RFC

Let me ask this question over here. I am building up a 1991 Landshark cyclocross bike that has 135mm dropout spacing. I have an older pair of Mavics that I would like to use with 126mm spacing. I have tried out the rear wheel for fit and I can squeeze the dropouts to a tight fit in the axles with the skewers. Is this going to be a problem?

Thanks

well biked

That's a long way to squeeze. Yes, I'd say there's definitely potential for problems. For one thing, by squeezing the rear triangle inward that much, you're misaligning the dropouts. 130 to 126, 126 to 130; usually okay, but inconvenient. 9mm difference is too much, in my opinion.

reptilezs

depending on the hub you can respace it to 135mm OLD

fuzz2050

It's definitely possible, and it can probably be done without problem. On most other frames, I'd say go ahead, but if something were to happen to your Landshark, I'm sure you'd be pissed, and rightly so.

You can probably do it, I'm 99% sure it will work fine. It's a matter of risk. And spacing out a hub is usually pretty trivial, I'd suggest being safe (in this case)

garage sale GT

If the frame is steel you can easily respace it; i.e. bend the frame to 126mm then realign the dropouts. If it is aluminum then the procedure is unsafe.

You could also get a longer axle and spacers but that might cause axle breakage unless you put the extra 9mm all on the left and re-centered the rim by loosening the right hand spokes and tightening the left. The spokes may not have enough thread for this tactic.

If your frame came with horizontal dropouts, I would not try to use it "as is" because I've had two 126mm frames with a 130mm hub and until I realigned the dropouts, the hub would shift forward under power from chain tension. If the hub is smaller than the frame rather than bigger, then it should move forward even easier because it's pinching the hub forward.

You can't just increase quick release closure force for a tighter fit because that can ruin the cones.

Also, even if your frame has vertical drops, an axle is pretty flexible. In normal usage, the bearing cones are adjusted a little loose when the wheel is out of the bike because the pressure from the quick release compresses them enough to take out the slack, and if they had no slack to begin with, then they'd be way too tight when you clamped the axle in the bike with the qr. This seems to say to me that if you force a hub into non-parallel dropouts, they could also flex the axle into a slight bend which would screw up the bearing adjustment. The rear of the cones may be too tight and the front would be too loose which is actually as bad as too tight.

garage sale GT

ebay the mavics and buy another wheelset unless the bike is steel.

Torchy McFlux

Do not just use the 126 hub in a 135 spaced frame. Even if your Landshark is steel, the stress from the compression and out-of-alignment dropouts would eventually break the hub axle or crack a dropout.
Either use a 135 rear hub, or (if your Landshark is steel) get a framebuilder (like the guys at Southwest Frameworks) to realign your frame and dropouts to 126 spacing.

RFC

It is a vertical dropout, if that helps.

garage sale GT

well, the hub won't slide forward and make the tire rub the frame when you pedal, but in addition to the possiblility of a bent or broken axle, I think there's a strong possibility you'll ruin the bearings because the frame won't bear on the hub very evenly. I'd respace the frame if it was steel (it's not so hard to do) but sell the wheelset if the frame was aluminum.

I got pretty good results just spreading a frame by hand because both sides are about the same and pulling bent both sides equally. I then bent the dropouts back to bear squarely on the hub with a large crescent wrench. Worked fine for three years, then I sold the frame.

RFC

How do you respace in as opposed to out?

garage sale GT

well, you push the rear triangle inward instead of outward, which causes the back end of the dropouts to be closer together than the front, so then you take a crescent wrench and give them a slight twist outward.

You may have to take it to a shop if your wheel won't center in the frame.

Remember to keep bending the frame inward until the fronts of the dropouts are as wide as the hub, because you're going to be bending the back end outward.

well biked

I think it would be silly to cold set a cyclocross frame from 135 rear spacing to 126. If you're determined to use the 126 hub, just respace that, don't cold set the frame.

garage sale GT

If the old Mavics are a freehub it might work but if they have a freewheel then it would result in an axle with as much or more right hand overhang than the old 8-speed freewheels which were notorious for breaking early. Whether it would be a good idea would depend on how much weight the bike has to deal with. Also, how much life is left in the wheelset. Barring a severe jolt or worn out rims, the 126 wheelset might last long enough to make respacing worthwhile. Some people get decades of use out of a wheelset.

well biked

What the OP should do is face the fact that his frame needs a modern wheel. Preferably one with 135mm hub spacing. In the end, it will be better in every way.

RFC

probably so.

RFC

Not to belabor the discussion, but can I just replace the axle in the rear wheel with a 135mm axle? If so, given that this is a Mavic wheel, circa 1985, what am I looking for as a replacement and where are they available?

Thanks again,

RFC

garage sale GT

Boy, we must be on the same afternoon nap schedule. I get up and check my mail and there you are.

You probably have a 10mm axle. Any standard 10x1 axle which is for a 135mm long hub should do. They may be listed as 141mm. What you really need are 4.5 mm spacers, though. Not sure where to get custom 10mm x 4.5mm spacers.

What you'll get is just the threaded middle, and then you have to take off the locknuts and add 4.5mm spacers to each side. There's already a spacer at least on one side.

Niagaracycle or bikepartsusa have them.

The strength of 135mm freewheel axles is marginal. I would consider getting a solid, nutted chromoly axle if you go that route. As long as it's 10x1 x 187mm it should fit. That's unless it's a freehub, and not a Maillard Helicomatic freehub. Some say Helicomatics are prone to ruining bearings.

RFC

Thanks. I'll try that. No nap yet. Instead, spent the morning installing my son's new atomic powered 900 gigawatt graphics card in his computer.

DannoXYZ 

Find out the exact model Mavic hub. I bought Mavic 500RD hubs around 1985 and they are not standard 10mm threaded axles. Instead, they are oversize 15mm aluminium axles specifically made for that cartridge-bearing hub. Here's a picture of a rebuild-kit with new bearings, axle, seals, locknut and caps: