While I'm waiting for new rims, I thought I would ask if there are any clever ways to mitigate old Raleigh droputs that have become widened/rounded through abusive use. I found the rear wheel on the '52 had not anti-rotation washers, and it looks like someone rode it that way for a long time. Having the washers in there seems to prevent the wheel from turning, and I plan, when I have it all together again, to buy a new chain and move the wheel back in the slot to where the dropout is still close to the right width.

However, I keep wondering if I could get the local bike builder, Charlie O'Leary, to weld a new set of slots on top of the existing dropouts. Would that work? Has anything else been devised? I'm sure it's a common problem with older bikes with SA hubs.


Worn and Weary Dropouts