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RIght, I love my hard tail but we have an ongoing relationship issue (not sure if this is common to any other bikes/frames). My bike is a Decathlon (don't laugh) 2007 Rockrider 8.2 (frame now an 8xc - see below).
The rear wheel does not sit square in the frame. It seems relatively evenly spaced between the seat stays, but down where the wheel clears the chain stay it is much closer to the left hand side stay. When I run a fatter tyre, like a 2.25 Ardent on the rear (which I quite like), the mud clearance gets very poor on the one side.
Now, I have tried the following:
- checking the dishing of the wheel - should not be this in theory if it clears the seat stay evenly though?
- checking if the wheel is buckled, (it is ever so slightly, but not enough and the clearance is always poor when the wheel is rotated, not at only part way round the rotation, as you would expect with a bad buckle)
- tightened up QR skewer (just in case I was being very thick)
- had the frame changed under warranty - the problem seems as bad on the 2010 or 11? Rockrider 8xc replacement frame as my original Rockrider 8.2. New frame is very similar (basically the difference between the two bikes was the parts). New frame possibly has some extra reinforcements. Bike is now outside warranty - I changed frame in December of last year, 4.5 years into warranty.
Now, I am thinking it might be either just the bad tooling in the factory, or I am too fussy. I have not tried the following, but I don't know if I am just getting desperate:
- changing the mech hanger (surely the axle rests on the frame though, so I expect this to make no difference)
- changing the rear wheel for another (would borrow another just to see). Again, if it seems only mis-aligned in one part, don't think this will help
Any ideas?
Depends on the alignment of your rear wheel - if the spokes weren't done up right when built, the non-drive side ones could be pulling the whole rim to that side? I'd take the wheel into a bike shop with a truing stand and get them to take a look. Wouldn't cost much to fix if it is the cause.
Edit: just re-read your post - some frames have a difference each side around the bb/chainstay area to ensure that the clearance/chain line is correct. Maybe that's it? I'm not familiar with your frame unfortunately so just guessing...
mech hanger won't do it, neither will different wheel if you've checked dishing already.
Does sound odd, but it's a low-ish end frame?
Does it cause any actual problems?
Frame is low end-ish (Rockrider 8 xc used to sell for circa £1500 though, but I am sure mass produced with the rest of the Decathlon stuff).
Had checked dishing of the wheel, but seems ok. Just seems odd it only happens on one part of the frame (i.e. lower down behind bottom bracket at seat stay).
Bump for evening crowd.
Rode again tonight at a muddy QE2. Mud clearance was annoying again.
Should I just buy an On-One with massive tyre clearance and hopefully better alignment?
Have you checked frame alignment yourself?
Easy enough with nothing more than a piece of string. Hold one end against a dropout, run the string around the headtube, then back down to the same point on the opposite dropout. Now check the distance between seat tube and the string on both sides. A crooked frame will be closer on one side.
At least then you can stop worrying about wheels etc.
I bent my hardtail last week.
Everything looks spot on except the tyre touches the chainstay on one side.
After much messing, it looks like the dropout is deformed on one side, allowing the wheel to sit on the piss. A bit of packing (1mm) and it looks fine at the tyre. Do I ride it like that?
All the usual measurements sho no problem. Can you scare up a spare wheel to check?
Frame bent and misaligned wheel are separate issues.
Put the wheel in the wrong way around and see if its the same clearance issue.