[CR]Claw Adapter Fun (was: originality vs rideability)

(Example: Events)

From: <RaleighPro531@aol.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 08:04:42 EST
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Claw Adapter Fun (was: originality vs rideability)

In a message dated 1/5/2002 5:08:49 PM Eastern Standard Time, CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com writes:


> You haven't tried hard enough! If you leave off the bolt, and file
> off the alignment bump, the adaptor claw can be held in place by the
> skewer alone.
>
> The downside of this is that installing the rear wheel becomes
> slightly more complicated, but this isn't a biggie, lots of folks
> have loose adaptor claws.
>
> The upside is you don't mess up the chrome.
>

So this should work in practice? I was concerned about adding difficulty to getting the wheel in plus shifting inconsistency from not getting the derailleur properly located. Someone suggested cleaning and applying red Loctite, which I haven't tried yet. I have a Raleigh SuperCourse which was built with strange geometry. The stays are short which would have worked fine with vertical dropouts instead of the short horizontals they used. (Deflating the tire to get it in past the front derailleur is a nuisance.) For the 700 x 28 tire to clear the front derailleur I've whittled down the adapter and the claw hardware to get a clearance of under an 1/8'' when installed. Forget fenders! The adapter robs almost a third of the usable dropout length.(closer to half from the factory) Maybe they used the chainstays from a smaller frame? At least they brazed all the joints! (So far as I can tell) New dropouts would be an answer, wouldn't be sacrificing anything rare or valuable. Dollar wise; dropouts + painting = go find another nicer frame most likely.

Pete Geurds
Douglassville, PA