Oh I seem to have messed up!

[Adgerolla]

Hi guys this is my very first post so forgive my naivety and daftness. I bought a second hand Lifecycle Mountain sport. Love it but it is an old one and mint. So I thought I would convert my GT Chukker for the rough stuff. Ordered a Yose 26 inch wheel cassette kit. It said it would fit a 135 rear drop out but it came and by then the seller had confirmed it needs a 144 drop out. AS my rear fork is alloy like the rest of the frame I just do not know what to do!

Do I stretch the drop out ( carefully) from 135 to 144?

Do I look for a steel bike to do the same?

If I leave out the torque washers it fits (almost) - slight strain - obviously I would have to fit external torque arms . BUT the wheel looked slightly off centre when I offered it up and I am not sure the gears will run true.

I did take this up with the ebay seller but with all the stuff going on with freight I decided it would be ages before I got a refund and could buy something more suitable!

Am I being a namby pamby? Should I just stretch and wack it in ? Plenty of these kits ( hundreds ) have been sold and I dont think there are many 145 drop out bikes around?

Grateful for any advice as I am feeling defeated!

 

[Scorpio]

Hi, I'm fairly new to conversions but managed to fit a Yose rear kit to an alloy frame, and today I removed the kit and started to fit it to a different alloy frame. Both frames needed to be stretched slightly.
What worked for me - loosen the disk brake caliper (if fitted) so you can concentrate on the wheel fitment. Gently bend the frame to take the 144 axle. Check the axle sits all the way to the bottom of the slot (I had to reshape the bottom of the slot with a square file), fit washers if needed to line up brake disk / gears etc. Fit torque arms.
First time out - use only the lower power settings - check everything is working ok and tight before using high power.

 

[Adgerolla]

Thanks for that. Reassuring that all is not lost. I had just read some general posts on the web about the dangers of stretching alloy and got a bit fearful! did you use the torque washers they supplied?

 

[Nealh]

The tabbed washers arn't torque washers but simply anti rotation washers, as one would find on a geared hub like Alfine/Nexus. One should use them as well as one torque arm/bracket.

 

[IanHurley]

A friend of mine has just gone through this appaling problem with a Yose conversion. Their engineering drawings show 135mm but the spacing required is several mm more. We jacked the alloy frame apart and managed to fit the rear hub in and also managed to fit the disc with the anti rotation washers. Not impressed with Yose at all. It's only when the item arrives that you find it is not 135mm fitted but several mm more!

 

[Adgerolla]

A friend of mine has just gone through this appaling problem with a Yose conversion. Their engineering drawings show 135mm but the spacing required is several mm more. We jacked the alloy frame apart and managed to fit the rear hub in and also managed to fit the disc with the anti rotation washers. Not impressed with Yose at all. It's only when the item arrives that you find it is not 135mm fitted but several mm more!

Yes, same story. Giving me real grief as you rely on sellers to give good info! What I do not understand is what bike IS it meant to fit, without altering the bike?

 

[flecc]

Thanks for that. Reassuring that all is not lost. I had just read some general posts on the web about the dangers of stretching alloy and got a bit fearful! did you use the torque washers they supplied?

There's some exaggeration about the risks of stretching alloy frames, you shoudn't have any trouble gaining 9mm or so. I've never had any qualms about stretching in the way shown below to swap a tube. This is on a 26" wheel alloy frame Giant Lafree and you can see from the 10 mm spindle that I've stretched it well over 20mm:

 

[Scorpio]

See photo for a close-up of my diy torque arm (the white piece) - which doubles up as the support for my luggage rack.
Some good info on earlier threads https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threadloom/search?query=torque arm&tab=3750
More photos about the bike (& rack mountings etc) https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/yose-350-rear-hub-kit-onto-spanish-mtb-by-mondraker.37899/

For info, the axle slots on both my alloy frames are too shallow for me to feel comfortable using the bike without some kind of torque arm - to me it looks like there's a good chance the axle would rotate under power and the wheel would jump out of the frame. I think older steel frames have deeper axle slots so are maybe safer (not safe, but safer) to use without a torque arm.

 

[RossG]

This is an old chestnut stretching bike frames, it usually divides opinion between those like me who say you shouldn't and others who have done so with no ill effects.
There's a difference between stretching a frame and cold-setting, that being one just eases the metalwork slightly apart and the other permanently re-sets the frame. There's no chance you would cause any damage to the frame itself, the problem is the stress it puts on the welds, after all the frame can bend but the welding can't.
If it were me I'd get a refund and get the proper kit for the job, why should you hand over good money for the wrong thing?

 

[Kwozzymodo]

You could put your anti-rotation washers on the outside of the dropouts. You can stretch a frame at the back, but, as advised, this puts stresses on the chain and seat stay welds. 4.5mm movement each side is too much, in my opinion.

You could re-dish your wheel if it doesn’t sit symmetrically in the frame, put the washers on externally, and fit a torque arm for extra security.

