Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Bent seat stay

Hello folks.

My current favorite bike is my 80's? Norco Monteray that started life as a 12 speed down tube shifter steel framed bike. I bought it for forty bucks, tuned it up, took it for it's maiden ride with me where it proceeded to ****e it's derailleur.
No problem, it wanted to be a single speed. So, I broke the chain, took off the shifter, cables and the rest of the junk I didn't need and proceeded to ride it 52x15. I've ridden it for about 500kms in the past few months like that and just love it. It's very fast this way and I can't believe how toned up my body has become just from riding in one gear. I plan to get myself a flip flop whell built for it at least if not a straight fix wheel. Also, I plan to have track end welded into the frame at some point in the future.

Now, to get to my point. I had a bead seperate on a ride and had to take the long walk home for about an hour the other week. As I was walking and carryin the bike, I noticed my right seat stay had a slight bend in it. Is this fixable? Is there a shop in the Toronto area that can bend that back? Also, can this shop install track end? Thanks all, sorry about the super long post.

Gurgus.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Edit: Sorry, I thought you've bend your seatPOST.

Nope, a slight inward bend in the seat stay. I only noticed it because I was walking the bike on it's rear wheel with the front in the air because I had a separated bead.

on crappy bikes I've just taken hammers and 2x4's to seat stays to bend them 'roughly' back into place. Most nice shops have frame alignment tools to help with measurment and bending. The beauty of steeel is that the frame isn't significantly weaker afterward, especially if done right.

it could be intentional by the manufacturer to accomodate large chainring sizes

it could be intentional by the manufacturer to accomodate large chainring sizes

thats what i thought at first too, but its the seat stay not the chain stay (its the piece running from the dropouts to the seatpost clamp) how did you bend it? must have hit something or hit it with something...

thats what i thought at first too, but its the seat stay not the chain stay (its the piece running from the dropouts to the seatpost clamp) how did you bend it? must have hit something or hit it with something...


No idea. I prolly wouldn't have notice it had I not been walking the bike. YOu can't even tell that it's there unless you are lookin for it. Just wondering if this would lead to problems in its future life as a fixie conversion.

you can put a 2x4 to straighten it out. if it is really bad take it to a frame builder.


S/F<
CEYA!

A quote I got from an 'old hand' once, when I asked if it could be determined if a particular used frame had previously been bent.

If a tube shows a kink, run away. If you cannot tell that it has been bent and straightened, then there is no problem.

So, If you can straighten the tube without kinking it, then no worries about strength.