Hi, I am building a bike for a friend and need to source another of these doodads:




What the hell are they called?

Can't find them on eBay or Amazon because I'm not sure what to call them. I've tried dropout adjuster, dropout limiter, dropout insert and dropout hardware, all of which turn up other parts or nothing at all.

Also, I know that these parts are used to seat the rear axle correctly in a horizontal dropout, on a bike with derailleur gears, but beyond that I'm mystified as to their specific purpose. Sheldon Brown has nothing. Anyone know more?

Thanks and happy riding!

I always called them axle stops, but they might have had another name. I have no idea whether anyone is still making them so your best bet might to ask in the C&V forum.

They are used on both sides (or on some bikes only on the left) to set stops so the rear wheel can be quickly returned to the same place in the dropouts thereby eliminating the need to center each time. Over the years this design gave way to the micro-adjust screws which served the same purpose until vertical dropouts became the norm.

BTW- they aren't necessary, just convenient

are you working on a single speed cruiser or geared bike?

Thanks! "Axle stop" did pull up a few listings on eBay but going to keep looking for a matching set.

I wonder what would happen if I just let the axle sit all the way back in the dropout, would it affect shifting?

Geared.

Possibly, but not greatly. You don't have to put the axle all the way back. You can put it anywhere and center by eye.

Oh I realize that, I just wonder if it would be a good idea to set the bike up with the axle resting at the back of the dropout, so that my friend, who is not an amateur bike mechanic like me, won't misalign the wheel if she ever removes it.

It's a Huret Ref 849 "alignment stop".

Huret catalog (1978)

I don't know if this will help you find any.

Dropouts of the era often weren't positioned so perfectly and with both sides all the way back the wheel might not center in the chainstay. Odds are you can fix that with a file if the goal is simpler wheel replacement. Test the shifting first, then if needed you can file one to match the other.

Great advice. Thanks!

Surly makes something called a Monkey Nut which is similar but it looks larger and is meant to fit in their rear facing dropouts.

You might be able to cobble together something that would work using the backing "nut" of a bolt on derailer hanger like this one.

$95: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-2-Simple.../171624351263?

Damn! I'll have to hang on to all of those I see at the local co-op

$13 for 1: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Rear.../131369639067?

it would go in the back of the left dropout when a bolt on Rear derailleur hanger is used on the Right side ,

to approximate the piece that holds the Right derailleur hanger piece in the dropout. Rear wheel then relatively Straight, axle pulled back ..

If you pay attention to the tire being in the center between the chainstays when replacing the wheel , its not really necessary..

Whoa, that price is downright immoral.

Dropout/axle spacers have been discussed several times here:

Adjustment screws for rear drop outs
Can someone tell me what this thingy in my dropout is for?
Rear Axle Position On Older Bikes
Rear Dropout Adjuster- Why & How
Two quick questions about dropouts and adjusting wheel position

If you currently have one then you're all set. Schwinn and many others used only one on the left side of bikes having dropouts with integral hangers.

The one pictured in the OP is similar to the Huret version, but from a different manufacturer. A Huret ref. 849 "alignment stop" recently sold on eBay for $13: Vintage Rear Drop Out Spacer Axle Used | eBay

Thanks! Very helpful.

I needed one of these also, and just happened a friend gave me an old huffy that was trash, but I got the axel stop and several other parts from the Huffy. If you have a bike "graveyard" around you can probably find several of the stops.

Peugeot used them on both sides. Gitane did also.

at $95.00 a pair, we should expect more grave robbing.

Depends on if you're buying or selling!

My "new" Raleigh Carlton needs those. But at $26 a pair, I'll make my own, thank you. (There's gotta be an easy way to make that simple bugger without machine tools beyond a drill press. A good lay awake in bed project.

Yes, anybody can locate the wheel properly without them. But the best bikes can be ridden when stupid. (1. Look at the current IQ of a race winner in a really hard race. 2. Look at the intelligence required to operate a quick release. 3. Vertical drops suggest that those who know feel intelligence hasn't improved over the years.

Ben

Just about every town has some one that has a pile of bikes in the yard. I never did quite figure out why, but I've seen this many many times. You could probably find just about any part you need there.