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How did you know that? I'm impressed! Actually, it's a bike I've just received, can return, but unfortunately the seller didn't have everything in functional order. It was presented as a light tourer and has all the eyelets one could wish for. Only later did I realise this bike has a strange geometry with short chainstays.

Curiously, the seller claimed it is a 650b that can take up to 40mm tyres, except the initial images and after he changed the components out -all had 28 or 32mm tyres. So I am quickly trying to understand what I have here and if it really can take 40mm as he claimed. Unfortunately, he put on incompatible short derailleurs with triple crank, and the cables for the gears and brakes aren't installed. So, yes the clearance between tyre and chainstay isn't great and the seat tube does appear steeper(?). I should post some images.

I was wondering if someone could help on a question relating to chainstays?

I read online that good touring bikes have chainstay lengths ranging from 42-46cm and that chainstays of 41cm are typical of city bikes. How true is this statement?

Is a bike with a chainstay length of 41cm and a total wheelbase length of 101,5 cm (1015mm) unsuitable for touring with front and rear luggage?

I exchanged the QR skewer for a Pitlock one and then renistalled the QR.

The situation was the same - the rim seem centred at about 12mm each way. The tyre though is also the same: one side has a gap of about 4 or 5 mm (just like my racing bike clearance), the other side about 7 or 8mm. I can stick a small plastic item through one side, but not the other.

I've made sure there sufficient air and when I spin the tyre, it appears to remain more or less constant in its sideways width. Could it be the frame itself?

The seller claimed that the bike was designed for 650b with a max. tyre width of 40mm. That was a big reason why I bought the bike. If one side is the same as my racing bike, then I wonder how that could be enough clearance for such wide tyres.

In the first photo, before he changed out the components, he had 28mm tyres installed. On receiving the bike, it had older 32mm tyres on. So now I am wondering if there was a reason for not having fatter tyres on. I don't have such tyres to test it, but I assume the gap between tyre and frame will get worse.

32mm tyres are fine, but there are huge 10mm gaps between tyres and mudguards and it looks quite ugly.

Hah, not there it. Mr Slowness here.

Will let you know how I fared later on. Thanks for your help!

I must admit, I don't mind getting to grips with this if I had paid far less. But for this kind of price tag, I feel I really should be able to at least hop on and ride. Starting to feel slightly resentful now towards the seller, as I fiddle about in my own way.

An easier thing to check before that is that you haven't got the QR
skewer springs on wrong.

Thank you!

Good suggestion, will try checking.

Thanks!

Thank you @midlife @snottyotter and @M_V !

Great replies. I will try putting in the wheel in the other way round, or take off the tyres of a 700c wheel and hope that fits to check.

To M_V

If it has vertical dropouts I’m not understanding this bit “I have
tried holding the wheel and then tightening, but it just goes back to
it's off positon again.”. There should only be one position for the
wheel in a vertical dropout.

Well, it's just my inexperience with vertical dropouts showing - I am just used to horizontal ones. You are right, no way to change that.

I've just received this bike and found a few surprises, incl. incompatible short cage derailleur and front derailleur with triple crank. That wasn't in the deal. The pads on the Mafac centre pulls are all skew (guessing that can be adjusted), so only the corners touch the rims (both brakes and gears need to cables installed). I've never paid this much money for a bike before, so I am at least glad I could get my money back if I wanted.

It was meant as a light tourer, but now finding the chainstays are short (41cm). It's a beautiful bike. I am not that technically proficient, but if I get stuck I can ask my bike shop to check it out tomorrow.

Anyway, will try further with all your suggestions.

Hi, can someone please help me understand the following problem: the rear wheel is not aligned and I am unable to align it because the frame has vertical dropouts (on a vintage bike). I have tried holding the wheel and then tightening, but it just goes back to it's off positon again.

Would be very grateful for any thoughts or suggestions!

Rather embarrassed to say that the image was initially skew...corrected now. Hah!

Just compared it with this Singer (as a classic road bike) and the angles appear to sort of match up. Sigh.

