Is this frame toast?

[dandy1]

Hi all.... Recently bought a bike and bits to build up for a friend. It came with the original bontrager race wheels but was going to change them for something different. Took rear wheel out, seemed a bit tight, gone to put new ones in... Dropout spacing is way out!

I measure them at 120mm. So either the frame is older than I think.... Unlikely, I'm pretty sure it's around a 2006, (bike is a trek 1500 slr) and I'm sure most stuff was 130mm by then or the dropouts are bent. I've taken a few pics... Does the left side look bent in? Doesn't look enough for 10mm.

So the question is... Do I put the wheels in, run it as is... Which surely has to put stress on the stays? Or chuck the frame and find something else to put the parts on to. I take it there's no way to bend alloy back

Any advice would be great, thanks

 

[dandy1]

For info, there's no cracks or splits or paint damage, so don't know how or if something got bent in the first place

 

[synchronicity]

How did the wheel fit in the first place then?

 

[synchronicity]

10mm is not that much. They'll bend elastically to a certain degree won't they?
That's how the original wheel it came with fit.

It might have been damaged in transit. Like when someone sits on a bike travel box. That'll squash the stays in.
It could still be alright.

 

[dandy1]

Must have been pushed in, or previous owner didn't realise. If I bend the stays out a bit it'll fit. Wheel runs fine etc. But it shouldn't be that tight surely? I can understand maybe a 1mm squeeze, but 120 to 130 is a lot. And this wouldn't have been a 120mm frame?

 

[synchronicity]

How big a risk-taker is your friend?

 

[dandy1]

Haha... He does triathlons but is wanting this as a training bike.. So it won't be used loads. I'm just not too keen on building something which might have an issue

 

[novocaine]

look carefully around the welds for signs of damage.
you can cold set it, but it's ali so a tad iffy.

if were mine, I'd ride it, but that's my choice.

 

[synchronicity]

Yes, 10mm is not normal. It shouldn't be that tight, no. But it is.

It's should be 130mm (I'd say).

Next question: what are you going to do? Use it or not?

 

[dandy1]

look carefully around the welds for signs of damage.
you can cold set it, but it's ali so a tad iffy.

if were mine, I'd ride it, but that's my choice.

It looks all good round the welds, it's a pretty clean bike.