Have to say,I'm a bit surprised at the passion of the dumping on Dawes. I always thought they were pretty good bikes - not on a par with yer Colnagos or Mercians, for sure, but certainly not bad bikes....a step up from Raleighs, sort of the BMW to Raleigh's VW. And while no-one would suggest that a BMW (much less a VW) is any match for a Ferrari or an Aston Martin, that doesn't make them 'crap'.
I have to declare an interest in that my current steed is a Dawes - and a damn fine ride it is too. 653 throughout...and as we all know, Reynolds didn't give 653 to monkeys to play with.
(I think your average postie might have difficulties with it, what with it being a fixie with spds an' all....)
Alan Paterson
London UK