# Campagnolo 1010 Horizontal Dropout. Why and How?



## warrena (Aug 5, 2012)

Hi,

What is the advantage of these drop outs? I read a few posts elsewhere about "facilitating wheel changes" but can't appreciate how this could be...

At any rate this is what my bike has and they look cool. As of now the axles are far forward, screws maxed-in. Is this a good position? I read something about a shorter wheel base as a result of this but....I don't know. I'm not a racer per se.

How does one adjust them? I could see an issue of getting the axle skewed. I can assume the bike was properly set up and all in or all out be pretty good. In fact since it tracks perfect all in, all out should be fine ... right?

If I decide to adjust what would be a proceedure?

BTW All this is due to a brake pad misalignment if you did not follow that thread and moving all the way back would provide the clearance I need. Which I why I am endeavoring at all to undertake this.

Any other advise welcomed!

Warren


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## warrena (Aug 5, 2012)

*Yikes!*

This is either incredibly fundamental or no one really knows...

Is this drop out just the mark of ultra-retro or what? 

I can imagine only several reasons for it.

1. Some professional riders can sense the adjustable wheelbase.
2. There is a sweet spot for axle and deraileur relationship, this allows adjustment.
3. Compensates for inaccurate frame set up.

It must have been a good idea at the time but now just kinda cool and different at best else more modern bikes would sport them.

Any other advantages etc....

Thanks,

Warren


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## Scooper (Mar 4, 2007)

warrena said:


> This is either incredibly fundamental or no one really knows...
> 
> Is this drop out just the mark of ultra-retro or what?
> 
> ...


Warren, Tim Paterek in his _The Paterek Manual for Bicycle Framebuilders_ essentially says it's number 3 on your list.



Tim Paterek said:


> Rear dropouts have two distinctly different ways that wheels are inserted: horizontal and vertical.
> 
> The horizontal style dropout allows slight fore and aft adjustment of the axle location after the wheel has been installed in the frame. This allows the framebuilder a little more leeway in the tolerances for chainstay length from the left to the right of the frame. In other words, one chainstay can be as much as 5mm longer than the other and horizontal dropouts will make up the difference. There are two major drawbacks of using horizontal dropouts: 1. The rear wheel can be difficult to install on frames with really short chainstays and shallow angled seat tubes. Occasionally a person will run into a frame on which the rear tire must be deflaed before it can be installed - bummer - there goes the pack down the road while you are letting the air out of your replacement wheel. 2. Unless the rear quick release is kept really tight, the rear wheel can shift to the left when heavy pressure is applied to the pedals. The immediate result is that the tire rubs hard against the inside of the left chainstay and acts as a brake. The harder you pedal the more the brake action increases - bummer - there goes that chance to break away from the pack on the steep ascent you were counting on.
> 
> The vertical style dropout allows for no fore and aft adjustment of the rear axle location. This gets to the one and only drawback of using vertical dropouts - there is no leeway for differences of chainstay length from the left toright sides of the bike. The framebuilder is forced to hold tight tolerances. On the bright side, the two problems described above, will never happen with vertical dropouts. My preference over the years has leaned heavily toward using vertical dropouts.


Vertical dropouts have become my preference as well.


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## Scooper (Mar 4, 2007)

As far as adjustmen of 1010 type dropouts is concerned, I aim to put the axle about halfway back.










The first step is to ensure the wheel is true both vertically and horizontally. Getting the rim within 1mm in both planes makes me happy, but some OCD types aim for 0.5mm. If the frame is new to you, verify the rear triangle is aligned using the string method (string from left dropout to the head tube, wrapped around the head tube, and terminated at the right dropout, and measure the distance from the string to the seat tube on both sides to verify they're the same). 

Once you've verified the wheel is true and the frame is aligned, put the wheel in the dropouts and adjust the axle in the dropouts so that it's centered between the seat stays and the chain stays. Adjust the dropout adjusting screws to so both are snugged up against the axle, then tighten the QR skewer. Spin the wheel and make sure it remains centered in both the seat stays and the chain stays.

To center the calipers, loosen the brake mounting bolt, apply the brake, then with the brake applied tighten the mounting bolt. Adjust the pads in the caliper slots so they are centered over the braking surface of the rim.

Others may do it differently, but this procedure works for me.


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