got my girlfriend's wheels...
 

sure enough, spreading a 96mm front fork to 100mm, no problem...everythinng's sitting cool except the axle doesn't fit in the dropouts quite right. a little too big. i know we could get a different axle. but i'm also suggesting we just file the sides of the axle down. i just want to know...that's not a bad idea, is it?

nope. file away.

Thoughts

Make your that the fork is set to 100mm over a while it wants to snap back to 96 and that is when get things like cracks happening.

filing dropouts or axle.. hmm

Cheez fork? I might file the dropouts. Axle is probably better to file, because you can always replace it.

i've filed a fork before and had no issues.

file the axle over filing hte fork for sure. what kind of frame/wheels?

the wheels are the track wheels off this site. the frame is a mystery '70s low-end french bike (according to sheldon, judging by the 96mm fork).

just wanted to check if filing is cool, i thought it would be. oh, and the fork will definitely have to be replaced, but that shouldn't be a problem...i know a couple of places where finding a new fork will be as easy as pie. mmmm...pie...strawberry rhubarb....mmmmm...

oaky. done.

Those wheels seem to be well built ... how do you like them?

man, i'm going to order myself a pair as soon as i can. i'm not sure i'll even have a frame to put them on...but they arrived perfectly true, they spin smooth, and the rims are pretty decent. i dig 'em.

now let me ask you somethin...would you ever file anything on one of your bikes?

No, because every one of his bikes is a showpiece with period NOS isht. Dolface: "Thou shalt not jury-rig."

I would file out the dropouts rather than the axle, but that's just me...

m.

wait yeah this filing an axle down is really confusing me. You mean, the diameter of the axle is too big to fit in the forkends/dropouts/trackends? wouldn't filing them down result in making it impossible to service the cones?

I'd file the "mystery '70s low-end french" fork before I'd file the axel on a new Formula hub. I expect she'll be riding that hub for a long time after the frame has gone to it's grave.

good point. fork to be filed soon.

and efarrar, yeah, that's what's happening. can't get the wheel in all the way because the axle is slightly wider than the dropouts.