Vert dropouts - GRIND?
 

I need some advise. I am trying to make my chain work. I have sized it on the current config, but it now needs more horizontal movement as it won't fit properly. The vert dropouts are I think is what caused this. Can someone give advise? Can I grind the drive side a bit? The left side has adjustment room, but the drive side is really short. The frame is an 85-87 World Sport.

http://www.danmerk.com/life/wp-conte...14_2008/09.jpg

Bike so far. You can see the chain is really loose now. I can not remove 2 links to get the master in there as it becomes too short to put tension on. My front chainring is a 51 and rear is 16.

http://www.danmerk.com/life/wp-conte...14_2008/11.jpg
http://www.danmerk.com/life/wp-conte...14_2008/12.jpg

You have a horiz dropout but it was filled in with brass. You can file out the dropout without doing any structural damage to the frame, just be careful.

Maybe a 1-tooth hop-up in your cog would help? I would try that before I started grinding on my frame.

*shrug*

Just a thought.

well you could use a chain breaker and put the chain together w/o a masterlink


that would probably help your issue out

+1

I do? It point upward. Filled in with brass? Did they do that at the factory? I was with my pops when he bought this from a bike shop new in 86ish.

If its brass, then I can file a little at a time.

So don't use a master link and then make the chain to size? Won't it stretch?

I would definitely look at your gear ratio. Consider going up a size in the back. 51/16 sounds pretty steep anyways.

They're horizontal. Look at the shape of them. The filled in part is horizontal or semi-horizontal. If it doesn't point straight up it's considered a horizontal dropout. You can file the whole thing out and it will be a normal dropout.

gear down and grind away..

It will stretch whether you use the link or not. Just try it without the link and save yourself the trouble of grinding a frame that has nice paint and probably some sentimental value to you

just a thought, it was mentioned earlier, but try going up in cog size if you can. 16t is going to be pretty tough to get up and running. i would run at minimum at 17t, if you can find it, online somewhere probably an 18t. im running 53/18.

by getting a larger rear cog you may kill 2 birds with 1 stone. you might avoid having to do any modifications, and you would have a better gear ratio.

Ive Done This So ,many Times, Just Put A Half Link In It.

I don't care how flat your area is, your gearing is too high. I live in a completely flat area (by the ocean) and I run 49/19 and couldn't be happier. I'd rather spin and get a good cardio workout than to be drudging along really slowly with burning quads...

Brilliantly wrong.

+1

Ok seriously, those suggesting to put it together without the masterlink so it would fit have no idea what they are talking about. Go pickup a half-link for your chain size as well - that WILL help.

I had to put my 39t on because the 51t I could not even get set at all with out grinding. I may pick up a bit for my roto-zip later this weekend. My chain is good for now. Why is not having a master link bad? I had to take my master off because I could not open it back up to shorten the chain. I just made a master link using a piece that i prev cut off. Is this dangerous?

http://www.danmerk.com/life/wp-conte...14_2008/13.jpg
http://www.danmerk.com/life/wp-conte...14_2008/14.jpg