# so what does offset drop out mean?



## b4 stealth (Sep 9, 2007)

I was looking around on the specialized website for specs on my bike. I am shopping for some new wheels and was wondering what this meant.
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=34011
under technical specs it says 6mm offset horizontal dropouts, so what am I going to have to do to my wheels when I get them? and what does this measurement mean? and what benifits does it have? thanks for your help you guys.


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## teoz (Oct 8, 2007)

it means that frame has horizontal dropouts and that you can adjust rear wheel 6mm to the front or to the back so you can get good chain tension with no problem


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

teoz said:


> it means that frame has horizontal dropouts and that you can adjust rear wheel 6mm to the front or to the back so you can get good chain tension with no problem


Hell no. Most dropouts allow for about an inch of movement, AKA 25mm.

Specialized uses a rear end that is offset to one side by 6mm, that means that you have to dish your wheel over by 6mm for it to fit in the chainstay yoke, or else it'll rub on one side. According to them, it allows for more even spoke tension on a geared hub which could make for a stronger wheel, IMO, that's a load of crap.

FWIW, I would not buy specialized, crappy geo(stupid low BB and the TT is too short) and shitty business ethics(they made quite a few companies go broke due to their sue happy lawyers)


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## RaindogT (Oct 2, 2005)

snaky69 said:


> FWIW, I would not buy specialized, crappy geo(stupid low BB and the TT is too short) and shitty business ethics(they made quite a few companies go broke due to their sue happy lawyers)


While I agree with ALL that you said, It is completely off point to include it in your post. (not calling you out, just saying....)

Help the OP out with the question (which you did-- Kudos) and leave your opinions on the choice of bike out of it. Start a new thread about it if you need to get it all off of your chest....

Not trying to start anything, and I'm not sure why; it just rubbed me wrong.... sorry


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## JGill (May 2, 2008)

I also have an 08 P1 and I am doing just fine with it and I'm sorry you don't like my crappy bike...b4 stealth - I ended up lacing pimplites to the stock hubs. If the fork was a thru-axle, I would of just bought a new wheel set. You may think of having a set built (stock hubs or not). But those stock alex rims suck.


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## snaky69 (Mar 8, 2005)

JGill said:


> I also have an 08 P1 and I am doing just fine with it and I'm sorry you don't like my crappy bike...b4 stealth - I ended up lacing pimplites to the stock hubs. If the fork was a thru-axle, I would of just bought a new wheel set. You may think of having a set built (stock hubs or not). But those stock alex rims suck.


+1 on those rims sucking, I heard a lot of guys complain about them. Did you have yours trued and tensionned when you went out of the shop with them?


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## Demo-9 (Mar 24, 2006)

snaky69 said:


> Hell no. Most dropouts allow for about an inch of movement, AKA 25mm.
> 
> Specialized uses a rear end that is offset to one side by 6mm, that means that you have to dish your wheel over by 6mm for it to fit in the chainstay yoke, or else it'll rub on one side. According to them, it allows for more even spoke tension on a geared hub which could make for a stronger wheel, IMO, that's a load of crap.
> 
> FWIW, I would not buy specialized, crappy geo(stupid low BB and the TT is too short) and shitty business ethics(they made quite a few companies go broke due to their sue happy lawyers)


I agree 100% with the entire post. However since the OP already has the bike, it really does not help. But agreed that the frame has aweful geometry and rear wheel frame offset. If it is such a revelation, why doesn't every manufacturer do that?


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## JGill (May 2, 2008)

I took it home in the box and did it before I rode the bike. After every ride I found myself adjusting both the front and rear. 180's just murdered them. The only issue besides the fork (on a bike in that $ range of course) I had are the rims. Still have yet to have the low bb cause any problems though. But the deal was too good to pass up on the bike. Again, the bike works fine for me.


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## b4 stealth (Sep 9, 2007)

So when I get my wheels I have to dish them 6mm to the left (non drive side)? any recommendations on how to get it over exactly 6mm? i know how to adjust dish, just not by a given amount, i only know how to center it. I have a truing stand and a good spoke wrench. but I don't have a dishing tool, and would like to avoid buying one(have been rather heavy on bike related purchases lately) Thanks for the help you guys. And yes, I agree, the stock rims and hubs do suck. in fact I just retensioned the front, to get more of a balance to the spokes, and I realized that in the front DISC wheel, all the spokes were the same length :madman: but luckily once I replace the wheels I will be very happy with the setup I have on it. And what everybody calls a low BB has given me no issues, I have just as much center clearance as I do on my XC bike, although the XC bike does have a triple ring, as opposed to a 34t bash. but oh well, I think the geo feels good for me. anyway, Thanks again for the help, and sorry for the noobishness,

PS, as far as buying a Spesh again, I wouldn't, not because I don't like the bike, but because my LBS has given me a horrible experience.


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## JGill (May 2, 2008)

A dish tool is always nice to have around...


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## phydeaux37 (Aug 7, 2007)

I did mine by just putting the wheel in the drop outs and centering it up. Do it with out a tire mounted and you should be able to get the rim in there. 6mm is a lot of turning on the spokes, took me a while but it was my first time and I was being overly cautious. 1/4 turn at a time, must have taken me an hour. If your building/having the wheel built use the same length spoke on both sides.


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## b4 stealth (Sep 9, 2007)

phydeaux37 said:


> I did mine by just putting the wheel in the drop outs and centering it up. Do it with out a tire mounted and you should be able to get the rim in there. 6mm is a lot of turning on the spokes, took me a while but it was my first time and I was being overly cautious. 1/4 turn at a time, must have taken me an hour. If your building/having the wheel built use the same length spoke on both sides.


I am buying the wheel prebuilt, so do you think I will have an issue with spoke length?
that would suck the biggest C, cuz I am very stoked about these wheels, 48 spoke, triple wall, indestructable goodness.


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## phydeaux37 (Aug 7, 2007)

I didn't on mine. The non drive side spokes stick out of the back of the nipples a little. I used the cloth velox rim tape instead of a rubber strip to be sure they wouldn't get the tube.


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## joelalamo45 (Aug 3, 2006)

I ran a 2007 P-1 and had Funn 48's on it. Not a custom lace job or anything, just bought a wheel and put it on. I never had any issues with offset. But then again I'm a bike tech idiot and I just huck stuff. So I may be wrong. Kill me.


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