Can anyone tell me the purpose/use of the small braze-on located about 2" above the rear drop out on the inside of the drive-side seat stay?

Thanks

chain hanger

Yup....chain hanger

I keep forgetting to use it

No real reason to.

It is good for keeping the chain from flopping around and keep it on the chainring if you have to move the chain or flip it upside down or whatever...

? It serves no real purpose these days with modern setups. Maybe back in the day of horizontal dropouts.. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't flip my bike upside down.. Why?

Someone fill me in on a real reason this is still held over from the vintage frames of old.. Horizontal dropouts is the only thing I can't think of. If I'm missing something please feel free to set me straight.

kyakdiver

You are correct - it is not necessary - it is just one of those convenient things like derailleurs and coasting mechs in rear hubs that are a hold-over from the old days ;-) With both horizontal and vertical DO's, it is convenient to have a nub to hang the chain to keep it from flopping around. Sometimes when making road-side repairs where a stand is not available (and you do not have a two leg kickstand), it is nice to turn the frame upside down to to work on something or to keep the works out of the dirt when the back wheel is out. It also helps to hold the chain up to engage the gear teeth when reinstalling the back wheel. I have a custom rando by Capricorn and I did not order a chain hanger b/c it is not necessary...but I do appreciate it on my LHT!

It always flops off for me anyway.

It's a nice little conversation piece among other cyclists at coffee shops whenever I take my LHT.