Not sure what they're called exactly, the little screwed in things in dropout, I was wondering, what are they for, are they essential? (and what are they called?)

I call them dropout- set screws.These folks have them. I'm too lazy to hunt them. You hunt:

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...main&m=top_ten

They allow for quick, easy location and alignment of the rear wheel after you've removed it. Initally, you back the screws all the way out, then place the wheel in the desired spot along the dropouts, align the wheel between the chainstays and tighten the nuts or skewer. Then you tighten the screws so they contact the axle. Next time you remove the wheel you simply put it in the dropouts, pull the wheel until the axle contacts the screws and everything should be perfect alignment.

It provides limited tailoring of wheelbase length and can be used to compensate for unequal length chainstays. Obviously, it's greateset advantage in races, when quick wheel changes are required. Set screws and horizontal dropouts have largely disappeared in the last couple of decades due to vertical dropouts which establish the fixed axle placement necessary for optimal operation of indexed shifting systems.

are you talking the positioning screws that go through the back of the dropouts, or the plates that seem to take up the space normally filled by a claw mount derailer?

the screws area well explained above, the plates seem to be intended simply to avoid positioning errors on the assembly line. With the plate installed, there would be no reason to reset any jigs used during assembly. Most of them I've seen have been on bikes built when direct mount derailers were starting to take over. Some bikes have chainside dropouts that are only half as deep for the same reason.

Strangely, I hadn't seen any in years, then two bikes I bought last week both have them

Not critical if you are carefull when installing the wheel.


Ken.

The little plates with screws are intended to square up the wheel when there's a derailler claw instead of the integrated hanger. They go on the opposite side, place to square the wheel, tighten in place, then the wheel always aligns when removed and put back. They serve the same purpose as the adjustment screws. I pick them up at the local old time bike store... I think they're helpful, and use when appropriate for the bike.

Is the piece at the top of the picture what you're calling "plates"? All of my French bikes have them. They not only speed reinstallation of the wheel, they position it properly for optimal shifting.



I used a Q-Tip on that bottom pivot bolt after looking at that picture. I never noticed the gunk in there before.

Yeah, those are the ones, I've only seen them used on the derailer side, never with a claw.
They serve simply to position the wheel quickly, If you don't have them it's no problem, you just need to align the wheel a bit more carefully.

Ken.

Back to the question at hand: where can one find these plates? Loose Screws no longer lists them.
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