Dan0930

i have a great steel frame but the rear spacing is 127 since its 7 speed. I'd like to upgrade but I was wondering how much a shop would charge to get it respaced to 130. Any experiences would be appreciated

tlupfer

a threaded rod and a couple of nuts will cost about $1 at a hardware store.

Dan0930

could you expand more on this please

Point

Respacing is a job you can do yourself with a piece of all tread rod and a couple of nuts. The vintage Trek website has instructions.

I've just spread the stays by hand and put the 130 mm wheel in that way. Usually works with steel, and it's free.

sydney

You and just spread the dropouts by hand, drop in the wider hub and ride it.

bostontrevor

I like the simplicity of the threaded rod method, but it can be problematic because the stays may not spread uniformly. Using the Sheldon Brown lumberjack technique allows you to adjust each chainstay separately. I've even done it by hand just muscling the things apart, it takes a little work but is a nice way to go if you just need a mm or two.

HillRider

could you expand more on this please

Why, yes, and a very good choice of terms I might add.

Get a 1' length of 3/8" all-thread rod, two nuts and two washers. Thread a nut onto each end of the rod and add the washers to the outside of the nuts. Adjust the distance until the assembly is a firm fit in the rear dropouts. Begin backing one nut (either will do) out to gradually spread the dropouts further apart. Stop every few turns and check the fit of the rear wheel. Go slowly until it just fits. You will have to go well beyond the desired width to permanently "cold set" the frame but you don't want to over do it.

A 3-4 mm increase in width shouldn't require realigning the dropouts.

Grand Bois

After you misalign the frame using the threaded rod method, you can use the Sheldon Brown method that you should have used in the first place to realign the frame.

HillRider

A change of 3-4 mm will not misalign the frame. The load is distributed evenly on both stays. The technique I described is the way every LBS I've ever seen does it and they check the alignment afterwards. No problem.

operator

Uh. You don't need to repsace the frame on such a small difference. Use your hands spread stay pop wheel in.

nolageek

Shop charged me $10 to do this. However, there was a bit of a kink in the triangle after. Spread too much maybe?

Grand Bois

They must have used the lame threaded rod method.

AndrewP

Why not use the Sheldon Brown method to spread out the RH side only, so you reduce the dishing of the rear wheel.

Stubacca

Sounds fair to me.

My Surly frame is 132.5mm, designed to happily accept 130mm road or 135mm MTB hubs. I'm running a 135mm hub on it. If I can spread 2.5mm, I can't see why 3mm would pose a problem.

Batavus

I've used a 135 mm hub on a 120 mm frame without cold setting, but it was a bit of a pain to get the rear wheel in. Worked though.

Grand Bois

I'm trying hard to think of a reason why that won't work. Nothing so far.

halfbiked

Chainline?

Fat Boy Biker

I think moving one side only will misalign the frame. I used the lumberjack method on my 1984 Ciocc frame, and it took a while to make sure the frame was straight. I use the "string method" https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html to measure frame Alignment (Symmetry). After I did this, I had a slight crease on the right chain stay, near the down tube. I did manage to get the the 130mm spacing, and I think I can fill in the small dent when I have the frame repainted.

Steve
-they call me mr cold set now

Grand Bois

Does it matter if the frame is misaligned if the wheel is centered? I'm having trouble doing this in my head. I need to either put on paper or take a 2X4 to my MB-2 again. I hate to mess with it because I've got it dead on. In any case, I'm supposed to be working right now. Somebody else please figure it out.