Misaligned frame

[SeS]

I have a CDA that I bought used a couple of years ago. It's the kind with the carbon seat stays. I'd always been concerned that there was little clearance between the stays and my 23c tires, but a friend with a sharper eye than I have pointed out that the left and right sides had quite different clearance. I was hoping it was a matter of wheel dish, but I had a shop check, and the frame alignment is off. There is no sign that the bike was ever crashed, and I consider the person who sold it to me as trustworthy, but she has since moved away. I'd also be surprised if the frame left the factory with this problem, but I suppose anything is possible.

As I see it, I have three options:
1- Ignore it.
2- Re-dish the wheel to improve the tire clearance, and leave the frame alone.
3- Try to have the frame straightened. As I understand it, that would involve un-bonding the seat stays, and would best be done by the factory and would cost $$$.

I am concerned that if the frame was somehow bent after it was made, then there could be quite a bit of stress in the carbon and that could lead to failure some time in the future. Is that a valid concern?

I'm a recreational rider, not especially strong, but I put on reasonable mileage that includes a lot of hills since I live in the mountains. Should I worry about riding a misaligned frame? Any recommendations about what to do?

Thanks.

[David Kirk]

Please try taking the wheel you have and putting it in backward and see what it looks like. This is a very quick way to see if you have a wheel problem of a frame problem.

Dave

[Peter B]

I'd be more inclined to question the shops alignment check methods than Serotta's. Accuracy sufficient to justify the repair you describe requires an alignment table and proper tools. Try what Dave suggests first, and if the bike handles properly just ride it.

[SeS]

Thanks, Dave. I just went and turned the wheel around, and the clearance to the tire is the same, with less on the non-drive side.

The shop that checked it for me removed the rear wheel and wrapped a string from one dropout around the headtube and back to the other dropout. Then measured from the string on each side to the frame (I can't remember exactly where on the frame) and showed me that the two side were quite different.

[Jeff N.]

I've seen many, many discrepancies between right and left chainstay/wheel clearances over the years, some a little bit asymetrical, some more than a little bit. My 'Nago Master is off a little as well as my Parlee Z1 and a few others, for example (NOT a wheel dish problem in these cases). Although I have talked to a few builders who say they can quickly remedy the problem (Bill Holland being one, probably by slightly reaming one of the dropouts, I just don't know), I stopped agonizing about it and just ride the dang things as they are...no problems have ever occured as a result. As long as the tires aren't rubbing the stays under any riding conditions, I figure there's nothing to fret about; same thing with regard to some bikes where the crank arm passes closer to the stay on one side when compared to the other...I used to lose a lot of sleep over stuff like that. Jeff N.

[SeS]

It's reassuring to hear that this problem is not uncommon. I haven't noted any handling issues, so I think I'm just going to ignore it. I would like to have an option to use slightly larger tires. If I decide to go up to 25's, I'll have the wheel re-dished. And if I want even bigger tires...well, that calls for a different bike. Thanks for the words of wisdom.

[ultraman6970]

If you want to be 100% sure the frame is twisted u have to use a string line and a piece of wood, then measure... if its in bad condition, more than 5 mms then u have to send that to a master builder because probably needs to be retouched using a descent table. Always u can do that too using hte string method. is not that hard and pretty obvious.

[Ralph]

Irregardless of how the rear wheel fits in the frame......does the rear wheel follow in the track of the front wheel?

[cmg]

Post a photo. HAVE you tried Evening the wheel between the stays and then locking it down tight?

[dekindy]

My used Colorado seems to be the same as you describe. The wheel was a little out of dish and when properly dished does not rub the frame but it is very close. My LBS said the same thing. Service manager measured it and said it was bent. I have not ridden the bike much on the street but I tried riding with no hands briefly and it wobbled a lot. Have not really investigated any further.

[ultraman6970]

That the frame woobled doesnt mean it is miss alligned. Could be even a tight headset or a front wheel that is not true.

[oldpotatoe]

That the frame woobled doesnt mean it is miss alligned. Could be even a tight headset or a front wheel that is not true.

Or because the frame is misaligned.

[Doug Fattic]

One of the most difficult aspects of building a frame is getting the chainstays to be precisely the same length so a rear wheel exactly centers in the plane of the frame. Just a slight difference in length is magnified more than 3 times out by the tire. Of course just because a wheel doesn't look centered between the stays doesn't mean it isn't centered in the plane of the frame. The chainstays don't have to be equally distantly spaced from the centerline in order to center the wheel.

This difficultly to get chainstays to be exactly the same length is why frames are often made with horizontal dropouts with screw adjusters. It is the easiest way to solve the chainstay length problem. I discourage my framebuilding class students from choosing vertical dropouts for just this reason unless they are taking the 3 week class so they have more time to fiddle. Even top dollar fixtures can't always by themselves assure every frame is correct. My guess is that if every expensive frame could be accurately checked with good framebuilder's equipment, a majority would not be able to put the front and rear wheel less than a half millimeter out of plane. Does it matter? I don't know how much it does. Having personally watched many of the classic European custom builders in the 70's build frames I know they didn't get them perfect. I also know I always took the extra time it requires to be within that half centimeter standard so it wouldn't ever be an issue with frames with my name on them.

[kohagen]

My guess is that if every expensive frame could be accurately checked with good framebuilder's equipment, a majority would not be able to put the front and rear wheel less than a half millimeter out of plane. I know I always took the extra time it requires to be within that half centimeter standard so it wouldn't ever be an issue with frames with my name on them.
Um, half cm or half mm? Makes a difference, no?

[Doug Fattic]

Um, half cm or half mm? Makes a difference, no?
I should have written half a millimeter both times and and not centimeter the second time. That was a typo. Fortunately I never considered a career as a proofreader.

[Kontact]

I wouldn't put up with a misaligned frame - and the alignment issue can probably be solved without unbonding the stays.

Ben says the factory is in full operation - why not send it to NY for tweak?

[oldpotatoe]

I wouldn't put up with a misaligned frame - and the alignment issue can probably be solved without unbonding the stays.

Ben says the factory is in full operation - why not send it to NY for tweak?

Agree, no bicycle frame unless it's the $15 variety should be not straight.