Recently I crashed and bent/twisted my steel frames rear stays out of alignment slightly. Now I can’t get the rear wheel in the frame straight. There isn’t any other damage, and it seems a shame to junk an 853 frame. I can’t straighten it effectively by hand, but wondered if a frame builder with a jig could do it?

Does anyone know if this is possible before I waste time asking someone how much it might cost?

You’d have to get it on a cold working table to be sure of any adjustments you made surely?

Its possible, but you wound need a jig and a selection of big persuasion levers. Gigs are specific, not likely something that can be adjusted to suit any old frame. It would take someone with some experience. So given that and the price of steel frames, perhaps you should buy a new one.

We all need excuses for a new bike, this one is a gift 🙂

Yes, although it probably depends how badly out it is. Most frames get cold worked even after being built in a jig as they don’t come out 100% straight. Best bet is to try a local frame builder like Mercian, Argos, Dave Yates, Downland, Rourke etc? They might at least be able to put it on a jig and say it’s possible (or even make a new rear end for it).

Just try the same crash again, but this time position a mirror alongside the trail.

Yes, but you might need ways of clamping it well and exerting a lot of force on it.

Whether you feel you need to pay a frame builder for millimetre perfection is up to you!

Actually, give how slippery the trails have got recently, you might find an element of rear steer is just what you need to keep on track.

My weekends riding had me mostly hanging on while both wheels attempted to roll off in different directions.

Id leave it till the summer 🙂

I’ve already replaced the frame. I just didn’t want to bin it as its only 8 months old.

I’ll mail a frame builder.

You don’t need someone with a jig (not a frame jig anyway), you need someone with an alignment table or alignment system to make sure any changes made to the frame are in the right direction. I’d be amazed if this isn’t something that could be ‘persuaded’ back by hand. If we assume it was straight to begin with then correcting whatever happened should be relatively straightforward. Something like a Park FAG-2 tool and a set of H-Tools for the dropout combined with a solid vice to clamp the BB and it shouldn’t be too big a job. You might find a shop to do it rather than a framebuilder. Where are you based?

Just try the same crash again, but this time position a mirror alongside the trail.

Or a picture of Benjamin Button

The key is to make sure there’s nothing too severely bent, crumpling up anywhere etc.

I’ve pulled a frame back into shape using the LBS’s persuasion devices, and alignment tools, it was noting too complicated (Certainly not a table, more like bits of string and tape measure, can’t fully remember). It was fine, but it wasn’t a frame I was too bothered about.