian airline had gone down. Shot down by a rocket while flying over the Ukraine. No one has claimed responsibility for it. A sad day indeed, our thoughts and prayers go out to those who lost their loved ones on this flight. I hope this does not trigger what the killing of Archduke Ferdinand 1 did exactly 100 years ago - the start of WW1.

Arradon is situated on the Gulf of Moribihan, a deep estuary, which is not on the Atlantic Ocean. We decided to cycle to Carnac about 45 km away on the coast to finish our journey. There are no cycle paths; most of the roads we went on were shared with vehicles. The motorists were really good, but I must admit that it is a lot more relaxing cycling on cycle paths.

The route took us over rolling hills and through some beautiful villages nestling on the edge of deep estuaries, Baden, Bono, Auray, Crach and LaTrinite-sur-Mer.

On our way into Carnac we passed the Alignments of Carnac. This is the largest Megalithic complex in Europe with more than 3000 standing stones hewn from local stone, that are placed in rows in a NE direction with a wealth of dolmens, menhirs and passage graves. Some of these rows of stones stretch over 2 km. They were placed here between 4500- 3300 BC and are a magnificent relic of the Neolithic age. There are many theories as to why they exist from ancient astronomical instruments, to ancient burial grounds. The most popular theory that holds ground today is that these alignments were constructed incrementally and added to by succeeding generations.

As the Alignments are close to Carnac it wasn't long before we reached the coast and the end of our journey. We stopped and asked quite a few people to take pics front and back, to show the United Against Poaching cycling shirts and with the SA flag too. We have had the most incredible time cycling through 6 different countries experiencing the different cultures of the various countries we have travelled through. We have crossed some exquisite territory and we have met some interesting people. We are a lot fitter now and do not feel daunted if we have to cycle 100 km in one day. 

Touring by bike is a fantastic way to see a country and get to know the people and the culture. There is nothing better than smelling the country side, the flowers, the cattle and horses with the cool air caressing your skin. We are hooked!

We celebrated at a lovely beachfront restaurant where we celebrated with a glass of champagne and some delicious oysters. Brittany is meant to have the best oysters and they were really good.

We took the beach road back to La Trinite sur Mer then onto Arradon. With the wind from behind and the feeling of having succeeded in reaching our goal, we flew up hill and dale back to Arradon.

There is a spiderweb of estuary channels before reaching the coast.

The estuary up to Auray.

Couldn't resist this. I went to varsity in one of these, a Peugot 203, many moons ago.

The Alignments of Carnac.

They stretch for kilometers.

And now what? Where's the bloody bridge?

The clock on the coast.

An expansive coastline. The Grand Plage at Carnac.

Enjoying the moment.

Celebrating with oysters and Champagne. 

Cooling off and considering our options.

Packed and ready.

The Wobbling Winos are off again! Going west.

Day 78. Malestroit to Arradon (near Vannes).

EDay 78. Malestroit to Arradon (near Vannes). 84km, 5h20.

We really enjoyed our stay at La Glycine, with an impressive display of roses on the front wall. Myriam provided an excellent breakfast. We then headed off along the canal accompanied by Miguel, a guest from Valencia, Spain, who cycled a short way with us. He has cycled the Camino de Santiago and a section of Poland so was interested in our trip.

At Malestroit we turned off the canal and after a steep climb joined a new cycle path on an old railway track. The surface was very good and the route took us through an indigenous forest past Pleucadeuc (pronounced "pluck a duck") to Questembert. The central square here is dominated by the covered market with an elaborate roof structure built in the mid 1500s. 

From there we made our way through the hills to La Vraie-Croix, regarded as one of France's prettiest villages (Village Fleuri 4 fleurs). The streets are planted with masses of brightly-coloured petunias, hydrangeas, geraniums and roses, which are offset by the grey slate buildings.

We decided to stop at a small creperie for a salad as we have had our fill of bread. A few days ago we were saying that we hadn't been caught out badly by the French menus so far. We spoke too soon. Our menu translation app (Menulator) was tripped up by dreaded tripe. Salade de Bretagne with slices of  Andouille was not the best meal of our trip - I had to sallow hard.

From there we had a hot and windy descent to the coastal city of Vannes, which lies on the Gulf of Morbihan, a deep inlet with many islands. So we haven't quite reached the Atlantic yet. We cycled on a footpath along the edge of the mudflats and then climbed a steep hill to reach the harbour town of Arradon.

On our way back to Malestroit.

Brittany countryside. 

Along the disused railway line, now a cycle path.

The 1550 covered market in Questembert. 

The centre of La Vraie-Croix.

The hydrangeas have a bigger range of colour than we have back home.

Village scene in La Vraie-Croix.

The surrounds of the old city of Vannes.

Waterfront at Arradon. We are almost at the Atlantic.

Day77: Geunrouet to Malestroit.

Day77: Geunrouet to Malestroit. 71 km, 3:36.

Sylvie and Bruno our hosts last night gave us a little package of raisins to keep us going today before they waved us goodbye, so kind of them. They were really sweet and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable.

