does this count?

[one-eyed_jim]

the front opening dropouts are fine but.....i've always wondered what if any advantage they had?

Over your current arrangement? I don't know - I haven't tried your current arrangement.

For a singlespeed, using track ends means you need to move the wheel forward and derail the chain from the chainring before you can get the wheel back out of the slot. With a front-opening dropout you just release the wheel and move it forward and out.

With track ends and a derailleur, you pull the wheel back and out of the slot against chain tension, then I'm not sure what happens next. Do you need to pass the wheel back in front of the derailleur? My feeling is that it makes wheel changes more awkward, but again, I haven't tried that setup. I know the Karate Monkey uses a similar arrangement.

When I've used a derailleur on my Kilauea (which had track ends fitted by the previous owner) I used a DMR chain tug / mech hanger, which moves with the axle. That's awkward too.

alignment was required with each wheel fitting....even with the adjuster type screws

That shouldn't be the case: just pull the wheel back to the adjusters and fasten the quick release. If the frame alignment's good (and it should be) you don't need the adjusters - and anyway, aligning the wheel only takes a second.

and if the rider won't be experimenting with wheelbase length changes.....then the vertical dropout is the way to go

unless (as in your case) you want to keep your options open for fixed or singlespeed without a tensioner.

a track end just offers a simpler option.

I don't see why it's simpler - the slot opens to the front or to the rear.

It does offer the posibility of a shorter wheelbase, if that's important to you, and it means you can use a chain tug for extra security.

and.....if the wheel every slips forwad, there is a finite end.

That's true, but if the wheel slips, the tyre will hit the chainstay before the axle leaves the dropout. The wheel shouldn't slip, of course. You could run the axle hard up against the front of the slot on your bike, but it doesn't look as though the derailleur hanger was placed with that in mind.

 

[syncrosfiend]

ededwards......thanks....my wait was 2.5 years.

most of the time was used to gather most of the vintage parts from eBay. what a wonderful resource for stuff like that.

his wait time is now 6 or 7 years. but he's not taking orders for 2008.

i never thought his wait time would get that long. i was contemplating in mid 2005 and saw the wait time jump to 2 years in a matter of months. i immediately decided that it was time to put down the deposit or end up having to wait longer.

personally, it was worth the wait in every way.





one-eyed_jim..........as for the track ends with the hanger.....at least on this bike.....i shift to the small ring and smallest cog. the chain tension is minimal at best.

i pull the wheel back and the bolt slips between the der and the track end. i've got another bike with vertical dropouts and it's just as easy.



as for keeping options open.....there seems to be a trend here in the u.s. to convert old geared bikes to single speed/fixed. the forward facing dropouts are usually found on these older bikes. maybe that forward opening type was left over from the age of the earliest days of the classic races when there were no options for gearing.