Cold set Reynolds 753 Frame: Re-set???

F

Fifthgrace

Retro Guru
I have a Reynolds 753 frame dating from 1984. The rear dropouts have been cold set from 126 to 130mm by the previous owner (I know it's not advised!). It's not damaged, but I would like to know:

Can it be re-set to 126mm? It might sound strange as I know it limits the choice of groupset, but I'm going to have it re-painted to the original scheme and would like to be historically accurate in regards the components as its an ex-pro's frame with historical significance.

Thanks in advance for your comments
 
Difficult to say. It's a heat treated steel and therefore less keen to be bent back and forth. If it's a nice frame I might be tempted to leave it as it is and not risk weakening or breaking a stay. Instead, use a 2mm spacer each side of the axle.

If the rear triangle hasn't been spread and it's just the dropouts which have been tweaked, you'll probably get away with tweaking them back. They aren't heat treated.
 
Seems like a bad idea, imo. I wouldnt do it, wouldnt have done the original cold-set (ie bending) of the frame either. You might get lucky if you do it, or ruin the frame entirely.
 
Setting the rear ends isn't a great idea on any frame, but for 753 it's not that it's forbidden, more that it's a pain to do given its high yield strength which it achieves after the post tube-forming heat treat that 753 went through.
That's why Reynolds supplied ready bent fork blades. It's a very springy bugger to bend.

However, given that it's already been widened, there's unlikely to be any problems in setting it back to 126.

All the best,
 
Jonny69":2k9vgtuy said:
Difficult to say. It's a heat treated steel and therefore less keen to be bent back and forth. If it's a nice frame I might be tempted to leave it as it is and not risk weakening or breaking a stay. Instead, use a 2mm spacer each side of the axle.

If the rear triangle hasn't been spread and it's just the dropouts which have been tweaked, you'll probably get away with tweaking them back. They aren't heat treated.
Click to expand...
 
Spacers sounds like a safe approach and would keep all options open. I will speak with the bike shop doing the refurb to see what they think.Thanks
 
I'd check the OLN the frame actually has, BITD it sometimes never actually got to 130. Might be able to put in a 126 and close it a bit with the skewer. It's not like you are going to be followed by the team car and have to swap the wheel in seconds :)
 
Thanks for all the thoughts. It's with someone who regularly builds in 853 and 953 so I feel better ready for the discussion. The frame has chromed rear triangle (original), so another challenge when refurbishing!
 
Just out of curiosity I thought Raleigh never chromed 753? They didn't do it during my era which was the 70's...
 
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