Add modern derailleur to vintage Dawes frame with horizontal dropouts?

[edwarrj1]

I have a 1980s hand-built Dawes Aristocrat frame that I currently use as a single speed bike.

This is not my bike, but shows pictures of the same model as originally sold:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/markgell/4228412292/in/pool-dawes_galaxy|markgell

It is a nice frame and I would like to upgrade it and make it up into a nice bike for riding around on.

I would like to add a modern derailleur (a Deore of some sort would be nice), but was told by my local bike shop that they knew of no way of fitting modern derailleurs (in particular those for use with upwards of 8 sprockets) to frames that do not have a derailleur hanger. (It may be difficult to see from the photos, but the frame has front-facing horizontal dropouts with no derailleur hanger.) They are very helpful and know that they can fit me a Tourney and have said that they will look into other options as well when I take the bike in (they are not sure about brazing in new dropouts, as they do not want to damage the frame when taking out the old ones).

Does anyone know if it is possible to do this without changing the dropouts and if so, how this might be done?

Many thanks everyone!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

One of these will do the trick: link. Just bolts into the dropout slot and will then take your choice of mech.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

There's a Shimano drop out converter on ebay for the princely sum of £3.75
that should do the job

Beat me to it

 

[eck]

Also check that the OLN - the width between the drop-outs - is wide enough to accommodate a modern hub. Someone who knows more about this than I do will be along shortly, but I think it needs to be 130mm.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Wot they said above. I put a Shimano Alivio (sp?) onto an old Dawes - used with the original friction shifters no probs at all using one of those little dropout wotsits linked to above.

PS - re what @eck says if you want to put a modern hub in there too it will be a bit of a squeeze but it should go in OK (my Dawes has one) but you won't be able to access the smallest sprocket without the chain fouling on the frame. I've put in an 11-31 freewheel (hence the Alivio which has a big capacity). It's a pain when changing a puncture by the side of the road tho, cause it does need a bit of oomph to squeeze that longer hub in there.

 

[PatrickPending]

yes I've used the item mentioned in post no 1 on a 1974 Carlton frame. Works a treat. Running a 9 speed rear on it - quite surprised your bike shop didn't think it possible - did they try and push you in the direction of a new bike,,,

 

[edwarrj1]

Thanks everyone. Your help is much appreciated!

I think the frame has already been cold set to be honest and now is about 132-135 mm at the back... Your replies give me hope. I was hoping to not have to resort to the Tourney, as I had one in the past and the indexing wasn't all that great...