Cervelo S2 dropout puzzle

rubbernekker
Posts: 112
Hello All,
I'm looking for some help with a conundrum- I am the proud owner of a 2009 cervelo S2 which I have ridden problem free for almost 3 years now well over 10000km's. I am a bike mechanic by trade and since buying it I have changed the spec, wheels etc several times with the love, care and diligence that only a bike mechanic fixing his own bike during work time can muster.
My troubles are thus, after a short layoff, where I have been riding my TT bike when training for a triathlon, I returned to my road bike, after changing the wheels out for my carbons, I noticed that the rear wheel wasn't sitting centrally in the frame. No dramas I thought- I had recently built the carbon tubular maybe a little too light, so assumed the dish had drifted. I checked it at work later- it was fine.. I checked it with another wheel- it too was sitting centrally at the chain stay but approximately 2-3mm towards the seatstay. I checked the following things- Paint in the dropout (gently removed to bare metal), damage to the dropout caused by the axle stubs(none), flat spots on the axle stubs (on three seperate wheels, really?), bent QR's( 2 types used), loose misaligned mech hanger(removed cleaned sanded replaced)- but nothing has improved the situation.
I have concluded that the dropouts are no longer vertically aligned- with the non drive now being slightly higher than the drive side. I can see no ripples or cracks on the chain or seatstays, the addition of a 1mm thick curved steel shim between the axle stub and the dropout re-centres the wheel- So before I go crying back to a Cervelo dealer in NZ , where I now live- CAN ANYONE THINK OF ANYTHING I HAVE OVERLOOKED? Because I will look stupid if there is.
My second question is? How the feck does that happen? And before I hear the inevitable 'it must have always been like that!' - it really wasn't- I can count on my own incompetence but not of all those around me who work in some good shops on 3 continents, who would have noticed if my wheel, or indeed anything on my bike was worthy of taking the pi$s out of-
Your collective knowledge and wisdom can save me from ridicule- i hope
I'm looking for some help with a conundrum- I am the proud owner of a 2009 cervelo S2 which I have ridden problem free for almost 3 years now well over 10000km's. I am a bike mechanic by trade and since buying it I have changed the spec, wheels etc several times with the love, care and diligence that only a bike mechanic fixing his own bike during work time can muster.
My troubles are thus, after a short layoff, where I have been riding my TT bike when training for a triathlon, I returned to my road bike, after changing the wheels out for my carbons, I noticed that the rear wheel wasn't sitting centrally in the frame. No dramas I thought- I had recently built the carbon tubular maybe a little too light, so assumed the dish had drifted. I checked it at work later- it was fine.. I checked it with another wheel- it too was sitting centrally at the chain stay but approximately 2-3mm towards the seatstay. I checked the following things- Paint in the dropout (gently removed to bare metal), damage to the dropout caused by the axle stubs(none), flat spots on the axle stubs (on three seperate wheels, really?), bent QR's( 2 types used), loose misaligned mech hanger(removed cleaned sanded replaced)- but nothing has improved the situation.
I have concluded that the dropouts are no longer vertically aligned- with the non drive now being slightly higher than the drive side. I can see no ripples or cracks on the chain or seatstays, the addition of a 1mm thick curved steel shim between the axle stub and the dropout re-centres the wheel- So before I go crying back to a Cervelo dealer in NZ , where I now live- CAN ANYONE THINK OF ANYTHING I HAVE OVERLOOKED? Because I will look stupid if there is.
My second question is? How the feck does that happen? And before I hear the inevitable 'it must have always been like that!' - it really wasn't- I can count on my own incompetence but not of all those around me who work in some good shops on 3 continents, who would have noticed if my wheel, or indeed anything on my bike was worthy of taking the pi$s out of-
Your collective knowledge and wisdom can save me from ridicule- i hope
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