Originally Posted by
sykerocker
I'm against spreading rear stays, period. There are enough old frames out there that you can certainly find one with the proper clearances to fit whatever wheels you plan on using.
Yeah, I'm also against removing brazed-on components, cutting off derailleur hangers, and - I guess - against any modifications to a frame except for paint.
Seems like apples and oranges to me. Removing braze-ons and derailleur hangers is permanent -- or at least complicated to undo. With a steel frame, you can go from 120 to 126 and back to 120 in a matter of minutes if you want. It's definitely less of a modification than a repaint.