----- Original Message ----- From: Evan N. Reilly <ereilly01@mediaone.net> To: Rick Chasteen <rchasteen@kc.rr.com>; <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Monday, November 05, 2001 12:20 PM Subject: Re: [CR]Simplex track ends
> okay....
> if there is limited point to having a frame with rear 'track' drop-outs.
> how come they seem to be appearing on more frames..
> like Gunnar, Surly, Van Dessel...
> there must be some advantages.... like not pulling the wheel forward out
of
> the drops???
Evan:
I think the idea behind keeping the road dropouts on Larry's frame is that it would be expensive to convert to track dropouts and that cost might not be justified for his commuter or winter bike.
I agree that for a fixed gear or single speed bike, there is a certain elegance to a frame with track dropouts and no derailleur cable stops-even my Surly looks about half bitchin'. But if your axle is properly tightened (with wheel nuts or a quick release) you won't pull the wheel forward in any dropout.
And I suspect the reasons for using track style dropuots on Street Dogs, Steam Rollers, et. al. (sorry to be Off Topic) is that these dropouts are distinctive as well as relatively cheap to manufacture.
One last thing to bear in mind about dropout type is that road frames from years ago often had road dropouts with no derailleur hangers or cable stops because many riders converted to fixed gear in the winter. Those road dropouts were considered perfectly adequate for fixed gear use, then.
Rick Chasteen, Kansas City