Can I put a 120mm track wheel in a frame with 126mm spacing?

[swee'pea99]

It's steel (the frame) if that makes a difference.

 

[Smurfy]

This is commonly known as 'springing the ends'.

Some would say yes, as the difference is only 6mm, however, my own opinion is that it could damage the frame. Much better to buy a longer spindle and some spacers, or get the frame set to the correct spacing, which also involves adjusting the drop outs.

Sheldon tells you how to re-space a frame.

A few years back one of my friends sprang the ends on his mountain bike. Suffice to say we were out in the sticks when he called me back to tell me that his seat-stays had parted from the top of his seat-tube. He had to get it re-brazed, but couldn't afford a respray, so had an area of black touch-up the size of a hand at the top of his seat-tube.

 

[biggs682]

should be able to add spacers or washers to take up the 6mm

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks all. So basically, with a long enough axle and a spacer or two, no problem?

 

[simon.r]

Yep. I've been running a 120mm wheel in a 135mm frame for years. If you're using chain tugs will they be about the right thickness to use as spacers if you put them between the wheel and the frame?

 

[Smurfy]

Yep. I've been running a 120mm wheel in a 135mm frame for years. If you're using chain tugs will they be about the right thickness to use as spacers if you put them between the wheel and the frame?

Nice picture. Are the dropouts track-ends or horizontal? Do you have a weblink for those chain-tugs?

 

[simon.r]

Nice picture. Are the dropouts track-ends or horizontal? Do you have a weblink for those chain-tugs?

Track-ends (based on Sheldon's photos) (It's a Pompino). The chain-tugs are years old, they're branded Diamond Back and I bought them from Halfords They're not these, but they're very similar - On-One Chain Tugs

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Yes: steel lives, steel forgives!

On a more serious note, 126mm was adopted as a "halfway house" to accomodate all-comers.

 

[Smurfy]

Track-ends (based on Sheldon's photos) (It's a Pompino). The chain-tugs are years old, they're branded Diamond Back and I bought them from Halfords They're not these, but they're very similar - On-One Chain Tugs

Thanks, I thought the colour looked like it might be a Pompino.

 

[tyred]

Add a few 10mm washers between the cones and locknuts. I would go down this route even if it meant buying a longer axle. If you just squash the frame in, the dropouts won't be parallel.

 

[Rahul Sapariya]

Add a few 10mm washers between the cones and locknuts. I would go down this route even if it meant buying a longer axle. If you just squash the frame in, the dropouts won't be parallel.

I wouldn't put a few washers in, instead I'd get one spacer that fits rather than a few washers that do the job. I've heard of multiple washers working against the cone nuts, when I say work against, I mean cone nuts tighten against each other and the washers don't do the same job and can make the cone nuts less efficient at staying in the same place.

If the spindle is longer than 126mm then I'd put a spacer on either side and see how the wheel lines up. If the wheel is to the left or right, you could move the wheel over (loosen the cones on both sides and the wheel will become loose, and then you can just move it over and tighten it in the place you want it to but be careful not to let the ballbearings come out if you have ball bearings). Alternatively, you could just get a shorter spacer on one side to sort it out. I'm sure there is going to be someone who thinks it isn't the same as getting the right length axle but in my years as a bike mechanic, I've have never heard of the axle playing up because of that. A bike is more forgiving when doing things with decent parts as it is over-engineered.

Also, steel is more forgiving when you are trying to adjust it so I'd get the wheel, and worse case scenario, you'd have to buy a new axle for it if you haven't checked the length of it. Basically just make sure your axle in the wheel is long enough to go in the dropouts and that you can put the wheel nuts on. And try to get your hands on 2 spacers as you may need them. 6mm difference isn't as big a deal as people make it out to be as that would be 3mm on either side and steel flexs more easily than aluminium.

 

[Rahul Sapariya]

Add a few 10mm washers between the cones and locknuts. I would go down this route even if it meant buying a longer axle. If you just squash the frame in, the dropouts won't be parallel.

Haha all I read was washers. Sorry about that, you did say 10mm washers. You are correct.