Seatstay reinforcers?

[suhacycles]

Hey ya'll,

Just wondering, do those diamond-shaped seatstay reinforcers that get brazed in with the brake bridge really help with strengthening the joint? I've used 14 and 16mm stays (0.6 walls) without them and was wondering if I'm really missing anything...

Thanks,
Hansen

[EricKeller]

edited for reading comprehension problems. The reinforcers allow you to use silver. There were some treks built without them and they are known to break occasionally.

[e-RICHIE]

Hey ya'll,

Just wondering, do those diamond-shaped seatstay reinforcers that get brazed in with the brake bridge really help with strengthening the joint? I've used 14 and 16mm stays (0.6 walls) without them and was wondering if I'm really missing anything...

Thanks,
Hansen

hansen -
how many have you done so far atmo?

[suhacycles]

3 frames total - 2 with 16mm stays, 1 with 14mm. All road bikes and no fractures anywhere... so far...

[WadePatton]

they're handy for when you've over-shortened the bridge (and you only have one bridge). sure are.

[suhacycles]

edited for reading comprehension problems. The reinforcers allow you to use silver. There were some treks built without them and they are known to break occasionally.

Can you clarify? The actual joint broke or the seatstay wall near the joint?

[suhacycles]

they're handy for when you've over-shortened the bridge (and you only have one bridge). sure are.

Good to know, especially considering that I initially thought they worked kinda like star reinforcers for bottle bosses (bridge through the hole) but I guess not!

[WadePatton]

Good to know, especially considering that I initially thought they worked kinda like star reinforcers for bottle bosses (bridge through the hole) but I guess not!

oh, i see. yes one could fit them up that way. what i actually used were for the bottle bosses. or simply "pretty shims to finish the work today not fab up more or wait on the ups/mail truck_on my own bike"

i never really thought of them as "necessary" at either end of the bike. maybe i should rethink.

[steve garro]

Good to know, especially considering that I initially thought they worked kinda like star reinforcers for bottle bosses

they do. they keep the sharp edge of the brace from folding into the thin stay. ditto on H2O diamonds - i saw too many H2O bosses pulled out of thinwall MTB downtubes - just takes one aspen branch & then you have two big open holes in your DT - less then ideal. - Garro.

[Curt Goodrich]

I don't think the seat stay reinforcements do anything. I can see the theoretical argument for them but there's countless bikes built with and without them. The only reason that joint fails is through bad torch work. I know I've built hundreds with and hundreds without them. Some silver brazed and some brass. Zero failures. I use them because I like the way they look. I can't see any other reason beyond that.

[Dave Kirk]

I don't think the seat stay reinforcements do anything. I can see the theoretical argument for them but there's countless bikes built with and without them. The only reason that joint fails is through bad torch work. I know I've built hundreds with and hundreds without them. Some silver brazed and some brass. Zero failures. I use them because I like the way they look. I can't see any other reason beyond that.

I agree. I've both brass and silver brazed thousands of bridges without plates and some are now 20 years old and they are still out there in use.

If you like the way the plates work then go crazy and have fun with them.

Dave

[Tom Kellogg]

I agree. I've both brass and silver brazed thousands of bridges without plates and some are now 20 years old and they are still out there in use.If you like the way the plates work then go crazy and have fun with them.
Dave

Same here. One additional bit: Back in the day that we all used Cinelli diamonds, they had a bulged flange to fit inside of the brake bridge. The nice thing with them was that they guaranteed huge contact between the end of the bridge and the diamond because even if your mitering sucked, the flange ran up inside of the bridge. I have seen many frames built with that combination over the years of refinishing and even with very poor workmanship, they hold up just fine. If you don't do a nice job mitering and brazing without that inner flange, all bets are off. Just be careful.

[suhacycles]

Thanks, gentlemen. I now have a great excuse to get some 12" or 14" round files to perfect those bridge miters.

[Charles Lathe]

Thanks, gentlemen. I now have a great excuse to get some 12" or 14" round files to perfect those bridge miters.

Or a six inch half round.

[Tommy Nash]

I like roughing out my bridges with the larger 60grit sanding drums on a dremel, then finishing with files. Makes quick work of the little buggers.

And if you get a little over zealous those reinforcers come in handy.