Framebuilders - Cold setting... making it SMALLER?

yeah, this is likely a no brainer, but one must inquire...

I am working to re-rig my 'snow bike.' Currently a mid 80's Peugeot US Express with a shimano 3 speed hub in back (I think 125MM?). The bike is a bit of a lug, and I found a Trek 890 castaway frame in the volunteer earn-a bike shop, so Now I'm thinking this would make a sweet base for the same set up (just swap the junk)

I haven't measured the spacing, but it seems they are always BIGGER than I need. (altho at a 1984 build date, it might just be right).

I've seen Cold Setting where one Widens the spacing. Can I assume making is smaller is no different 'cept everything in reverse?

inquiring minds want to know!

Metal doesn't care which way you bend it, except you have to look at the overall structure. Lets say you pull the drops appart, you might tear a bridge free if you went nuts on it. Might be wise to clamp something there to isolate the loads. So now you are pushing it together, you could punch a bridge through very light tube or dent it, or crumple the bridge. So maybe now you should block it up with some wood to spread the load. Yuo will need to tweak the drops differently. Just comon sense stuff.

Also a bike that was just a few mm wide would pretty much be handled by the skewers. A bike that was narrow would be a little more of a frustration for wheel changes and such, so you would probably want to tweek it.

Your question sorta left me wondering at first what you wanted to do, since cold setting refers to any cold bending of the frame, and as this is a Framebuilding forum, generally, it has to do with the stuff that goes into getting a new frame aligned. Just a heads up.

Your question sorta left me wondering at first what you wanted to do, since cold setting refers to any cold bending of the frame, and as this is a Framebuilding forum, generally, it has to do with the stuff that goes into getting a new frame aligned. Just a heads up.

Ahh... I guess I figured that people who work with the steel would have a moment to offer an opinon about slightly setting the rear end of a bike -- and since there is no Frame Bending forum...

But I guess I was mistaken.
I'm sorry that I wasted anyone's time

"Ahh... I guess I figured that people who work with the steel would have a moment to offer an opinon about slightly setting the rear end of a bike -- and since there is no Frame Bending forum...

But I guess I was mistaken.
I'm sorry that I wasted anyone's time "

Your welcome for the paragraphs I labored over answering your very question, and your welcome for the lesson on nomenclature. I'm sure you thanked me, but it got garbbled with your head up your ass like that.

It'd be easier to leave the frame as is and just put spacers on the hub to make it wider so your quick release will clamp right but not have to flex the frame in.

It'd be easier to leave the frame as is and just put spacers on the hub to make it wider so your quick release will clamp right but not have to flex the frame in.

It's a three speed hub. No QR, width very specific.
thanks for all the assistance and guidance. I think I have enought info to work this out.