Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Question about frame spacing

So I may have screwed up. And I need some opinions.

I tacoed my Mountain bike wheel last weekend, this week I had my LBS order me a new tandem wheel considering my weight.

The problem is that the new hub is 145mm, and the old was 135mm. I've got an aluminum 2009 Hardrock and this is the front wheel. Am I going to have issues with this or will it workout with a little elbow grease?

The wheel that I ordered is a 40 spoke 4x pattern on a tandem 26" aeroheat wheel.

I appreciate everyone's input ahead of time. Unfortunately I've already ordered the wheel so hopefully I can figure something out.

The spacing you refer to is back wheel spacing.. Front wheel spacing should either be 100mm or 110mm

Ah i see. Well same question I guess in case I decide to use a rear one at some point.

It depends on the hub being used.. Most hubs can be altered from 145mm to 135mm spacing at your local shop, usually the wheel dish needs to be checked after this is done..

You have to be a little careful using a 145mm hub on a bike designed for a 135mm hub. You are going to have to spread the frame to make it fit. This is easy to do on some frames and impossible on others. In addition the alignment of the cassette on the hub can be different with a 145mm hub vs a 135mm hub. All of the tandems that I've owned/ridden use the same width hub on the front as my single bikes do and 145mm hubs on the back (except the Santana). If your front wheel is indeed a wider spacing than your stock wheel they are going to have to spread the fork to make it fit. You could have alignment issues if you don't spread the forks evenly. I'd have your LBS do any spreading of the frame or fork. Then you shouldn't have to worry about it.

How big of a clyde are you? I don't even use "tandem" wheels like you described on my tandem!

How big of a clyde are you? I don't even use "tandem" wheels like you described on my tandem!

I'm just over 400 and dropping, but I've recently found a love for singeltrack, so a truely bombproof wheel is needed.

You are going to have to spread the frame to make it fit. This is easy to do on some frames and impossible on others.

I would be extremely hesitant about trying to cold-set an aluminum frame. The common folk wisdom is that steel frames can be cold-set to accept wider hubs, but that you shouldn't even attempt it with aluminum frames. My own experience suggests that aluminum is very likely to break if bent too far. Haven't tried spreading a bicycle frame, but I've seen a fair number of aluminum motorcycle parts get broken doing stuff like this...

So I may have screwed up. And I need some opinions.

I tacoed my Mountain bike wheel last weekend, this week I had my LBS order me a new tandem wheel considering my weight.

The problem is that the new hub is 145mm, and the old was 135mm. I've got an aluminum 2009 Hardrock and this is the front wheel. Am I going to have issues with this or will it workout with a little elbow grease?

The wheel that I ordered is a 40 spoke 4x pattern on a tandem 26" aeroheat wheel.

I appreciate everyone's input ahead of time. Unfortunately I've already ordered the wheel so hopefully I can figure something out.

You DO NOT WANT that tandem wheel.

Building a wheel is truly an art form. As a rule your local bike shop 'master' wheelbuilder just isn't.

In order to compromise that tandem wheel from 145mm spacing to 135mm, they need to completely detension, and redish the wheel. Essentially you're trusting your local bike shop to essentially build you a custom wheelset. The problem is that, as a rule, they just aren't qualified to build quality wheels.

You are much much better off sourcing a pre-built factory wheel in the proper spacing, building your own, or getting a wheel from Peter White.

If you taco'd your wheel, your rear hub is probably perfectly salvageable. Peter White could build you up a new wheel using your existing hub.

I wouldn't go near a respaced and redished tandem wheel in a million years.

They probably just bought a wheel off eBay from the bike shop in Loveland, CO that is constantly selling 140mm and 145mm tandem and touring wheels.

In ordering that tandem wheel you're paying for a wheel that has been built, but that value added is worthless to you because the wheel has to be completely detensioned and redished. Not to mention that the flange spacing on that wheel is not ideal for your bike (it probably is threaded for a tandem Arai drum brake).

You DO NOT WANT that tandem wheel.

Building a wheel is truly an art form. As a rule your local bike shop 'master' wheelbuilder just isn't.

In order to compromise that tandem wheel from 145mm spacing to 135mm, they need to completely detension, and redish the wheel. Essentially you're trusting your local bike shop to essentially build you a custom wheelset. The problem is that, as a rule, they just aren't qualified to build quality wheels.

You are much much better off sourcing a pre-built factory wheel in the proper spacing, building your own, or getting a wheel from Peter White.

If you taco'd your wheel, your rear hub is probably perfectly salvageable. Peter White could build you up a new wheel using your existing hub.

I wouldn't go near a respaced and redished tandem wheel in a million years.

They probably just bought a wheel off eBay from the bike shop in Loveland, CO that is constantly selling 140mm and 145mm tandem and touring wheels.

In ordering that tandem wheel you're paying for a wheel that has been built, but that value added is worthless to you because the wheel has to be completely detensioned and redished. Not to mention that the flange spacing on that wheel is not ideal for your bike (it probably is threaded for a tandem Arai drum brake).

I was confused about the spacing when I wrote the original post, I tacoed my front wheel not the rear. From the responses here as well as some research elsewhere, I will obviously not be getting the matching rear wheel due to the spacing.

The wheel that I got is from a wheel building shop called Handspun, the few reviews I've been able to find on them have been positive, I am not having this wheel built by my LBS, I merely had them order it for me rather than going through someone else. In truth though I am generally a very careful buyer, I decided to take a risk on this wheel due to the price that my LBS was able to get me. From what I have been able to find Handspun builds quality wheels and stands behind their products, They even helped me out when I called and asked about said purchased wheel.

As I said the reviews for them are few and far between, but I did do my research on this (though some of it after an impromptu decision.) They may not be Peter White but they look like a reputable shop that deserves a chance.

Since your frame is aluminum, I would not force the larger hub in there. It is just too large, and part of your frame may break or shatter (old Sheldon Brown article on it (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html))

As I see it, you have three options:


Make them replace the hub with a 135mm one that will fit your bike.
If you have a really good local bicycle shop that specializes in machine work and welding type work, you can have them cut-down and re-thread the rear axle on the hub to correctly fit your bike. This has to be done just right, in that you have to remove different amounts of axle from both sides of the wheel for your derailures to work correctly and your wheels to line up and roll right. If the center-shell portion of your hub is too wide to fit, this won't work though. A bike shop that does a lot of machine work will be able to tell you before they do it.
Get a new bike to fit the new wheel.


Good luck!