It was a beautiful morning with no wind, so the reflections on the still water were amazing.The banks of the canal were edged with beautiful purple, yellow and white flowers and we even managed to see the flash of an emerald kingfisher flitting across the river. There were large trees bordering the tow path that provided some welcome shade which we needed as it got quite hot today with temperatures rising to 27 C. 

Most of the route was a good gravel surface with a few stony sections. All very manageable on our trusty steeds. We have been impressed with the cycling paths in Brittany so far. The signposting and the surface of the path is good and there are picnic tables every 10 km or so.The gardens at the lock houses are beautiful and exquisitely planted window boxes in full bloom have been placed in every conceivable place along the lock.

We touched in at Redon en route, to pick up a map to Vannes from the TI and to book our TGV tickets from Vannes to Paris. As it was almost lunch time, we picked up some pate, salad and a baguette for a picnic lunch along the way. This is a beautiful town and the Saint- Sauveur Abbey has a Romanesque tower that was built in in the 11C. A large part of the Abbey was destroyed in a fire in 1790 and rebuilt, this is why the  Gothic bell tower stands separate from the Abbey. The colorful port that is filled with barges and yachts and is bustling with activity. The Old houses with their salt lofts line the canal and bear witness to the salt trade in the early years.

We stopped for lunch at an outdoor activity centre along the canal where there was a lot going on; rock climbing, kayaking and walking. We were surprised that we saw very few cyclists touring along this stretch. There were some but not as many as we encountered along the Danube. 

As we got closer to Malestroit the canal opened up and we saw people swimming in it for the first time. Our accommodation,La Gycine a Chambres de Hote, was a lovely restored farm house 2 km before Malestroit behind Lock No 24. This sustainable set up with chickens, a goat and a wonderful veggie patch is run by a warm, friendly couple Miriam and Sebastian.

We cycled 2km into town for a delicious supper at Grain de Sel, a lovely little restaurant behind the Church on the main square, where we had Joue de Porc ("the cheek of the pork") which we enjoyed very much. While we were having supper a French couple and their 2 year old daughter, who we passed along the canal, strolled by. They had noticed our Unite Against Poaching cycling shirts and asked us what they were about, which was fantastic. So good that they are attracting attention.

There is a lovely laid back, unpretentious feel about Brittany which is immediately apparent.We have found most things to be quite a bit cheaper as well. We are really enjoying the people and the beautiful wild, unspoilt countryside along the canal.

The Nantes Brest Canal.

It was like this for miles. A meditation.

The old town of Redon.

Hanging baskets are everywhere.

Lock keeper's garden. 

Approaching Malestroit. 

The centre of Malestroit. The Bretagne villages are charming.

Our Chambre d'Hote, La Glycine.

Day 76. Nantes to Guenrouet.

Day 76. Nantes to Guenrouet. 87km, 5h35.

We trundled down the 103 steps looking like we had the pox after the incessant air-raids by mosquitoes throughout the night. We saw a bicycle sign heading north, so with our skimpy map and a leap of faith, we followed it. There were a few green arrows along the road which lead us to the Erdre River. Fortunately the sun stayed in the east. The signs varied from orange bicycles, to green arrows on the road, to white signboards. Somehow we managed to stay near the river and eventually reached a bicycle path with a sign promising the Nantes Brest Canal in 12 km. We were on the right track.

Like beagles on the hunt, we followed the signs, which were now more regular and consistent, along a winding route through the outskirts of towns to the canal. From then on we could cycle along the towpath, which was predominantly gravel with a few sections of very loose stones. The bikes handled the surface surprisingly well. The scenery became ever more beautiful with gentle rolling hills - so different to the big expanses along the Loire. The canal is lined with huge oak trees and there is more natural vegetation than we have seen elsewhere. 

We stopped at the small town of Blain to buy bread and pâté for lunch, and pick up a booklet from the TI which had a far better map. While having a cup of coffee at the street cafe, a very unwell-looking man was shepherded to one of the chairs. He had evidently collapsed in the street. There was much loud discussion, and then 2 ambulances arrived with sirens blaring, and 8 eager paramedics leapt out to attend. They then walked the grey unsteady fellow to an ambulance. But first the patient insisted on buying two packets of cigarettes. The French know how to prioritize!

We reached the village of Guenrouet with its attractive slate church, and had a beer while waiting for the 5pm book-in time. The village is on a small hill above the canal. There were quite a few touring boats in the "port" below; there was a festive crowd eating and drinking till late. We had a galette (local buckwheat pancake) with filling for supper, washed down with the good produce of the local cider-house. We stayed overnight at a very comfortable house, Ty Canal d'Or, conveniently close to the canal.

After doing a bit of reading, we have decided not to go on to Brest, but rather swing west off the canal in 2 days and go down to the prettier town of Vannes with its more interesting coastline. We can also get a direct train ticket to Charles de Gaulle airport from there. It means we will have two days less cycling, but we figure that we will need a few days to simmer down after being continuously on the move for 80 days.

Looking back to Nantes across the River Erdre.

By sticking to the river bank we had some idea of where we were.

Eventually we reached the canal and towpath.

The slate church in Blain.

Lunch at a lock.

