Bent frame - sell, repair, adapt, live with?

[Ugo51]

I'd cold set it if you want to run eight speeds. It's quite straightforward.

I've only cold set another frame before, from 122 to 126, and it was straightforward. I used the screw method and it opened evenly, 2mm on one side, 2mm on the other.

When I tried cold setting the Orbit frame, the right chainstay gives way more easily than the left, and the results becomes asymmetric.

I have cold set an old Orbit from 126 to 130mm and it's been fine. Alternatively, you could build a wheel on a 7 speed hub with 126mm OLD. Use a 9 speed cassette and lose a sprocket, usually the smallest, and you will have 8 speeds. Quite a common hack.

Did you use a lever to open up each side independently from the other?

 

[winjohn]

The 4x2 method is quite useful. If you watch the Paul Brodie videos you can see how much he pulls his frames around. I guess he know what he is doing. Steel frames can be pulled around quite a lot in a way that aluminium frames cannot.

 

[Spinner]

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

I think it is best to open up each side independently. I improvised a tool to adjust the drop out alignment but got the lbs to do a final tweak.

 

[pigman]

I'm going throw a massive spanner into the workings. Weren't some touring frames designed asymmetrically? To allow less wheel dish and hence a stronger rear wheel. And as Orbit were a smaller factory with a speciality being touring frames, maybe it was them