130 OLD to 126 OLD, possible or just impractical?

I've got myself set on an old Alan frame, so 126 OLD, but I'd like to keep my shimano 600 hubs.

Logically I could take 4mm off the Nds, to keep the cassette to dropout spacing Correct, redish the wheel and cut down the axle, hey presto 8speed on 126 OLD.

Anyone see any issues, apart from it being a bit fiddly?

Check out sheldon's article on this: http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

You could just spring the rear triangle open 4mm every time you put the wheel on. The article says: "Ideally, the frame spacing should exactly match the hub spacing. This makes for easiest wheel replacement. In practice, however, there's a fair amount of latitude in fit. In fact, when the first 130 mm 8-speed hubs were introduced, they had locknuts with beveled sides, so that you could "spring" apart the rear triangle of a frame made for the then-standard 126 mm spacing."

It all depends how precious the frame is and if you would rather hunt for a 126mm OLN wheel.

If you try cold-setting an Alan, there'll be tears before bedtime...

Let me know what length axle you need, I may have a spare of the correct length to save hacksaw-time.

Otherwise, the only issue I can think of is possible fouling of the chainstay by the smallest sprocket.

Nice, I was thinking the same.

Cheers.

I'd just get a 126 freewheel hub if I were you. If you want to ride a 126mm frame that can't be sprung, why not? You can get excellent old stuff really cheaply.

I have to admit I have a thing for screw-ons...

Reading back, I misunderstood the question. In fact I probably suggested what you were trying to avoid.

Engage brain then type.

I just re-spaced an ultegra hub from 130 > 126. Could have cold set the frame, could have bought the right hub for the job, but difference in dish/spoke length required is less than 0.5mm so no biggy. If I sell the wheels on afterwards can put the 4mm spacer back in and re-dish accordingly.

Main issue you might have on an 126OLN frame is smallest cog striking dropout or a stay as they weren't thinking of having clearance for a 10s cassette to be jammed right up against the locknut

I have some 7 speed freehubs in stock for old shimano hhbs. Combine that with a axle 137mm long and you can convert to 126mm old. be careful with screw on hubs my alan will only take a 6 speed freewheel and then a compact one not a standard width one. Not sure if all alan frames are like that but mine is. It dates from 1980.

If it's steel, just coldset it; it's so common with people wanting to ride 7spd-era frames that no one even really thinks twice about it anymore.

Hell, even one of my coworkers who's been a mechanic for 4 years has an older Cdale that he just jammed a 130mm rear wheel into.

Found a customers 120mm steel frame had a 130mm wheel jammed into it today, due to shape of the dropout was an utter pig to get the wheel in and out of. Frame had a hell of a tightness to it, whereas some other frames will happily open up a few mm without any argument

10mm is a pretty big difference...

Alan frames are not steel and should not be spread.