Bicycle Mechanics - Can I put a 130mm hub into a 126mm frame?

Can I put a 130mm modern road wheel into a vintage frame that has 126mm spacing? it is a steel frame... I was thinking about buying a vintage frame and putting modern 9 or 10 speed components on it... thanks

It's usually not too difficult to spread the stays apart by hand and squeeze the wider hub in each time you install the wheel when you're only talking a few millimeters, like from 126mm to 130mm. Cold setting is also an option, to do this you permanently bend the stays the required amount. For detailed instructions on cold setting, go to Sheldon's site and click on "do it yourself," then look for the section on frame spacing.

It's quite common to "modernize" an older frame, there's a thread going in the Classic and Vintage forum right now titled "retro roadies" or something like that, lots of folks posting pics of old frames that have been modernized. I ride an '83 Schwinn, originally spaced at 126mm, that now has a modern XT mtb hub on it that's 135mm. I cold set it, put a nine speed drivetrain on it with indexed nine speed bar end shifters, etc. Love it.

Everything you need to know...except what other posters might add.

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

thanks for the help! i figured this must be a frequent question!

It comes up from time to time. Actually, since Sheldon Brown seems to have answers to all things cycling, it's easy to post a link. I'm too lazy to explain it myself.

;)

i'm not so sure i understand what sheldon is saying about redishing a wheel... if i bought a normal modern 130mm road wheel, i'd have to redish it if i wanted it to work well in a 126mm frame that has been spread apart to 130mm? the frame spreads apart to 130, so it seems like the 130 wheel would be right at home? hrmmm.

edit.. i think i misread sheldon.. no redishing required if starting with a modern 130mm hub.

was also just thinking... can i mount modern brake calipers on a 80's road frame? i feel like the mounting systems keep changing..

was also just thinking... can i mount modern brake calipers on a 80's road frame? i feel like the mounting systems keep changing..

How early in the 80's? That's when they switched brake calipers from "nutted" mounting (exposed nut) to modern "recessed" (hidden) mount. Which style does your frame take?

4mm means only 2mm displacement per side. No need to cold set. Just spread and install the wheel.
As for brakes, that depends on your frame. Around the 80s, most road brakes standardized on recessed brake nuts. Most short reach calipers came with shortened brake bolts and these recessed nuts.
Long reach calipers still came with standard lengths and nuts.
If your frame uses recessed mounting, then you're in luck.

was also just thinking... can i mount modern brake calipers on a 80's road frame? i feel like the mounting systems keep changing..Yes, see: http://sheldonbrown.com/recessed for several strategies.

Just make sure the calipers have the correct reach for your application. http://sheldonbrown.com/reach

Sheldon "URLs" Brown

There is one possible consideration that has not been mentioned. That is that when you've got the wheel in the frame, it is possible that the angle of the drive side seat stay will be such that the chain will hit the frame as you try to do especially a multi-cog shift from the small cog. This is just barely possible, and I've had it happen, although it was going from 120mm to 126mm. Quite disappointing. Note that the 120mm rear hub was a freewheel hub, so this may no longer be a problem.

-soma5

thanks for all the help, you folks are wonderful!
this is the frame... it isn't actually mine yet.. hehe
it seems pretty bling, and high tech for it's day, so i imagine it has the recessed style...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Zunow-Z-1-frameset-60-5-cm-NR_W0QQitemZ140178394658QQihZ004QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wow....colorful! Good luck...hope you win it.

Is it me, or does something look not right about that rear triangle? Perhaps it's intentional, but in the full bike picture it looks like the chainstays are bent up and the seatstays bent in (toward the seat tube). As if someone had rear-ended the bike. Or maybe landed the rear wheel too hard at some point. None of the other pix focuses on that region....

That paint makes it late 80's, so 99% sure you'll have recessed mounting and no issues with installing modern brakes - just make sure the reach is long enough.

Frame looks bent to me as well.

That is one interesting frame and fork. I wonder what tubing; my guess would be one of the higher end Tange tubesets. I'd recommend posting pics in the C and V forum, see what you can find out about it. There are some experts there on vintage Japanese-built bikes, BF member T-Mar in particular.

the bends are some high tech japanese frame building art that turn a cat 4 wannabe into a god of the bike... look for me on a future cover of velonews...

the guy responded to a query about the frame..

The stays---both seat & chain---have bends in them that appear to be part of the design---not unlike a number of contemporary framesets on the market toda. I've checked the frame alignment w a Park frame alignment tool & it checks out fine---perhaps a 1 mm discrepancy max. I've ridden the bike and it tracks perfectly, hands off.

I just put a Nexus red band 8 speed internal hub (130mm) in an old frame that is spaced for 126mm. No problems, just pull the stays a little and the hub fits in fine, no hassle.

Sheldon's site has a ton of useful information on it. There is also another method for cold setting on http://vintage-trek.com/refurbish.htm#dropouts

Not sure which method I would use as I find conversation easy enough to deal with as is.

how do you like the 8 speed internal hub? i've always wanted to build a town cruiser bike with one of those... but i was also curious if they could be raced on? or taken out for some good training rides? never used one, but have heard a few murmurs of internal hubs not being able to take a beating (standing and sprinting or climbing hard, etc)

I have it on a commuter bike, so not sure what it would be like for hard riding. I have sprinted on it some, but did not change gears while pedaling. Just got it built up, so only a few miles on it so far, but I am liking it for the purpose I built it for. Commuting and some touring.

Oh that bike is fantastic:

"This garish throwback to another era can be yours for only $9.99, assuming no one else out there has as shockingly bad taste in bikes as you have...!"

Current bid: $113.17

Conclusion: Many, many people have shockingly bad taste in bikes.

Wow! If you win it, post pics.
Especially in the best/wildest paint job thread.
:D

Interesting, it has a front, and a rear fork.

if I win it? hah! it will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine... <gratuitous waynes world reference>

I have it on a commuter bike, so not sure what it would be like for hard riding. I have sprinted on it some, but did not change gears while pedaling. Just got it built up, so only a few miles on it so far, but I am liking it for the purpose I built it for. Commuting and some touring.

You're not supposed to shift internal hubs under load, ideally not pedaling at all. Normal rear derailleurs are on the returning part of the chain that is never under load.