Misaligned rear triangle - commonplace?

Bordersroadie

My Cube Streamer, new in Dec 2011, came with Easton wheels. I noticed from new that the clearance to the seat stays and the chainstays (ie how close the tyre is at the sidewall) was tighter on the right than the left side.

I put this down to the 18/20 spoke cheap Easton wheels (of which reviews said they go out of true easily) so did nothing about it.

A few months ago I got a pair of very nice handbuilt wheels and noticed that the clearance is the same - rim biased towards the non-drive side.

This is not a problem per se but the rear brake is obviously pulling off centre and any hope of putting 25c tyres in for winter use is impossible. The brake works fine, I just adjusted the pads to compensate, and I've ridden 500 miles a month on it with no problem, including some pretty hairy Dolomite downhills.

I just keep meaning to ask you guys, is this a common issue? I assume as it's an Alu frame there's no way to adjust it. The reason I thought of posting is that the free copy of Cycling plus (thanks to the Wiggle Sportive) mentioned in its bike tests that some frames had out-of-line rear triangles.

I guess I could just ask my local wheel builder to redish the wheel but I shouldn't really have to do this and the wheel would be unusable in another frame.

cycleclinic

Wheels are dished to the centre of the hub no the frame! Have you aapporched the shop you bought it from compared to another cube streamer? I do not sell or ride cubes so I cannot answer this definitively.

Bordersroadie

I realise that wheels are dished to the centre of the hub hence my closing comment.

The bike was bought from CRC so the idea of sending it back to Northern Ireland is a non-starter, and I live many miles from any other Cube dealer, which is why I plan to do nothing - I was just interested to hear whether or not this was just a common thing with mass produced cheapish aluminium frames like the Cube.

topdude

How about putting the wheel in the other way round and see how it sits then.
Still close to same side of frame, the frame is out.
Close to other side of frame, both wheels are incorrectly dished.

ugo.santalucia

Two mis-dished wheels sound suspicious
There is a relatively simple way to check if the rear triangle is misaligned... check out Sheldon Brown website for details.

Bordersroadie

Ugo,

Thanks for the tip. I'm familiar with Sheldon's technique as I've respaced old steel 126mm OLN frames to 130 before and have another to do soon.

To be honest, I'm assuming that two separate sets of wheels, one factory, one handbuilt, cannot possibly have the same dishing error (especially as the recent set was handbuilt at huge expense!) so it has to be the frame that's out.

topdude

To be honest, I'm assuming that two separate sets of wheels, one factory, one handbuilt, cannot possibly have the same dishing error (especially as the recent set was handbuilt at huge expense!) so it has to be the frame that's out

You are probably right but it would take two minutes to try the wheel the other way round and will provide an answer your question :?

Bordersroadie

topdude wrote:

To be honest, I'm assuming that two separate sets of wheels, one factory, one handbuilt, cannot possibly have the same dishing error (especially as the recent set was handbuilt at huge expense!) so it has to be the frame that's out

You are probably right but it would take two minutes to try the wheel the other way round and will provide an answer your question :?

You're absolutely right, I may do as you suggest, thanks for the tip. I sold the old (brand new) wheels so can't check them now.