126mm to 120mm spacing
 

I'm sure this has been addressed many times before, and I apologize for littering this forum with a redundant question.

My old Raleigh has ~126mm rear dropout spacing. My new wheel has 120mm hub width.

Which of these methods should I use? (OR, is there another, better way?)

1. (easiest) Put the wheel in and tighten the bolts, squeezing the dropouts to fit the new wheel.

2. "Cold-set" the fork using a 2x4

3. Re-space the new wheel using a 3mm spacers on each side (I read that the spacers should should be placed "preferably between the cones and the locknuts")

Thanks!!!! I am very excited to start riding SS/fixed!

Yeah, your new ss/fixed wheel probably can be spaced for up to 130mm. Just go get some spacers. 3mm on each side.

Use option #3

#3 is best, #1 will work (assuming it's steel), avoid #2 like the plague

I went with #3, thanks to the good advice here. It was no trouble - I had to force the LBS to let me pay for the spacers. Now all I need to do is get the chainline straight and I'mm set. I asked about that part over on SS/FG forum.

Thanks again...

Eh? Actually cold-setting the frame is a MUCH better idea than squishing the stays 6mm by hand every time you install a wheel. Of course, those are both much worse ideas than simply re-spacing hub, which fortunately is what the OP did.

Cold-setting the frame (option 2) introduces large possibilities for error that are not introduced by just tightening the axle nuts down (option 1) each time the wheel is installed. Option 1 is safe and also likely preserves proper chainline because it's likely that both left and right dropouts are equally likely to bend a given distance under a given force, so the wheel remains centered.

Of course, option 3 is indeed the best, and I'm glad that you were able to do it easily enough.

Interesting discussion over two washers.

Yes, washers was weally the way wasn't it?

Thanks for bearing with a noob!

on my Le Tour conversion, I do option #1. Haven't noticed anything except my chainline is off but just a tad. Other than that it's been fine....

Even though only the right chainstay is crimped for chainwheel clearance? It doesn't seem likely at all to me. Have you tested this theory?

Option 4 would be to Coldset one side 3 mm and squish the other side or space it 3mm or squish and space. Yeah two washers are best:D

option 1 worked for me....straight chainline...no probs

there's a tool that our local bicycle 'kitchen' had that I used, however, while converting my frame that was like an alignment tool to make sure that the dropouts were even/centered to begin with...the tool relies upon cold setting to adjust and it worked fine for me in perfectly aligning mine