Rear Dropout Spacing

Jim Connelley said:

I've a Sun EZ-Sport with 135 dropout spacing. I'm considering increasing
the spacing to 160 to accomodate a dishless Santana/Wheelsmith Wheel.
Has anyone experience with such a frame modification? If so, how did you
do it? Is it just a Bad-Bad idea?
--
Jim Connelley

You will need to work with a competent frame builder familiar
with steel.
12.5 mm per side will also affect the chain line. Your seat back struts
will also need to be modified. I think you might be better off with
another brand of 160 mm dishless rear wheel. We ride 2 Santana
tandems with 160 mm rear wheels. They are now strong, reliable, and
durable. We started with Wheelsmith built wheels on both of them (one
26" MTB 40 spoke, and the other 700 C 48 spoke); both of them broke
spokes. We switched to Phil Wood hubbed, DT spoked, Velocity (Deep V
for 26" and Dyad for 700 C) hand built. They have been perfect since.
What is you current experince that makes you want to change?

--

Jim Connelley said:

I've a Sun EZ-Sport with 135 dropout spacing. I'm considering
increasing the spacing to 160 to accomodate a dishless
Santana/Wheelsmith Wheel.

Has anyone experience with such a frame modification? If so, how did
you do it? Is it just a Bad-Bad idea?

You will end up with a huge Q-factor between your crank faces, assuming
you can find a bottom bracket long enough. Depending on the sensitivity
of your knees this may be a problem.

Jim Connelley said:

I've a Sun EZ-Sport with 135 dropout spacing. I'm considering
increasing the spacing to 160 to accomodate a dishless
Santana/Wheelsmith Wheel.

I'll ask the obvious question...why? Are you having a problem with the
current wheel?

All of my potential concerns about chainline and heel clearance went out
the window once I figured out this is a recumbent. The crank-to-freehub
distance is great enough that putting the cassette ~1cm further out
probably isn't going to cause big problems.

If you have the Al-framed model (EZ Sport AX), forget cold-setting. If
you have the steel frame (CX), it might work. I'd be a little concerned
about popping the "seat tube"/chainstay weld, since the chainstays look
a little short. I'd definitely go to someone experienced in frame prep
for this.

JLS
--
James "Once again, a little research pays off" Scott
www.jls.cx

[email hidden] (Jim Connelley) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I've a Sun EZ-Sport with 135 dropout spacing. I'm considering
increasing the spacing to 160 to accomodate a dishless
Santana/Wheelsmith Wheel.

Has anyone experience with such a frame modification? If so, how did
you do it? Is it just a Bad-Bad idea?

I looked into this for my tandem, because I wanted to put a drag brake
on it. In my case I was going from 130mm to 160mm. The bottom line
was that it can be done but you have to cut and remake the brake
bridge for that big of a change. A couple of custom frame builders
were more than happy to do it. The cost was about $300 (IIRC), plus
repainting. I didn't do it because my tandem is a pristing old
Schwinn Paramount and I didn't want to hack it up.

Tom

Zog The Undeniable <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<40be09a5.0@entanet>...

Quoted message said:

Jim Connelley said:

I've a Sun EZ-Sport with 135 dropout spacing. I'm considering
increasing the spacing to 160 to accomodate a dishless
Santana/Wheelsmith Wheel.

Has anyone experience with such a frame modification? If so, how did
you do it? Is it just a Bad-Bad idea?

You will end up with a huge Q-factor between your crank faces, assuming
you can find a bottom bracket long enough. Depending on the sensitivity
of your knees this may be a problem.

Huh? Jim didn't say anything about widening the cranks- just the rear
dropouts. The chainline isn't particularly critical, considering it's
about double what's on an upright.

However- Jim, what are you trying to accomplish? The wheels on my Tour
Easy are built on 135mm spacing- theoretically weaker than your
EZ-Sport's since you've got a 26" rear wheel where I've got a 700C. My
wheel hasn't gone out of true, much less broken a spoke in two years
of hard riding. I'm carrying about 220 pounds nowadays, so I'm not
gentle on wheels.

Also, I'll assume that you've got a steel-frame EZ-Sport. Widening an
aluminum EZ-Sport AX that much would be tough and possibly destroy the
frame.

Jeff

Zog The Undeniable said:

Jim Connelley said:

I've a Sun EZ-Sport with 135 dropout spacing. I'm considering
increasing the spacing to 160 to accomodate a dishless
Santana/Wheelsmith Wheel.

You will end up with a huge Q-factor between your crank faces, assuming
you can find a bottom bracket long enough. Depending on the sensitivity
of your knees this may be a problem.

Depending on the spacing of his hip joints, it may be an improvement.
It would be for me.

I find myself pedaling on the outer halves of the pedals when I ride a
bike with narrow Q.

Chalo Colina