k, that confirms my suspicions... the current 135 rear hub is way way too wide. when it comes home for the winter holidaze, I hope to have found a good quality pair of 126mm 6-7 speed hubs, build up some new wheels, and I'll cold set the frame to that size. then I'll take the rather nice rims he's got and put them on my hybrid which was built for 135mm hubs, let him keep the 26mm tires, and put some 32's on the other wheels for my hybrid.