a.twiddler
Veteran
Reinforcing the Linear
After seeing a Youtube video by CJ Hoyle regarding a frame bracing plate that he’d had welded to his early Linear ro restore it after his frame developed a crack I was motivated to find out about getting a diagram so I could make one from scrap alloy and get it welded up, to future proof mine. I emailed Peter Stull of Bicycle Man, New York who are the current manufacturers of the updated Linear. I hoped he could send me some dimensions at least but he emailed back stating he had some ready made in stock. Postage was pushing the limits a bit but I ordered one from the USA. Time would tell once I’d got it in hand and compared the fit, and managed to get an aluminium welder to fit it.
The reinforcing plate came in good time. As expected, it took less time to come from USA to Heathrow than it took to get from Heathrow to here. Still, no unexpected charges so that was a bonus. It was sharply cut, and looked as if it would fit, though until I took the rear fork off to try I wouldn’t be sure. It’s a chunky bit of metal, and seems thicker than the rear frame material itself.
After some phone calls I found someone to weld it the next day.
After stripping the rear end off the Linear I found I needed to modify the plate to fit. My reinforcing plate was a little long and would block the seat stays. I shortened it, and opened out the front end to allow it to fit flush over the existing frame welds before taking it to be welded.
After cleaning up the rear frame I discovered a tiny tiny incipient crack like a tiny deep scratch on the left side. I hoped that welding the plate on would bridge it and make it a non issue
The welder said the crack was no problem, would grind it out and fill it with weld before welding the plate in place.
Phone call 2 hours later. Ready. Good service!
Before
After
Back in the garage, tyre clearance was a bit tight. The original rear wheel on the Linear was 26” but the previous owner fitted a 700C. Something that I hadn’t taken into account that was that the plate would have been designed to fit the original specification. I needed to do some careful filing especially with the mudguard being a bit tight already.
One of my main concerns when buying this Linear was the possibility of rear frame cracks as it’s a known problem with the early models especially after hard use. I inspected it minutely when I went to collect it, and again when I was getting it ready for the road and it seemed fine. I’ve used this bike quite a lot in the two years I’ve had it so the potential crack has obviously developed in that time. A caution to Iowa Linear owners -check your rear frame regularly or fit a reinforcing plate if you can, for peace of mind.
The wheel to mudguard clearance is satisfactory now, after fitting rear brake, Linear carrier bracket, stays and all. After I refitted the wheel, hub gear cable stop, and connected/adjusted the gear cable it all looks good. I double checked the chain length as it’s quite droopy but it’s correct from when I set up the front double chainrings last year -big/big plus two links.
The mudguard is trimmed so that the lower end of it now rests against the base of the rear brake mounting block rather than inside the cross piece of the reinforcing plate. Not ideal -it doesn’t give the same coverage to the end of the main frame that it did before. I’ve also slackened the brakes off slightly as due to slight irregularity of the wheel they have been rubbing slightly.
The wheel now spins freely.
A short test ride shows the frame as being noticeably stiffer, and everything works as it should. A proper ride is needed to suss it out properly, once the weather cools off a bit.
After seeing a Youtube video by CJ Hoyle regarding a frame bracing plate that he’d had welded to his early Linear ro restore it after his frame developed a crack I was motivated to find out about getting a diagram so I could make one from scrap alloy and get it welded up, to future proof mine. I emailed Peter Stull of Bicycle Man, New York who are the current manufacturers of the updated Linear. I hoped he could send me some dimensions at least but he emailed back stating he had some ready made in stock. Postage was pushing the limits a bit but I ordered one from the USA. Time would tell once I’d got it in hand and compared the fit, and managed to get an aluminium welder to fit it.
The reinforcing plate came in good time. As expected, it took less time to come from USA to Heathrow than it took to get from Heathrow to here. Still, no unexpected charges so that was a bonus. It was sharply cut, and looked as if it would fit, though until I took the rear fork off to try I wouldn’t be sure. It’s a chunky bit of metal, and seems thicker than the rear frame material itself.
After some phone calls I found someone to weld it the next day.
After stripping the rear end off the Linear I found I needed to modify the plate to fit. My reinforcing plate was a little long and would block the seat stays. I shortened it, and opened out the front end to allow it to fit flush over the existing frame welds before taking it to be welded.
After cleaning up the rear frame I discovered a tiny tiny incipient crack like a tiny deep scratch on the left side. I hoped that welding the plate on would bridge it and make it a non issue
The welder said the crack was no problem, would grind it out and fill it with weld before welding the plate in place.
Phone call 2 hours later. Ready. Good service!
Before
After
Back in the garage, tyre clearance was a bit tight. The original rear wheel on the Linear was 26” but the previous owner fitted a 700C. Something that I hadn’t taken into account that was that the plate would have been designed to fit the original specification. I needed to do some careful filing especially with the mudguard being a bit tight already.
One of my main concerns when buying this Linear was the possibility of rear frame cracks as it’s a known problem with the early models especially after hard use. I inspected it minutely when I went to collect it, and again when I was getting it ready for the road and it seemed fine. I’ve used this bike quite a lot in the two years I’ve had it so the potential crack has obviously developed in that time. A caution to Iowa Linear owners -check your rear frame regularly or fit a reinforcing plate if you can, for peace of mind.
The wheel to mudguard clearance is satisfactory now, after fitting rear brake, Linear carrier bracket, stays and all. After I refitted the wheel, hub gear cable stop, and connected/adjusted the gear cable it all looks good. I double checked the chain length as it’s quite droopy but it’s correct from when I set up the front double chainrings last year -big/big plus two links.
The mudguard is trimmed so that the lower end of it now rests against the base of the rear brake mounting block rather than inside the cross piece of the reinforcing plate. Not ideal -it doesn’t give the same coverage to the end of the main frame that it did before. I’ve also slackened the brakes off slightly as due to slight irregularity of the wheel they have been rubbing slightly.
The wheel now spins freely.
A short test ride shows the frame as being noticeably stiffer, and everything works as it should. A proper ride is needed to suss it out properly, once the weather cools off a bit.
