gitaneusa.com :: View topic - To spread or not -- The cold set question

LeicaLad

This is to open the thread. I'm having two days of posting problems. If this works, I'll amend (if it lets me) to actually post my question.

In the meantime, Happy New Year!

Owen W
Vienna, VA

LeicaLad

I'll try HALF a msg.

I apologize for the long absence. I guess I have not had anything specially new to add.

I finished the rehab of my 1971 Super Corsa garage queen, and it has been like a long lost friend ever since. Not a lot of long rides in the current cold weather, but nice short ones.

Mostly, I have been busy with another project, a 1963 Hetchins Mountain King, that had been fully re-furbished and repainted in the U.K. before I acquired it. Very sweet, and I have been waaaay over budget on it.

The interesting detail is that this frame came already cold set to 126mm rear dropout width. That leaves me with two bikes with 126mm rears, and two (both 1971 Gitane frames) with 120mm.

My 1971 TdF is probably already at 126mm, simply because sometime in the 70s, I added a 6-speed (non-Ultra) freewheel and spacing washers. That is how I have ridden it since then. You could call it Cold-set-by-slow-motion. The frame is not with me where I am right now, so I cannot measure that one.

to be continued

LeicaLad

Go figure. Something is restricting my ability to post. Anyway, the above and below constitute my single post & question. Thanks for eveyone's patience.

The question arises as there are certain advantages of going to, say, 126mm from 120mm. I am not so sure about going the full distance to 130mm, although some say that is possible, too. The advantages being better hub options and 6- or 7-speed freewheels. (I leave the full modern drive trains to much newer frames.)

Anyway, I am giving thought to standardizing my small fleet to 126mm. I presume a couple axle swaps and redishing a minor inconvenience to having all bikes with interchangeable wheel sets.

Is there (are there) any serious reasons NOT to cold set our old 120mm frames to the wider dimensions?

Comments, opinions and suggestions welcome.

Oh, and Happy New Year!!!

Owen (awaiting arrival of next project frame)
Vienna, VA

Gtane

Owen,

I would say this is a personal choice. If you feel it's the right way to go for your collection, opening up to more components and interchangeability then it could well be an option. The dropouts will no longer be square after the procedure so should ideally be separately aligned.

There has certainly been a lot of discussion regards this idea among acquirers of older frames and bicycles to give greater opportunity to newer components, gear choice, etc.. This is particularly true where bicycles have been parted out and frames stripped of all their original components so making it tough for new owners to recreate that period machine.

It is likely that widening will affect value on rare or more sought after frames and bicycles.

Happy New Year too.

Tim

verktyg

Owen,

Going from 120mm to 126mm is only 3mm per side. I remember at least once, maybe twice having the brazing break at the chainstay bridge on short wheelbase frames. They may have been made with heavy gage Columbus SP tubing or something like that.

Gitanes from the 1970s had a little longer chainstays so it shouldn't be a problem.

Now going from a 120mm to 130mm is 5mm per side and could result in problems.

Remember to re-align the dropouts and check the rear triangle alignment. the Park Tool website, Sheldon Brown and other sites have do it yourself instructions.

Good luck.