Cannot work out for the life of me if it's the frame or me. I have a 3 year old high quality steel hardtail frame from a well-respected brand. I put new (wider) wheels on it a few months ago so I could run fatter tyres and noticed the front mech was rubbing on the tyre. Close inspection showed the rear wheel wasn't straight in the dropouts. Got a bike shop to check the wheel was straight, and they stuck an alignment tool in and confirmed the frame was 2-3mm out of alignment at the dropouts.

Spoke to the manufacturer, who gave me a warranty replacement straight away. Put that together today to find the wheel was well out of line again! Sits ok in the chainstays but well over in the seat stays. Put the wheel in my full suss frame but it's fine in there. Put the wheel from my full suss into the hardtail and that's skewed as well. So I can only guess the frame's out of whack.

Can there be anything I'm doing wrong here? I can't believe a frame of this quality is missing alignment checks in manufacturing…

Don't want to name the brand as they've been very good about it and don't deserve an internet bashing IMO but any thoughts gratefully received

where was it made?

Defo not wheel dish?

Not a build up of paint in the dropout is it?If it's straight between the chainstays, but not between the seatstays you may get find it's built up in the bottom of the dropout and just needs cleaning up with a round file.

I bent the chainstay on my inbred. Don;t hink it was bent when I got it, but I did get sorted

About 7 years ago I got a Merlin XLM that was shipped about 8mm out at the back axle, measured with a frame alignment tool. It's replacement was spot on.

I have a sidekick where the dropouts are wonky, as such I run the axle bolted slightly lower in one side than the other to counter it.

This must have been a one off as my two trailstars have been fine..

Its alright like that, just a little annoying.

fritz

i'm guessing it's a cotic.. i remember a post a while back woth some one complaining about the same thing. a fwe other people admitted the same thing had occured with their frames….

i'd discount a dished wheel if it fits fine in your FS. bad show if it's the same problem with both frames (old and replacememnt)…. pics would be good.

sorry to cotic if it is not one of theirs…..