From what I understand, 73° is typical or ideal for relaxed and less nervous cycling on long touring trips. Whereas trail bikes are steeper for quick turns. Since the bike was custom made, it may be a steeper angle as a special wish.

Anyway, if you think this looks average, then I am relieved.

Oh thank you! I compared the frame by eye with online images of other randonneuse and touring bikes and it seemed like they were slacker. But its hard to tell with photos, I guess.

I was wondering if I could trouble someone with some help? I am about to have a bike to delivered to me and was suddenly confronted with a photo of the bike that made me think the tubes are steeper than normal. I realise it may have to do with photos as well as the angle of the photo, but can someone tell me these angles look normal or uncomfortably steep? This bike has been all across France on various long distance trips and was custom made.

Thank you!

Thank you - I wouldn't have expected to ask that much.

Mind you, the man who looked at it for me works with very high end gear. He had a high regard of the R200 and I couldn't help thinking he was just as disappointed as I was about its state : ) I'd also gathered elsewhere online that the arm has become quite sought after and highly thought of. Funny when one owns something and then looks at it with new eyes.

I totally understand about the RB series. I always preferred the silver crafted look myself. The R200 is a lovely bit of engineering and pure class.

Well, I picked up a non-working Lenco L75 (1972) years ago, never got to renovate it myself, so I asked him to (he's well-known in the Lenco scene in Germany where I am). I wanted it kept in original condition, which I thought looked way better than all these DIY projects. For years people said the Lenco arm was bad, well that's changed too and he insisted I didn't need to change arms (I got an old Jelco....black) He was right - the Lenco makes me very happy now. I can't say it's better than my old Rega, I just wanted the change.

Thanks!

Sorry to hear that. Same thing happened to me - broken anti-skate. Or so I'm told by a technician/specialist.

Such a lovely arm. It's still lying in a drawer now after I sold the table. I really enjoyed my early Rega Planar 3 though.

Anyone have an idea of a reasonable price to sell it for in that state? Or a starting bid price?

Any idea what brand that is? I have a soft spot for black bikes like that.

Ah, now there's a thread I can definitely identify with.

Pretty jaw-dropping revelations (or claims) from Led By Donkeys. Of course, intense lobbying is not that surprising for (centrist, liberal, conservative, etc.) parties today, but Truss apparently took it to a whole new level.
https://twitter.com/ByDonkeys/status/1582303415576715265

Wow, simply stunning.

If it were my size, then I'd be the first to stand in line. The No. 2 model was always my favourite and this is a particularly fine example.

Good luck with things otherwise!

Yes, couldn't agree more. You want a bike so much, you don't want to look too closely at some unpleasant bits. I guess at that kind of price, one tends to rethink it all a lot more. If I see a lovely old British frame going for very little that has suffered a little, then I don't mind the love and care it needs.

But structural issues concern me too, because I really want to do light tours and everyday stuff - just really use it. Not own a collectors item.

Your thoughts have really helped me! Thank you!!

Well, most Ducheron frames I see online have standard clamps. However, I've just spotted this on a French forum thread, which apparently isn't adjustable at all. So perhaps this may not be one of the modifications that owner made and it may be original. It could only mean researching the expander history to have an idea, I guess.

The Ducheron frames are stunning though.

Interesting thanks. Something to think about.

Ah, I see. What you're saying makes complete sense. Quite a big project! There is some speculation that the frame may have been built by the great Robert Ducheron for André, which would make it a one off, perhaps. The head tube lugging looks similar to another Ducheron I've seen online and is completely different to anything I've seen elsewhere. Another André was my only comparison, but you have clearly spotted more details than I have.

Do you have an opinion on seatpost expanders? Is it ok? Ot too hard to comment on. Beginning to think it might be best to leave alone...

Yes, a René André 700c randonneuse. Seller in Paris wants around €1100 for it, which is big money for me, but it is lovely. I thought the price would be ok, since no components are needed, but I see it would involve added costs.

I'm in Germany, so my question was initially just about seeking advice. My first language is English, so I end up on English forums. Sorry - now I wish you were around the corner!

Anyway, it seems the job wouldn't be unrealistic, which is good to know.

Thank you!