Chasing barges.

Cider is served in teacups. Maybe that makes it look more respectable, or you can disguise what you're drinking.

Evening on the canal at Guenrouet. 

Day75: Bastille Day - Rest day in Nantes

Day 75: Bastille Day - Rest day in Nantes.

It was great to have a sleep in this morning and catch up on some washing,admin, planning the next leg of our trip and some sightseeing.

We had originally thought that we would finish our adventure in St Nazaire, 50 km from Nantes on the Atlantic coast. This is an uninteresting industrial town and it is unsafe to cycle across the 3 km bridge to get to it. So taking all of this into account and with time on our hands we decided to cycle along the Velodyssey or Velo1 to Brest on the Atlantic coast. We do not have the map for this and all the shops were closed due to the Bastille day long weekend but luckily the TI had a map that gives one an idea of where the route goes, but unfortunately it is not very detailed. We will probably be able to get a better map when we pass through Redon.

Bastille day was celebrated here with a picnic in the evening on the banks of the Loire at the Parc des Chantiers, a concert at 21:00 and a fireworks display at 23:00. We wandered along the Loire to Parc des Chantiers to join hundreds of people from Nantes picnicking, playing cards, drinking and chatting. It was such a relaxed laid back atmosphere in the warm evening sun which we really enjoyed. The music was no good, so we decided not to stay for the fireworks. 

Parc des Chantiers, Les Machines de L'lle is a fascinating park where a team of mad builders have set up their workshop. They have let their imagination run wild and have created a menagerie of machines from the treetops, savannah and ocean, that roam free.It  is possible to take a ride on the Great Elephant that walks along authentically and sprays the passers by with water.

On our way there we stopped to look at the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery. This is a thought-provoking trail that follows the history of the steps that were taken to abolish slavery. It took 200 years to get a resolution passed and there are still instances where people are being subjected to slavery today. Nantes was a port that was used by the ships to offload slaves from Africa and then ship them to the Americas. There are 2000 plaques set into the walkway depicting the name of every ship that docked here to load or offload slaves. The memorial was conceived by the artist Krzystof Wodiczko and the architect Julian Bonder and is punctuated by quotations in every language from every time and place.

While walking to the Parc des Chantiers we were surprised to see the Loire flowing in the wrong direction; this was the tide ripping in at quite a pace. Nantes is situated 50 km from the coast, yet the Loire is tidal this far upstream.

Ile Feydeau, the shipbuilders' residences from days gone by. We stayed on the top floor with the mosquitoes.

The. Plaque set into the pavement at the entrance to the Abolition of Slavery Memorial.

A map showing the routes for the transport of 12,5 million slaves.

The high tide water covers the walkway on the banks of the Loire.

Picnic at Parc des Chantiers. Where's Wally? I mean Jenny!

Day 74 - Mauve-sur-Loire to Nantes.

Day 74. Mauve-sur-Loire to Nantes. 27km, 1h45.

After an excellent breakfast at Bel Air, we flew down the hill in the mist and drizzle back to the Loire. We had a relaxed cycle on a flat route to Nantes. Here we wound our way to the very helpful tourist information office and then on to the market.

The Marche de Talensac, the indoor market, was buzzing. The array of seafoods, meats, and cheeses was amazing. We stocked up for our 2 day stay in Nantes. Gilly and Mitch then dropped off their bikes and we had lunch with them at the station before they caught the TGV back to Paris. It was wonderful to have them along with us for a week, even though the time went very fast. They did 440 km with us which is pretty good going. We will certainly miss their cheerful and easy company.

We rented a small - I mean tiny - apartment for our 2 nights in Nantes. It is situated in an historic building on what was once the river frontage and is close to the centre of the city which was what drew us to book it. What we didn't know was that it was at the top of 103 steps, we couldn't stand upright in the bedroom-cum-bathroom, and that the mozzies would attack in waves. It was still good to be able to cook for ourselves and have somewhere to watch the World Cup final.

Nantes is a very pleasant and friendly place. The streets are wide; there is a relaxed cafe culture; there is an interesting and harmonious combination of old and modern buildings. The cathedral (St Pierre St Paul), which took over four hundred years to complete, is an imposing building on the outside, but inside it is very elegant and simple.  The elaborate tomb of Francois II and Marguerite de Foix is there with beautiful marble sculptures of the 4 virtues and heaps of disciples and saints. The chateau (the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany) with its classical moat was built by the same Francois II, who was the last Duke of Brittany and completed by Anne of Brittany who was twice queen of France.

Nantes is situated at the confluence of 4 rivers, the Loire, Sevre, Sens and Erdre at the head of the Loire Estuary so was an important maritime city. Today it is the biggest city of north-west France, and although no longer officially part of Brittany, is culturally Breton and regarded as its capital city. In 2004 Time named Nantes as the most " livable city in Europe". 

The Castle of the Dukes of Briittany. 

The busy Sunday market.

An amazing choice of fruit.

All still alive.

Goodbye to Gilly and Mitch - it was great that they could join us for a week.

Cathedral interior - the nave is 37,5m, higher than Notre-Dame.