I've acquired a bike that is in great condition except for one minor detail - the frame itself is a write-off (but not the forks.) I knew this when buying the bike, figuring that I could simply transfer the groupset, wheels and so forth, onto a new frame.
Turns out the wheels cannot be converted to 12x142 / 12x100 TA (as I'd hoped they could be) because Formula, who made the hubs, don't do conversion kits for this particular scenario, as far as my LBS could ascertain. The wheels, which are in reasonable condition, are Rose DX 1650, which Rose don't make any more, and Rose don't like dealing with the UK after Brexit, so talking to them is a non-starter!
Was wondering whether anyone here had any ideas for frames that have a 135mm QR rear (and maybe 15x100 TA front fork? The fork is a pretty standard tapered 1 1/8 to 1 1/2, and is perfectly useable, so could transfer the fork over if needed.)
So far, I've got Rose Pro Cross and one particular iteration of the Genesis Datum.
Any others??
Get a new hub.
@tomhoward - I looked into that, but by the time I've got new hubs, and paid someone to take apart the old wheels and build new ones, I may as well think about just buying new wheels entirely. Am hoping for some sort of frame that enables me to use the wheels as they are!
What kind of bike? Presume MTB? What size wheels? Are you looking second hand?
On One 45650b was 135qr rear. 27.5 wheels. I enjoyed (both of) mine.
What sort of frame are you after? If road or gravel, you might have some luck but MTB, nothing much from the last 10, or maybe more, years.
But it’s still silly to buy the most important part of a bike, based on nothing but an obsolete standard that’s easily and relatively cheaply changed.
What sort of budgets are we taking here?
Frame would be road, gravel, cyclocross... anything drop bar with discs really.
I agree it would be silly to buy a frame based on an obsolete standard on ideological grounds - but I'm not insisting on a 135QR rear dropout, merely wondering whether a suitable frame might exist, thus sparing an extra expense.
Budget would be up to around £300 for the right frame, and given that it's an obsolete standard, it'll be second hand. I'd rather hoped some poor soul on eBay might be trying to rid themselves of such a frame and that I might pick it up for rather less than the stated budget!
The 2019 Boardman ADV 8.8 I sold recently was QR front and rear. Plenty still on Marketplace and decent for the cash
Pinnacle Arkose had swappable dropouts between qr and bolt thru
How can you not convert the front wheel? Pretty sure you can get sleeves on ebay and amazon to size down a 15mm hub to 12mm (it's a 1.5mm thick tube, not really hard to do).
It'll be a very small timeline you'll be looking for - the crossover between 135QR and disc was pretty tight. A few old skool bikes like the PX ti cross or uncle john cross with ahead of their time disc tabs were non tapered headtube. Was 15mm bolt through forks on a road/gravel/cross a thing? I thought most went straight from 9mm QR to 12mm thru bolt. Edit - SK has the right idea there.
Kinesis Tripster Version 1 (though I think the fork was 9mm qr).
How can you not convert the front wheel? Pretty sure you can get sleeves on ebay and amazon to size down a 15mm hub to 12mm (it’s a 1.5mm thick tube, not really hard to do).
the outer diameter of the end cap mightn’t fit in the fork, as I experienced.
I've just sold my transition rapture that had 135qr rear and a mountain bike width 100mm? qr at the front.
I had a tapered disk qr fork out the bargain bin from Alp kit hathersage.i think it was£40
There must be a few qr frames that are 100 front 135 rear, in which case you'd only need a generic 15mm to qr adaptor for the front?
The Genesis Datum was QR/15mm iirc.
Various Surlys would also fit the criteria or would with a front hub adapter at least.
Sounds like you're after an off-road drop bar bike?
But it has to be 135QR rear and the old 100x15mm through-axle front?
That must be quite a rare combo and I'd consider Dickyboy's suggestion of an adaptor to step the front hub down to QR (to open up possible frame & fork combos).
I cab second the suggestion of the earlier Boardman ADVs - I just sold an ADV 8.9 which was QR, newer ones are through axle though.
Genesis must have done quite a few QR frames. Cotic as well (one on eBay here)
GT Grade V1 is 135QR rear and 15x100 front if you can find one. I've had one for a while, limited tyre clearance compared to more modern gravel frames but still a nice bike.
My old cotic Solaris is that spec. Wack a -2 degree headset in and off you go
I knew this when buying the bike, figuring that I could simply transfer the groupset, wheels and so forth, onto a new frame.
Oh, we forgot to mention - is the donor bike got a front mech? If so what size band on or is it a braze on? Similarly what size seatpost and seatpost collar? And is the bottom bracket pressfit or 68mm or 73mm BSA thread? And unless the chainstays are very similar length you might need a new chain (but hopefully it'll be the other way and you can get rid of a link or two).
It has the potential to become quite the trigger's broom of a project.
@Convert
Yes, there's a front mech if I want it; it's braze on with an adaptor; donor seatpost is 27.2; bottom bracket don't mind (have a couple of BSA BBs lying around - and a couple of Italians, FWIW!) I agree there's the potential for Trigger's Broom, but as I said above, I'm just exploring options.
@chakaping - thank you for the link - have sent a message to the seller. Frame is a small, which wouldn't work for me, but might for my other half. Budget is a little more than planned.
@njcisca - difficult to filter through to the one you've mentioned - seems to be a model for which there are multiple iterations!
@jonnystorm - yes, lots of Surly options... quite an interesting line of enquiry.
Thank you for the thoughts so far - much appreciated. Sleeve option for wheels is possible, but I tested the wheel in question on another bike today and end cap wouldn't fit in fork dropout.
IIRC, and I might not, most current entry level MTB so think Kona Lanai, Trek Marlin 5 etc are 135qr rear, even now, but not sure about front.
James
Pinnacles from 2020... i think.
Mines qr and 100mm front
Pinnacle Arkose framesets from 2016-17 were 135mm rear and 15x100 front.
Scour the 2nd hand pages for cheap frame?
Second hand Ti tripster? The v1 was qr rear.
Sonder Camino v1 and maybe v2, I can't remember which one I've got,one or the other, but it fits the bill.
Great bike too!
Edit,Arghhh! just re-read original post, sorry its qr front and rear.
Edit of the edit: You could use the above framesets, just buy a 100 x 15 thru axle converter from ebay for about a fiver, then your front wheel would fit.
I'm using exactly this set up to recycle a set of mtb wheels onto my Camino.
Spa cycles touring frames might work (with q/r front adapter), they also stock most Surly frames.
If secondhand or older stock then I think Genesis Longitude is 135 rear hub and older models of Vagabond (newer is bolt through).
If you are going secondhand and can transfer over the 15mm fork, there'll be loads of stuff with a 135mm rear, perhaps too much to list. The best bet is probably scour ebay and go check out reviews when something takes your fancy
@lesshaste - thank you for the tip about converting the front wheel from 15x100 to QR - that seems like quite a good idea from a keeping-costs-down perspective. I presume it's something along these lines: Link to eBay converter kit
Broadens my search parameters considerably!
yeah, they've gone up in price a bit, but that's what I've been using on a set of wheels for 4 or 5 years, haven't died in a ball of flames yet..... (touch wood). Gravel and touring though, not big hits or any of that malarkey.
Good luck with the search.
My Genesis CDA is QR rear as are some CDF. Obviously you can run whatever forks you want.