Originally Posted by
topflightpro
What torque spec did they give you on the seatpost?
And there have been reports of dropouts spreading, but it seems to be a bigger issue for some than others. There were also reports that Dolan was going to beef up, but also shorten, the dropouts. Any chance you have the new version?
+1
rickbuddy, any chance you can post pics of your dropouts and/or transcribe the exact wording of the notice?
My hunch is the same as topflightpro's, that you have a newer DF4 with the revised dropout.
I haven't heard a definitive explanation of the spreading issue, but I've seen it in person. My guess is that when chainring/cog combinations put the wheel's axle at the end of the offending dropouts, the combination of rider weight, the added leverage of being further away from the fulcrum, and the bumps that happen on the track cause the upper bar of the dropout to be bent upwards, spreading it away from being parallel to the lower.
As topflightpro mentions, they address this with the updated DF4 by making the dropout arms shorter (reducing the lever arm length) as well as beefing it up...and maybe giving themselves a loophole to not fulfill warranties or issue refunds by including that note. I've never heard instructions state that the tension set screws be moved
off of the axle. If they are off of the axle, what good are they? If during a standing start, my wheel moves forward because the set screw is off of the axle, then my wheel will be cocked to the size and tire will seize against the chain stay. It sucks that they suggest you do that.