Originally Posted by oldbobcat

Well, yes, definitely. 2 cm is a lot of chainstay.

In the late 70s and early 80s chainstays were getting shorter (again) and there was complaining about the chainlines. And this was with 126 mm axles, 7-speed freewheels, and 41 cm stays. Of course, these complaints weren't from racers, they were from everyday riders who felt compelled to buy what the racers used.

Here's a tip for finding a bike with a small rear triangle but longer chainstays. Look for one with a low bottom bracket and a slack seat tube angle.