Quote:
Originally Posted by David Tollefson
You likely won't feel anything amiss in the ride.
Another question is whether the brake bridge and seatstays are centered to the plane of the frame in that location.
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Re: The centering of the brake bridge-That was going to be my suggestion as well-before you go filing anything, I suggest using a vernier to confirm the brake bridge (specifically the hole) is centered between the seatstays. Easy enough for a home mechanic to do.
The "no-hands" test is my litmus test for whether a frame is "straight enough", so if it passes measurement above, try riding it. There's a certain amount of error you just won't notice. Of course, if the brake hole is off center, resulting in the brake being cocked to one side proper centering, that's not good either.
If the brake bridge is centered and you've already confirmed the wheel is dished correctly, and you've already followed Dave Kirk's instructions to verify the wheel is sitting properly in the dropouts, then you could conclude the rear end is not constructed to allow the wheel to align in both planes.
Since the frame was ordered from a foreign country, I can understand why you'd be reluctant to shipping it back. If you have a good local builder, it would be worth taking it to them to confirm if the wheel sits out of plane to the frame. Most have a simple, accurate tool that when combined with a surface plate will show the error instantly.
If you go this route, bring a camera and photograph the error. Armed with irrefutable evidence, the original builder is more likely to make you whole, one way or another.
I mention all this because I had a custom frame built which pulled to one side. I brought it to a highly respected local builder and he ran through a complete alignment check, at my expense. With that information I was able to get a prompt refund from the original builder (it was the second time I sent the frame back. The first time I gave the builder the opportunity to correct his "mistakes".)
Let the forum know the results of your testing and if the builder does right by you in the end.