Original rear spacing in 1989?

[NHAero]

I've learned from Casati that the bike I just acquired through a PSA here was built in 1989. It's wearing a mixed Record/Chorus 10 speed Campy group, obviously not original. Would this frame have come with the rear spacing as 126mm or 130mm (as it is now)?
Thanks

[fiamme red]

Framebuilders changed to 130 mm spacing with the advent of Shimano 8-speed cassettes. I don't know the exact year, but it was around 1989-1990.

[Mark McM]

A steel frame built in 1989 would almost certainly have 126mm rear spacing. 1989 was the year that Shimano introduced their first 8spd group (130mm spacing), but it was available at the Dura-Ace level only. 8spd did not trickle down to the lower Shimano groups until the early '90s, and the other component manufacturers (Campagnolo, Suntour, Sachs) also did not go the 8spd/130mm spacing until the early 90's.

In order to be able to fit 130mm 8spd wheels into 126mm frames, Shimano chamfered the locknuts on their 8spd hubs, making it easier to slide the wider axles into the dropouts. Frames were predominantly made out of steel in 1989, which readily tolerates the rear triangle being pulled wider. In the early 90's, during the transition from 7spd/126mm wheels to 8spd/130mm wheels, many frame manufacturers actually spaced their dropouts to 128mm, allowing either axle width to be fitted. (As a point of reference, my 1991 Nobilette Columbus SLX frame was made with 126mm dropout spacing.)

[Velocipede]

It could be 126, 128 or 130. I've seen all three on 1989 TVT, Kestrel, Schwinn, Bianchi and Paramount frames.

[charliedid]

A steel frame built in 1989 would almost certainly have 126mm rear spacing. 1989 was the year that Shimano introduced their first 8spd group (130mm spacing), but it was available at the Dura-Ace level only. 8spd did not trickle down to the lower Shimano groups until the early '90s, and the other component manufacturers (Campagnolo, Suntour, Sachs) also did not go the 8spd/130mm spacing until the early 90's.

In order to be able to fit 130mm 8spd wheels into 126mm frames, Shimano chamfered the locknuts on their 8spd hubs, making it easier to slide the wider axles into the dropouts. Frames were predominantly made out of steel in 1989, which readily tolerates the rear triangle being pulled wider. In the early 90's, during the transition from 7spd/126mm wheels to 8spd/130mm wheels, many frame manufacturers actually spaced their dropouts to 128mm, allowing either axle width to be fitted. (As a point of reference, my 1991 Nobilette Columbus SLX frame was made with 126mm dropout spacing.)

Solid info right there.

Thanks

[NHAero]

Thanks!

My Bob Jackson was made for me in '72, at 120mm. When I switched to a freehub from the Nuovo Record hubs and 6 spd freewheel in 1993, Sheldon Brown cold set the frame to 130mm.

[Fivethumbs]

I would expect a 1989 Italian bike to be made with 126 mm spacing with the expectation that Campagnolo components would be used.

[oldpotatoe]

I would expect a 1989 Italian bike to be made with 126 mm spacing with the expectation that Campagnolo components would be used.

Interesting time to be sure. shimano had already introduced 8s, Campagnolo did too in June 1990 altho in spite of Campagnolo click shifting MTB groups, Valentine STILL thought the majority of 'enthusiasts' would opt for friction shifting, C-Record, and 7s. I think a lot of Italian frame makers 'thought' that way too, spacing their frames to 126mm..

I find it fascinating that Valentino, seeing the sales success of shimano 8s lever mounted shifting, designed and produced ERGO/8s/freehub body hubs so quickly, w/o stepping on any patents as well. I'd love to know when the direction from Valentino(he is known to be a fierce micro manager) came to shift so quickly and drastically from freewheel, friction, downtube to ERGO and 8s.