bikeworkshop
Senior Retro Guru
Then arent these just the job for boy'o'boy's ridgeback resto?
The xt m730 was available in 130 with a 6 speed fhb, or 135 with a 7 speed fhb, up to 88. Both with the smallest sprocket screwing on to the fhb to hold the cassette on.
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=3eeb73a2-62d9-45ae-bf03-10180114bcd6&Enum=110
I think the alloy hub was the same casting, so the difference in width was made by the axle and fhb, meaning you couldn't fit a 7 speed cassette (and correct fhb) onto a 130 hub without some bodgery and compromise.
In 1989, the xt hub was now the m732 in 135/7 only.
So the frame should be 135 (if the catalogue states 7 speed) meaning:
Either someone's run it with a 130 hub and it's bent the stays in.
Its much more common the other way round for us where a 126 racing frame has had a 130 wheel fitted, or god forbid even a 135 (cheap and wrong amazon rubbish), and the frame takes, or is given a set.
Or it was an earlier production frame and the jig was still set for the 130 (6 speed) but built up for 1989, and either nobody noticed, or it was a factory 2nd stuck in a store room for a decade or 2, which might explain the great paint condition.
You can't fit a 7 speed cassette on a 130mm xt hub, and it seems unlikely the bike went out 6 speed - too many components wouldn't be right.
Iām selling some Nos XT hubs, rear is 130 7 speed
Just to be clear, you can not fit a 7sp HG cassette on a 730 (6sp) hub without modification. The freewheel may have the same width, but Shimano made one of the alignment teeth a little bit wider to make sure the older hub is not compatible with the newer HG cassette. Of course you can file the alignment teeth of the HG sprockets, but itĀ“s a real pain.