I want to use and fix install an old vintage bike with a 5 cassette on zwift hub one. Recommended is an 8 Cassette or more. Since I do not want to change the bike and use it on the street again, I would just bend the rear ends of the bike to fit in.
Is this possible?
Frank
If the frame is steel you can probably do this. The Zwift Hub will probably be about 10mm wider than the frame. To make the alteration properly you would bend each chainstay 5mm (assuming it’s already aligned correctly before you start) and then align the rear dropouts so they remain flat against the axle without flexing them. If you don’t care about the frame then go for it. I doubt you’ll hurt the trainer.
thank you. That was helpful!
Hi @Frank_Thiel welcome to Zwift forums.
Shuji at Zwift HQ here. In addition to Paul’s correct advice that the frame spacing will be narrower than modern frame standards, I’m also concerned about your chain.
A 5 speed chain will be wider than modern chains, and may not be compatible with the Zwift Cog. Both of those issues are substantial enough reasons to advise against you using that bike on the Hub One trainer.
Surely using a wider chain on a cog meant for a more narrow chain should not be a problem, the other way around would be, of course. The gap between the plastic spacer/protectors might be a problem though but it looks wide enough to me as well.
The dropouts will be out of alignment after this unless you correct it (there’s a dedicated pair of tools for this), but probably this shouldn’t be a big problem on the trainer either. (On freewheel hubs with a long unsupported bit of axle inside the freewheel, this was a surefire way to break axles, though.)
Back in the day I did this once to a steel frame in normal use, but it was just from 126 to 130 mm. Don’t remember having any problems back then (apart from the bike in question getting stolen a few years later…).
Same here. 1982 Reynolds 753 frame, originally 6 speed has been sitting on trainer for 2.5 years running 8 speed on 11 speed cassette with no issues (so far). Of course axle or dropouts could go at any minute but the floor a lot softer than road or car and bike owes me nothing after 41 years.
But 10mm not the same as 4mm so follow advice above.