Twisted Touring Frame - Wheel Recommendations?

migle20

Hi all, first post so please pardon if this is in the wrong thread

TL;DR I'm after a 700c 22/3mm rim rear wheel or wheelset which would be suitable to tour on <£125

So I bought http://www.evanscycles.com/products/jamis/aurora-2014-touring-bike-ec054717 for the 1200 mile tour across France I did last August, since then I've been commuting on it to work and in a minor lapse in concentration I managed to somehow cycle into a car (lets not delve into that !!). Everyone/thing was fine bar my trusty stead.

The wheel was buckled beyond truing, so I ordered http://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/59833/MPart_Shimano_DeoreMavic_A319_Rear_Wheel this wheel along with a 30 piece tool kit rather than give in to getting a professional fitting it (buy a man a fish/buy a man a rod etc). After moving the freewheel across smoothly, not matter how much I adjusted the axel, the rim would be touching the brakepad even when the cantilever unhooked from the cable. After many painful hours, I finally submitted and took it into Evans today.

My orginial rim width was 22mm and the M:part rim is 25mm, pretty rookie mistake but as well as this, the mechanic located a small stress fracture where the seat stays meet the saddle post. As well, the seat posts are twisted ever so slightly (which another mechanic suggested a DIY washer of somesort in the drop out could level it out a bit more). I can post pictures of the frame if this helps anyone. So I'm still on a quest to find a wheel as a suitable replacement as my budget cannot stretch to fix what seems to be such a minor imperfection in the frame.

Thanks for any help!

JayKosta

Has the new wheel been checked to verify that the rim is centered between the locknuts on both sides of the axle? For example - was the wheel placed in a 'truing stand'?
You could also test by installing the wheel with the gears on the left side to see how that affects the location of the rim. If the rim is 'centered' on the axle then the position of the rim to the brake pads shouldn't change.

If the rim is not centered, then check to see if there appears to be any 'extra' or 'missing' washer/spacers on either side of the axle.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

migle20

JayKosta wrote:

Has the new wheel been checked to verify that the rim is centered between the locknuts on both sides of the axle? For example - was the wheel placed in a 'truing stand'?
You could also test by installing the wheel with the gears on the left side to see how that affects the location of the rim. If the rim is 'centered' on the axle then the position of the rim to the brake pads shouldn't change.

If the rim is not centered, then check to see if there appears to be any 'extra' or 'missing' washer/spacers on either side of the axle.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

No the wheel hadn't, but I did enquire if the wheel needed dishing, the mechanic was certain this wasn't an issue.
With the wheel flipped and the freewheel on the other side of the bike it ran smoothly, until the cantilevers were rehooked and again they were unable to freely move because of contact with the brakepads

JayKosta

You could try a DIY rear-end alignment check.
Place a round rod in the rear dropouts and measure to find the exact center.
Tie a string from center of the rod up to the center of the top of the seatpost.
Do an 'eyeball' check of the position of the string and the seat tube, and also the string, seat tube and head tube.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

Giraffoto

You need to get the frame sorted out. It may not ever let go catastrophically, but it will go at some point if you already have a fracture in it.

migle20

Giraffoto wrote:

You need to get the frame sorted out. It may not ever let go catastrophically, but it will go at some point if you already have a fracture in it.

Ideally yes I would - I do see you're from Aylesbury, I'm Slough based, do you have any recommendations on where I could remedy this? (and more importantly the damage..)

Here's a photo of the offender in question

Giraffoto

migle20 wrote:

Ideally yes I would - I do see you're from Aylesbury, I'm Slough based, do you have any recommendations on where I could remedy this? (and more importantly the damage..)

Sadly no, the last time I got a frame repaired was more than twenty years ago and in Swansea. But . . .

If you leave it like that, eventually the seat stay will let go and in the worst case, it will stick into you while you're falling off. If you get it repaired, you'll have to strip the frame, get it repaired (which will be welding and straightening, probably followed by reaming the seat tube) and then respray the frame before rebuilding it. Lots of time, lots of effort, lots of money. Notwithstanding the common claim that steel is so much better than any other material because it can be repaired and made as good as new, you'd have to have spent an awful lot on your frame in the first place to make it worthwhile. This may be a good time to investigate a new frame.

Also, if you always ride with the saddle set that low, you may want to consider a smaller frame next time.

migle20

Giraffoto wrote:

Sadly no, the last time I got a frame repaired was more than twenty years ago and in Swansea. But . . .

If you leave it like that, eventually the seat stay will let go and in the worst case, it will stick into you while you're falling off. If you get it repaired, you'll have to strip the frame, get it repaired (which will be welding and straightening, probably followed by reaming the seat tube) and then respray the frame before rebuilding it. Lots of time, lots of effort, lots of money. Notwithstanding the common claim that steel is so much better than any other material because it can be repaired and made as good as new, you'd have to have spent an awful lot on your frame in the first place to make it worthwhile. This may be a good time to investigate a new frame.

Also, if you always ride with the saddle set that low, you may want to consider a smaller frame next time.

Brilliant, that's all I needed to hear. Thanks for your help Giraffoto, I'm devastated!!