Cold Setting A Bicycle Frame

Rob Sherlock from NuVinci dropped by the PC offices the other day to drop off a wheel (and some socks) for me to install on the Bloggipide. (Wheel for bicycle, socks for blogger.) On a side note, if my name was "Sherlock", I would totally go by the nickname "No Shit".

This blog doesn't bring you here to hear my opinions on nicknames, you come here to look for the glaring grammatical errors that surround my bike prose - and presumably you want to know something about bikes.

Today I'm going to explain how to spread dropouts on a steel frame. There is plenty of info out there that is written down, but not nearly as much with pictures, so hopefully what I do here will help someone else.

When I was doing my research on the NuVinci hub, I noticed that It was 135mm wide - and when I measured the frame I planned to install it in, the dropouts measured 130. I waited to get the hub before I made any changes to the frame, hoping that I could muscle the extra 2.5mm on each side.

That's a big hub right there - but not as big as the old version.

Since you are reading a post about cold setting a bicycle frame, I'm pretty sure you figured out that I am a noodle armed weakling and couldn't make it work. I needed to to widen the dropouts in order to install the wheel, and I decided to bring you along. Cold setting isn't particularly hard, you just have to be careful. This is the second time I've done it; the first time was to allow my Falcon to accept a modern Freehub rear wheel.

Before I go any further, I just want to say that if you follow these instructions, it is at your own risk. Do not try to set any frame other than steel, and to be honest, you probably shouldn't even do that based on my advice. If you choose to follow me it is at your own risk.

First, you will need a long piece of allthread. This is available at your local hardware store, along with the nuts and washers you will need. Buy four  nuts and 4 washers. I like to use 4 because I feel like it helps to distribute the force to the dropouts evenly. The other nuts are so you can keep track of your washers.
This homemade tool can also double as a headset press if you buy a long enough piece of allthread.
You will also need a digital caliper or some other measuring device.

This tool cost like $4.00

Put the nuts and washers onto the allthread. Nuts first, then washers.
(It's the opposite way to press in a headset.)

Threaded. 

Put into dropouts and snug the nuts against the washers. Finger tight only.

Make a mark on the thread and the nut so you know how many rotations you have made

Use two crescent wrenches to make sure you are making the turns equal.

Next step, turn. Make sure you turn each nut equally. Turn right side, then turn left. Repeat.

After about 5 equal turns on each side, I measure again. It often takes fewer turns that you think, so check often. For me, 2.5mm on each side took approximately 25 turns.

And that is really all it takes to cold set a steel bicycle frame. Careful measurement is important, because you don't want to go over the size you need and then go back - that is unnesscesary stress on the rear stays.

Like a glove

I don't think that cold setting a frame is a bad modification to make to an older bike. I feel like it's an easily reversible change, and generally we are only talking a few millimeters of change. There are many really nice older steel frames out there, and cold setting gives you the option to build the bike with a modern drivetrain.

Friday Linkdump and Grab Bag of Thoughts.

Friday arrives and finds me with much work on my desk at my regular job - and a new blog post going up on that site, if you are inclined to read it. Also, today finds me meeting with someone with an awesome name (Rob Sherlock) to pick up the NuVinci hubbed wheel. As such I haven't had time to come up with a really adequate post today. Some might argue that I have never come up with an adequate post, but that is a different discussion.

I am working on putting together a "shoetout" for the blog here, and have gotten a good response from Chrome so far, and am in talks with Keen and DZR to try to get a few different models into the PC offices to check out and show you all. I'll report back to you as soon as I get all of the details hammered out.

I should be getting my Monkeylight and my Urban 180 in soon, as well as my TiGRA generator light, so I am guessing that the last week of November/first week of December will be a rich one in terms of content. As long as we are discussing November, I will mention that I am taking the week of Lincoln's holiday off from blogging. I may post some small stuff if the mood strikes me, but I will primarily stay away from the Blogger dashboard all next week, returning with a fresh post on the 28th of November. I plan to build the Bloggipide up with the NuVinci during the time I am not posting here.

For today I'm going to do a link dump again; these are websites that I read, but don't check regularly.

Mama Bicycle is a blog from Japan about family bicycling. The Mama bicycle is the ultimate child hauler, and I wish they were available in the US. I used to live in Japan and this blog takes me back when I look at the photos. Well worth a peek.

Querencia Bike Shop. I know that I said Rob Sherlock has a great name, but the guy that started the Querencia collective in Denton actually has the greatest name ever; Remington Pohlmeyer. I sold Remington a bike trailer (and donated a bunch of parts to the cause) when he was starting out a few years ago. I have followed Querencia's progress from afar, and am pleased that they have their own building and are an important part of the bike community in Denton. Of course, my trailer was the key to it all.

Remington Pohlmeyer - epic name, epic beard. 

Pedestrian - Two Points!  This is another local (Dallas) blogger
who does lots of urban riding/writing. I enjoy her posts and encourage you to follow her blog. I've been meaning to add it to my blog roll on the right there, but haven't until this post. If you look over, she is there now.

Suburban Assault.  I love the name of this blog, and I check it every Wednesday for bike photos.

3rensho is a blog full of ridiculously beautiful bikes. Very inspirational.

That's it for today, have a great a great Thanksgiving, and I look forward to obsessively checking my stats again on Monday the 28th