Cold Setting a Reynolds 531 frame

[further]

Hi I need the above doing is there anyone close to Glastonbury Somerset that would be able to do this for me.
Thanks
Chris

 

[Dogtrousers]

If it's a very special frame then probably best to get someone competent to do it.

However, I did it quite successfully myself on a Reynolds 520 (ie not very special) frame using a piece of threaded bar. It wasn't difficult, and there is no way that I could ever be described as "competent". Mind you the dropouts are probably no longer exactly parallel.

 

[si_c]

Hi I need the above doing is there anyone close to Glastonbury Somerset that would be able to do this for me.
Thanks
Chris

Have a conversation with your local bike shop, if they've been around a while they should be able to do it no problem. The biggest issue is making sure the dropouts are properly aligned afterwards and that needs the tools.

Wasn't too expensive to do as I recall.

 

[Drago]

I once followed the advice on Sheldon Brown's website to coldmset a 4130 frame (4130 has very similar mechanical properties to 531.)

It worked, but I did struggle a bit with anal incontinence until the job was successfully completed.

 

[KneesUp]

I’ve done it on a Carbolite 103 (French gas pipe) using a car jack. Put some scraps of wood inside the drop outs so it doesn’t scratch then wind the jack up.

I did it in stages to get used to how much it sprung back when you take the load off.

If it’s a valuable frame I’d pay someone else though. Just in case.

 

[further]

Thanks for the replies, I might have a go myself.(maybe )

 

[raleighnut]

What spacing is the frame..............If it's 126 mm a 130 wheel will go in easy. Couple of years and the frame will naturally 'stretch' it's only 4 mm

 

[Dogtrousers]

What spacing is the frame..............If it's 126 mm a 130 wheel will go in easy. Couple of years and the frame will naturally 'stretch' it's only 4 mm

I did this for a while on my old Dawes. Springing a wheel in was a knack. "Only 4mm" can be quite a lot when you're at the roadside in the rain with a group of people willing you to get a move on

 

[Specialeyes]

I've done it a few times with a length of threaded bar. As others have said, the trick is in working out how much it will spring back once you wind the nuts back in. Use a vernier caliper if you have one, and overbend it incrementally until it springs back to an acceptable point then tighten penny washers and nuts on the outside of the dropouts to help clamp the dropouts to be straight(er) in their new position. 1mm less than your intended dimension is ok as it keeps a bit of spring in it when you're inserting the wheel but as Dogtrousers says, anything more than that can be a bit of a faff if you have to change the wheel roadside!

Also, if in any doubt, use a clamp to hold the stays either side of the chainstay bridge if there is one, as that point's not moving!

 

[fritz katzenjammer]

In order o fit a modern wheel to my old Columbus tubed Bottecchia road bike I stuffed the jack from a mid 70s Honda Civic into the drop outs and cranked away at it until the required gap was reached. You have to over do it a bit to account for the frame springing back when released but it’s all worked fine since. And yes, the drop outs are no longer perfectly parallel. The bike was hanging in a stand while this was done so both stays could move freely and therefore presumably equally.

steel is pretty tough, no need to be delicate!

 

[biggs682]

SJS are in Bridgewater and might do it for you @further

 

[further]

View attachment 766487

It is very light ,but you might be right.

SJS are in Bridgewater and might do it for you @further

Never thought of them