really odd dropouts! help...
Hiya
I'm renovating an old bike frame from the mid-80s and am a bit stuck when it comes to adding the rear derailleur. See the pics below:
The first pic shows the odd very vertical dropouts with no space for the derailleur to screw onto, so I bought the 'extra attchement thingy' for old frames so I can attach said derailleur but as you can see it doesn't fit very well - if I lined up the dropouts the screw would be miles off and even if it did fit the little round tabs on the back are too big for the frame. The obvious thing looking at the photo is to flip the attachment but that doesn't work either (look at the way the dropout slot lines up with the screw hole)
Argh. Help... this frame is useless for a geared bike if I can't get this on.
Cheers
Marcus[/img]
I'm renovating an old bike frame from the mid-80s and am a bit stuck when it comes to adding the rear derailleur. See the pics below:
The first pic shows the odd very vertical dropouts with no space for the derailleur to screw onto, so I bought the 'extra attchement thingy' for old frames so I can attach said derailleur but as you can see it doesn't fit very well - if I lined up the dropouts the screw would be miles off and even if it did fit the little round tabs on the back are too big for the frame. The obvious thing looking at the photo is to flip the attachment but that doesn't work either (look at the way the dropout slot lines up with the screw hole)
Argh. Help... this frame is useless for a geared bike if I can't get this on.
Cheers
Marcus[/img]
Question: Why do so many cyclists not stop at red lights? You would if you were in a car...
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Comments
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By the looks of it, the frame is specifically for a single speed setup. Can't see you getting a rear mech on that, as it looks like the dropout has been cut to remove the mech hanger. I could be wrong, but certainly looks that way.0
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The holes around the dropout might suggest there was a hanger on there at some point in time but it seems too early for rep. hangers. Is the frame steel or alu? Can you oblige with a pic of the inside of the right hand dropout?I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0
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the hanger has snapped or been broken off, by the looks of the edge where the hanger should be.
Is that a Vitus frame..? A framebuilder might be able to carefully 'bodge' a repair to the drop out, but if the tubes are bonded to the lugs I'm not sure what the heat would do to the glue..0 -
Hi
It looks like and old Vitus or Alan frame, so as such it may pay you to do a search on this style of frame.
but i have to ask, why are you trying to build, put a new dropout on a frame this old?0 -
the gear hanger has clearly been sawn off. The replacement hanger you are holding is for fitting to a 'long adjustable' dropout. Sorry, but it's a horrible hack and unless you want to braze new dropouts it looks like it's a goner...0
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TonyW43 wrote:By the looks of it, the frame is specifically for a single speed setup.
Not with vertical-ish dropouts like those.
If you can't find the right hanger make a mock-up in cardboard and take it to an engineering shop - it won't cost a lot to have one made up. If you have a vice and are good at drilling and filing you could fabricate one yourself without too much trouble. Can't you use the one you've got and drill through it to get a hole to match the frame dropout?0 -
The hardest thing about a homemade hanger will be getting the hole for the rear mech tapped, though you could use a hanger nut from a frame saver kit.I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0
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Yes it is a Vitus frame well noted! It was an old frame of my father-in-laws and it's in good nick so was looking at building it up as a winter bike, but it's looking more like its going to be a single speed after your comments.
After looking at it just now it does look like part of the rear drop out has been broken off. Arse.
Thanks for you views folks - appreciated. And still impressed at your Vitus spotting skills
Question: Why do so many cyclists not stop at red lights? You would if you were in a car...0 -
running single speed with those dropouts would probably require a chain tensioner, which will look cack, tbh..
Vitus is still in business - might be worth getting in touch and seeing what they have to say about it.
www.vitus.fr0 -
Hmmmm, a twenty year old bonded frame.
I would be wary of using that, adhesives can degrade over that length of time.0 -
I've heard that WD-40 loosens the bonded lugs.
http://www.togoparts.com/items/images/i ... 849328.jpg0 -
Is it not possible to weld a hanger somehow?
Here it looks like the original has been snapped.
Alternatively you'll need to change the dropouts, if some frame builder can be bothered to do it
The joys of restoration, I supposeleft the forum March 20230 -
IMO not worth the candle.... as the saying goes.d.j.
"Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."0 -
I agree that the gear hanger has been chopped-off - probably the consequence of an earlier crash. Vitus frames can be repaired, but you might be challenged to find somebody who still does it - there are still plenty of people still riding 20 year Vitus and Alan frames so I'd ignore any scare stories about them coming unglued. I'd probably try and keep it as a single speed by trying to find a 'magic gear' combination of chainring and sprocket that gives you the right chain length and also use of a half-link where necessary.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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Or you could use a special hub made by White designed for turning vertical dropout road frames into fixed - its got an eccentric axle that allows you to tighten the chain and is spaced for a road frame - probably 130mm whereas this Vitus will be 126mm - but probably be OK - these hubs are really good and work well!0
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Eno eccentric hubs do work pretty well, but they sure ain't cheap! Nor are the eccentric b/b axles for standard shells which seem to have recently come to the market in Germany.d.j.
"Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."0
