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I Can't Believe Someone Threw This Away

BCR

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Someone threw this away. A Reynolds 531 Dawes with a Shimano XT groupset,
Mavic rims on Deore LX hubs, and paintwork so good you'd think it was
two years old. It was sitting on top of a skip, about to be crushed.

My friend Mike rescued it — and asked me to bring it back to life with
some interesting new parts. Brooks saddle, friction shifters, butterfly
bars, MKS pedals, TPU tubes and a NOS Specialized stem. Something
completely different.

In this video:
Full strip to bare Reynolds 531 frame
Internal frame inspection with endoscope
Thread chasing the bottom bracket shell
XT cantilever brake service & setup
Shimano XT rear mech clean & rebuild
TA Specialites chainring installation
Friction shifter setup — no indexing, no barrel adjusters
Butterfly bar fitting with shims
Brooks saddle fitting
New tires, TPU tubes & rim tape
Full cable setup & final build

Spoiler: it rides brilliantly. And those bars are actually really comfortable.

Sponsor: Big thanks to Sport and Leisure for supporting the channel. Get 10% off your order here: https://www.sportandleisure.com/bcr (Discount automatically applied at checkout)

Tools I use!- https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/bcr/lis...

#SkipRescue #Reynolds531 #Dawes #VintageBike #BikeMechanic #BikeRescue
#CantileverBrakes #ShimanoXT #Brookssaddle #BikeRestore

20 Comments

@mikesretrotinkering 1 month ago Pinned

Thanks for doing this one for me Stew, awesome transformation and it rides beautifully.

@michaelfenner8863 1 month ago

So, this isn’t really Reynolds 531 - it’s Reynolds 531st “Super Tourist.”
These are double-butted frame tubes with 1 mm thick walls at the joints and 0.9 mm along the main sections of the tubes. This differs from classical 531 tubing and makes the frame both light and exceptionally robust - one of the best touring frames ever made.

I spent months looking for a frame like this. I finally found one in the UK and even imported it to Germany to restore it.

After a complete restoration and a fresh respray, it has become my beloved daily commuter bike.

@AlexdaCunha 1 month ago

It is unbelievable that people pay money for complete junk and trash these beauties. Great bike!

@misterspitfire6564 1 month ago

I'm currently riding a 25 year old full-suspension bike that I was given by my neighbour. He was going to put it out for scrap, but asked me if I could possibly restore it. On inspection, it proved to be a pretty unique beast, aluminium frame, with the rear suspension over the chain, so no chain slap! V-brakes on the rear, discs on the front! On further investigation it turns out that it's a custom build, costing about £500 all those years ago.

£30 for a front spindle, chain and seat post, and I've got the best bike I have ever owned!

@CarnotCycles 1 month ago

Nothing more satisfying than bringing old steel back to life

@R.T_Go 1 month ago (edited)

Certified crime against bicycles to throw a Reynolds frame in the bin.

@JasonRodwell-d6n 1 month ago (edited)

I love this sort of stuff, when I was young I went to a council project that does exactly this, and gives young people a bike when they are underpriveledged. The guy that ran it had a passion for old machines and a lot of knowledge, 25 years ago now. Taught me to strip and rebuild everything. Was an easier time before 10 speed and the onset of the endless standards. Once I built my bike I ended up kind of unoficially volunteering for a few years...Helped ressurected many skip bikes for other young people. That passion rubbed off on me and has fueled a lifetime of exploration. And even more of a passion for building bikes. It has given me an ability to not take the status quo of what the industry pushes as the only way to do things. I know exactly how to make any bike my own, and find novel solutions to making stuff go together that was never designed too.

@garysladek9110 1 month ago

There is a scrap metal guy with a trailer I ride past everyday, I always check for quality bikes, you never know. Cheers.

@Bob-1802 1 month ago

I found a dusty but nice looking 5-speed commuter bike in the garbage section of my building. The chain and the derailleur were stuck tight but with some WD40 and few days to resettle, it's now my daily driver. Very confortable to ride.

@bozz1954 1 month ago

I was born in 1954 and growing up there were still bomb siites around. I found a Dawes Realmrider frame and bit by bit I found enough to complete the bike. The only thing I bought with my pocket money was brake pads and it lasted years. Frame number 1S769. loved it

@1972hermanoben 4 weeks ago

Quality over quantity every time 😊

@rickciaburri2598 1 month ago

My brother took up cycling rescued a nice, 40 year old Dawes from the dumpster near his home. With a few parts and some work, it rides like new.

@TheLostWeekend 1 month ago (edited)

Just started the video — thought I’d chime in to say that set-up is what we call an “Alt bike” in California (Alt bikes often have steel frames, friction shifters, swept back bars, rim brakes, quill stems, maybe a Brooks saddle… great everyday cycling bikes). I love it. Excited for the rest of the video!

@COYSMike 1 month ago (edited)

Oh they are Paul Component brake levers. Very very premium! What a super bike, with those 38mm tyres it will still be so versatile

@mrfroopy 1 month ago

If you commute in a rainy climate you love mudguards

@crash-stop 1 month ago

I absolutely adore Dawes cycles, that one is gorgeous.

@garethhelliwell 1 month ago

You know it is going to be a good video when you press like in the first 2 minutes. Having worked in the trade back in the 90's this brought back memories of the stuff i used to work on. Another great upload. Thank you.

@skippygirl959 1 month ago

I enjoy your good humor and good attitude.

@OldManOldBikes 1 month ago

Thanks for saving that bike! I did the same thing when I saw that a neighbor was about to throw out a 1984 Fuji Espree. It came back together beautifly and has given me a few thousand miles since.