 

[Benjahmin]

Springing a frame by 9mm is no problem. As far as I'm aware the majority of rear hub motors are 144mm, so yours is no different.
Make sure the dropouts are deep enough to include the anti rotation washer.
DO NOT file them with a square or flat file (square corners are weak points), use a rat tail file or a Dremel.
To centre the wheel either put an AR washer in the inside of the frame (the other on the outside)
Or put an extra washer on the inside by springing the frame a bit more
Or loosen all spokes, on the side you need to move too, by one quarter turn, then tighten all spokes opposite. Repeat until wheel is centred. Check spoke tensions afterwards.
Welcome to the garden shed engineering of bike conversions - it's great innit?

 

[Nealh]

Yose must have changed the hub motor as my hub from #1 fits 135mm with no stretching, All my rear hubs are 135mm inc a AKM, Bafang cst and a Mxus.

 

[vfr400]

Just about every cassette motor is substantially wider than 135mm. There are thousands of bikes being ridden around with these motors, all with stretched frames. If anybody says it's bad to stretch a frame, show me one that broke because of it.

When you have a disc brake, you have to fit an additional 12mm washer on the axle that side to stop the caliper adapter rubbing on the disc.

If the axle doesn't sit deep enough in the drop-outs, you should file them deeper.

 

[RossG]

I could show you my mate David's frame that broke because he sprung it !The point is the frame will most likely withstand stretching a certain extent but the welds wont, that's where the stress is maximised and that's the weak point not the frame itself.
This is all beside the point however, Yose know full well they are misleading buyers and as hundreds of cyclists will read these posts Yose will loose out in the long run. The trick is to always pay through Paypal then when things go wrong claim your money back, invariably you wont have to return the item so you'll be quids in.

 

[MontyPAS]

I could show you my mate David's frame that broke because he sprung it !The point is the frame will most likely withstand stretching a certain extent but the welds wont, that's where the stress is maximised and that's the weak point not the frame itself.
This is all beside the point however, Yose know full well they are misleading buyers and as hundreds of cyclists will read these posts Yose will loose out in the long run. The trick is to always pay through Paypal then when things go wrong claim your money back, invariably you wont have to return the item so you'll be quids in.

With the 1000s of units sold and fitted without issue (including mine). I don't think Yose will break a sweat. Their units are good value and support is superb.
Never had any issues with stretching any frames. Alloy or steel!

 

[RossG]

Good on you Monty, may your success last. As for me I'd get my money back and possibly a freebie to boot, all my wheels drop straight into their frames/forks so I don't need to bend anything. Yose wont have to deal with me as they wont get any of my cash if they miss sell as they clearly do and then hope buyers will attempt a DIY fix....bad show on them.

 

[MontyPAS]

Good on you Monty, may your success last. As for me I'd get my money back and possibly a freebie to boot, all my wheels drop straight into their frames/forks so I don't need to bend anything. Yose wont have to deal with me as they wont get any of my cash if they miss sell as they clearly do and then hope buyers will attempt a DIY fix....bad show on them.

Why would you want a freebie??
You clearly have an issue with the Yose kit?

TBH any fitment of electrical motorisation to a bicycle is DIY.
Be they Bafang, Tongsheng Yose etc, many issues are encountered and easily overcome!

 

[RossG]

I would most certainly expect compensation in respect of the fact I was mis sold in the first place. Yose have the OP's cash and are laughing but he's not. Would I have an issue with a company that gave a false description to the items it sells....most certainly, as a retired businessman myself I know how to conduct myself in such a world.

We're drifting from the point, the OP doesn't have a problem with his bike therefore there is nothing to fix. If the wheel wont fit that's a great shame, but that's Yose's fault not his, why should he have to manipulate his bike frame because of a mistake that's not of his doing. If you purchased a new front door and was given one that was a couple of inches too wide would you A: rip out the door frame, then remove some brickwork to accommodate the extra width or...B: Take it back. And yes I would expect a slight discount on the replacement in view of time wasted petrol used etc.

 

[MontyPAS]

I would most certainly expect compensation in respect of the fact I was mis sold in the first place. Yose have the OP's cash and are laughing but he's not. Would I have an issue with a company that gave a false description to the items it sells....most certainly, as a retired businessman myself I know how to conduct myself in such a world.

We're drifting from the point, the OP doesn't have a problem with his bike therefore there is nothing to fix. If the wheel wont fit that's a great shame, but that's Yose's fault not his, why should he have to manipulate his bike frame because of a mistake that's not of his doing. If you purchased a new front door and was given one that was a couple of inches too wide would you A: rip out the door frame, then remove some brickwork to accommodate the extra width or...B: Take it back. And yes I would expect a slight discount on the replacement in view of time wasted petrol used etc.

With respect you are giving a totally different scenario with an oversize door?
If the OP had done a search of previous posts before purchasing the Yose kit. He would have seen that it is not uncommon that the frame needs to stretched to fit. But also that most on the forum have completed the task without issue!
Personally I see it as a need to do your homework and know your limitations before undertaking the purchase.
Just my view.... Others are available

 

[Kwozzymodo]

I have ordered dozens of rear wheel motors; cassette and freewheel - they have always been specced as 135mm lock nut to lock nut (old) and they have always measured up as 135mm. Sounds like your supplier has messed up. Newer bike frames with ‘boost’ hubs (wider ‘old’ dimensions for more strength) come in at 142mm. Have you been sent a motor specced for one of those in error?