*What I Learned From This Thread* (too little too late). I won't try to put an unshod wheel into a bare frame if the dropouts need spreading. It's easy with a built bike, less so without. If I think people are missing crucial facts, I'll reiterate gently, in different terms, with more specifics. If someone gets frustrated with me or their bike while trying a stressful new thing on an expensive frame, I'll cut 'em some slack.
Philip www.biketinker.com On Friday, September 21, 2012 4:38:05 AM UTC-7, Matt Beebe wrote: > > Even relatively little things can be somewhat unnerving when you've parted > with so much cash for a new frame. I'm glad to hear it is sorted out > now- Rivendell has a reputation for being really good about stuff like > that and for valuing their customers. Here's to finally getting your > bike together and putting in some happy miles on it. > > Cheers, > > -Matt > > P.S. welcome to the group, stick around. > > > > On Wednesday, September 19, 2012 8:36:59 PM UTC-4, Michael Richters wrote: >> >> Thanks for the advice, guys, but you obviously didn't read my >> description of the situation. It's not a complete bike; it's just a >> frameset with nothing on it, except maybe the front wheel. There's no >> chain, no derailleur, et cetera. Since I only have two hands, I can't >> spread the dropouts and simultaneously lift the wheel in. And I'm not >> the slightest bit interested in how far other people are able to flex >> the frames of other bikes, as this is not at all relevant. I don't >> doubt that you're able to spread the dropouts of the frames in >> question as you describe. It would be nice if you would give me the >> same courtesy of accepting the truth of my statement that I have tried >> the same thing on the frame in question, and I cannot accomplish the >> feat. >> >> Before leaning on the frame with all my weight to jam the wheel in the >> dropouts, I tried spreading it with my hands and lowering it onto the >> wheel, but my fingers can only get so close to the dropouts with the >> wheel in there, and whether I grab the seatstays or the chainstays, I >> can't spread it far enough (if I grab it right at the dropouts, I can, >> but that's not at all useful). I tried several methods, and the only >> one that resulted in a wheel all the way in both dropouts was leaning >> on the frame with most of my weight. Even after this scraped off >> virtually all the paint on the forward edge of the inside surfaces of >> the dropouts, this was still the only thing that worked. >> >> As for how big 1.5mm is, I know full well. As I wrote before, I >> measured the space between the dropouts with calipers. >> >> Lest I sound too ungrateful, I do appreciate that you guys are (more >> or less) trying to be helpful. I just want you all to understand that >> how easy something *should* be in theory -- or even in your own >> experience -- is not relevant. What is relevant in this case is *my* >> experience with *this* frame. And in this case, I paid $2000 for a >> frame with 135mm dropouts, and I got one with 132mm dropouts, which I >> would have been willing to put up with if I could have been confident >> that I could get the wheel in and out of on the road without risking >> hurting myself. Fortunately for me, when I discussed the matter with >> the very excellent people at Rivendell, they decided to replace the >> frame with one that has the correct dimensions. I am grateful, >> although I have misgivings about how much this is costing them; I >> would have much prefered it if we could have found a less expensive >> way to solve the problem (none of the local bike shops seem to be >> confident that they can spread and align the dropouts on a steel >> frame). Alas, this was not to be. >> >> Now, since I am not a three-armed Arnold Swarzenegger, I would >> appreciate it if people would stop telling me what I "should" be able >> to accomplish. >> >> --MR >> >> On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 6:50 PM, Jim M. <math...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > Agreed. You should stand behind the bike to spread the dropouts and >> pull the >> > wheel up into them. I put a 130 in 126, and a 126 in a 122 all the >> time. You >> > won't damage the frame -- another benefit of steel. >> > >> > jim >> > >> > >> > On Wednesday, September 19, 2012 4:40:47 PM UTC-7, ttoshi wrote: >> >> >> >> You don't put the wheel on the frame by pushing down on it with your >> >> weight. You need to spread the frame with your hands and then slide >> >> the wheel in. >> >> >> >> 3 mm means you just need to spread the frame by 1.5 mm on each side. >> >> It shouldn't require much force. You can see this by flexing the frame >> >> with your hands (with no wheel). Check with a ruler to see how small >> >> 1.5 mm is. >> >> >> >> The wheel may not go on the drive side too easily because your rear >> >> derailer (RD) is not aligned properly. Put your RD in the smallest >> >> cog in the rear cassette and put the chain onto the smallest cog >> >> before you try to slide it into the dropouts. If you don't do this >> >> already, then it's a great method for fixing flats. >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/EzkB6pADZQcJ. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
