How important is a Chainstay Bridge?

[mikeekim89]

As I've got my StumpJumper sat waiting for one and a full respray. I'd really like too have it built soon but the nearest place too me has a 12 week wait time one being fitted.

Can I ride it as I would without one? It still has it's seatstay bridge..

 

[orange71]

may depend on whether the frame was designed to go without. Plenty of frames don't have one, but they were designed like that.

 

[mikeekim89]

1994 StumpJumper steel..

It had one originally..

I'm just wanting it built and wanted too know if I can spray it and ride it without one?

 

[WD Pro]

My thoughts on them :

WD

 

[mikeekim89]

That doesn't tell me how much I need one?

Would it be good too ride and wheelie without it? I like too wheelie..

 

[WD Pro]

From my Marin build :

Having a last look over the frame before I pack it, my obsession with the Dremel got the better of me (again ) and the chain stay bridge just had to go :

I had been thinking of getting rid of it for a while as they are only really useful for mud guards (which won’t be being fitted) and I thought it would help with the ‘clean’ deluged image and without it will be easier to powder coat and provide one less dirt / water trap.

WD

You don't think the chain stay bridge does anything for rigidity then?

I hope not …

My completely uneducated opinion (Guess ) is that it will do absolutely nowt for a vertical loading on the frame (with no wheel resistance both chain stays will be in even tension and both seat stays in even compression) and due to its closeness to the bb shell nowt / virtually nowt in a horizontal loading (how much twist would the frame have to see before there was appreciable amount of movement in the bridge area ?). Open for comments on the above and I am quite prepared to be corrected / shot down in flames …

What planted the seed was my mums orange from the same era – steel frame and no bridge. The final decision was made when looking at my friends steel Cotic – that has half a bridge to allow the fitment of a mud guard but it doesn’t connect the stays providing zero bracing.

Bear in mind that this bike wont be seeing the top of any mountains again (its going on slicks) so it should have quite an easy life

WD

 

[mikeekim89]

Hmm, Mine'll be seeing mountains.

Ahh screw it, I'm just going too spray it.

What's the worst that'll happen, The chainstays'll snap. There are 2 of them after all.

 

[DeletedUser006]

My Raleigh Avanti does no have one from the factory, I'm sure the stumpy is better welded that the Raleigh

 

[doctor-bond]

Bridgeless chainstays are cool and saucy.

 

[WD Pro]

Bridgeless chainstays are cool and saucy.

I was surprised how much 'cleaner' the bike looked after de-luging and de-bridging, not the best pics though as they were taking other things :

WD