Should the rear wheel move sideways slightly under breaking?

JohnBoyUK

Another stupid question. Just unpacking the new steed and was giving it the once over and noticed when I pull the rear brake the wheel moves ever so slightly sideways. Is that normal? We're talking 1-2mm if that but its noticable.

Wheel doesnt look bucked habing checked both sides against the brake blocks, the wheel is in true etc.

Made me get the Allez out to compare amd that is exactly the same.

Someone please put my mind at rest. Am I being extra cautious.

alfablue

You just need to centre the brake callipers, grab them with your hand and you should be able to adjust them so they are equidistant from the rim, then it wont move it sideways. They easily get knocked off-centre particularly when the wheel is removed.

(I don't know what bike you have, I am assuming you have road brakes, if you have v-brakes then its different).

I am assuming that the wheel is properly located in the dropouts. It is best to tighten the quick-release whilst the bike is resting on the wheels, if you tighten it with no load on the wheel (like if you have the bike in a stand or upside down) it is easy to get it slightly off-centre. Check this first.

keef66

Unless your calipers are centred exactly, a bit of lateral movement is inevitable and nowt to worry about.

Unless you really do mean breaking.....