back wheel/hub a little too wide

[Stephen Patterson]

I've got a road bike with forward-facing drop-outs for the back wheel. I
had to take the back wheel off to free the derailleur from the spokes
after the wheel shifted forwards at one side & twisted in the frame.

Now I can't get the wheel back on. The hub (to the edge of the nuts that
sit inside the frame) is just a bit wider than the space between the drop-
outs, and I don't have a 3rd hand. Can I do anything so the wheel will
fit or di I have to pull the drop-outs away fromeach other a bit & jiggle
the wheel in?


--
Stephen Patterson :: [email protected] :: http://patter.mine.nu/
GPG: B416F0DE :: Jabber: [email protected]
"Don't be silly, Minnie. Who'd be walking round these cliffs with a gas
oven?"

 

[Pete Biggs]

Stephen Patterson wrote:
> I've got a road bike with forward-facing drop-outs for the back
> wheel. I had to take the back wheel off to free the derailleur from
> the spokes after the wheel shifted forwards at one side & twisted in
> the frame.
>
> Now I can't get the wheel back on. The hub (to the edge of the nuts
> that sit inside the frame) is just a bit wider than the space between
> the drop- outs, and I don't have a 3rd hand. Can I do anything so the
> wheel will fit or di I have to pull the drop-outs away fromeach other
> a bit & jiggle the wheel in?

It's common for frames to be a fraction narrower than the hub. It's OK to
use a little bit of force and jiggling.

Most types of *steel* frames can be permanently spread wider - but this will
only be a good idea if you've got a serious problem, due to the risk of
cocking it up and spoiling the centering or alignment. See
http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

~PB

 

[Tony Raven]

Stephen Patterson wrote on 20/06/2007 21:30 +0100:
> I've got a road bike with forward-facing drop-outs for the back wheel. I
> had to take the back wheel off to free the derailleur from the spokes
> after the wheel shifted forwards at one side & twisted in the frame.
>
> Now I can't get the wheel back on. The hub (to the edge of the nuts that
> sit inside the frame) is just a bit wider than the space between the drop-
> outs, and I don't have a 3rd hand. Can I do anything so the wheel will
> fit or di I have to pull the drop-outs away fromeach other a bit & jiggle
> the wheel in?
>
>

Pull the dropouts apart and drop the wheel in. If it is a steel frame
you can pull them further apart and by trial and error of pulling them
apart and letting them spring back you can cold set them so they are
permanently just wide enough to drop the wheel straight in. Do not try
this with aluminium or carbon frames.

--
Tony

"The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there
is no good evidence either way."
- Bertrand Russell

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Stephen Patterson
[email protected] says...
> I've got a road bike with forward-facing drop-outs for the back wheel. I
> had to take the back wheel off to free the derailleur from the spokes
> after the wheel shifted forwards at one side & twisted in the frame.
>
> Now I can't get the wheel back on. The hub (to the edge of the nuts that
> sit inside the frame) is just a bit wider than the space between the drop-
> outs, and I don't have a 3rd hand. Can I do anything so the wheel will
> fit or di I have to pull the drop-outs away fromeach other a bit & jiggle
> the wheel in?
>
To spring a wheel in I hold the chainstays with my fingers so my thumbs
are resting on the axle/QR ends, and hold the wheel between my knees.
This lets me spring the stays and guide the axle into the dropouts (more
a matter of sliding the dropouts over the axle really).

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Stephen Patterson
('[email protected]') wrote:

> I've got a road bike with forward-facing drop-outs for the back wheel. I
> had to take the back wheel off to free the derailleur from the spokes
> after the wheel shifted forwards at one side & twisted in the frame.
>
> Now I can't get the wheel back on. The hub (to the edge of the nuts that
> sit inside the frame) is just a bit wider than the space between the
> drop- outs, and I don't have a 3rd hand. Can I do anything so the wheel
> will fit or di I have to pull the drop-outs away fromeach other a bit &
> jiggle the wheel in?

If the frame is steel, it is safe to bend it wider. Obviously you need to
do this carefully; my preferred method is to use a length of studded rods
and two nuts and washers, and gently screw the nuts apart until, when the
rod is removed, the drop-outs are wide enough. Steel frames are
surprisingly springy, and you need to screw it a lot wider than the final
width, but do it carefully, screwing out a little, measuring, and trying
again, until you have the width you want.

Do NOT try this with an aluminium or carbon composite frame!

Standard dropout spacings are here:
http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; When all else fails, read the distractions.

 

[spokes]

I just pull 'em apart and keep wiggling and shoving till the wheel's in
place. Takes about 5 minutes. Swearing helps. Oh, & make sure you're not
getting tangled with the brakes...that one fooled me the first time. If
necessary/possible, there may be a wee lever you can flip to release
tension/widen the gap temporarily; if there's no such 'flipper' and you do
need to widen the gap, you can always temporarily disconnect the end of the
brake cable (be careful not to let it slip right out of the mech if it's
frayed, or you'll never get it back.)
"Simon Brooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> in message <[email protected]>, Stephen Patterson
> ('[email protected]') wrote:
>
>> I've got a road bike with forward-facing drop-outs for the back wheel. I
>> had to take the back wheel off to free the derailleur from the spokes
>> after the wheel shifted forwards at one side & twisted in the frame.
>>
>> Now I can't get the wheel back on. The hub (to the edge of the nuts that
>> sit inside the frame) is just a bit wider than the space between the
>> drop- outs, and I don't have a 3rd hand. Can I do anything so the wheel
>> will fit or di I have to pull the drop-outs away fromeach other a bit &
>> jiggle the wheel in?
>
> If the frame is steel, it is safe to bend it wider. Obviously you need to
> do this carefully; my preferred method is to use a length of studded rods
> and two nuts and washers, and gently screw the nuts apart until, when the
> rod is removed, the drop-outs are wide enough. Steel frames are
> surprisingly springy, and you need to screw it a lot wider than the final
> width, but do it carefully, screwing out a little, measuring, and trying
> again, until you have the width you want.
>
> Do NOT try this with an aluminium or carbon composite frame!
>
> Standard dropout spacings are here:
> http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html
>
> --
> [email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
>
> ;; When all else fails, read the distractions.
>