Frame Tolerance, Is This Acceptable?

A new SS 29er arrived today mail order, on closer inspection it seems the rear triangle has been welded wonky, ive tried the wheel in both ways it’s not a dishing issue, it’s out by a good 5mm, is this a acceptable tolerance for a frame? or should i send it back and see if i get a better one?

If there’s no paint stopping the wheel seating properly in the dropout send the pic to sellers and ask them to organise collection.

Sorry about posting on the bike forum, I promise not to do it too often.

I wouldn’t be happy with that. Does it make the brake rub? Suppose it could be the dropouts

I’d return it under warranty, no question.

The the top tube looks slightly out where it joins the seat tube, this has had a knock on effect on the non drive side seat stay which looks (by eye) that its been welded on lower that the drive side, and this has made the dropout lower on the none drive side, i think this is what’s causing it.

Just don’t want the manufacturer to turn round and say it’s within tolerance.

Thanks for the replies everyone, its the first time ive had a a bike by this manufacture and it’s disappointing. Will send it back and get another one, hopefully it’ll be better!
Will post here when it arrives.

Just don’t want the manufacturer to turn round and say it’s within tolerance.

Surely it doesn’t matter what they say? It mail order you can return it under the distance selling regs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theoneshow/consumer/2009/08/27/get_your_refund_distance_selli.html

Just don’t want the manufacturer to turn round and say it’s within tolerance.

A new SS 29er arrived today mail order

Distance selling regs. 🙂

yup, you can send it back for a refund for no better reason than you just like sending parcels, or it’s not quite your favourite shade of white, whatever.

(i’d send it back, and even i can make a frame that’s straighter than that)

Im sure it’ll get it sorted think the dealer has a 28 day return policy too.

What do we reckon – Cannondale?

When I saw a thread about wonky frames, I assumed it’d be an Intense… But looking at the pics, it’s far too straight for that.

What do we reckon – Cannondale?

certainly looks like it

A good chance it’s something Flash, Druidh. They’ll probably claim it’s wear and tear and the poor retailer will have a miserable time sorting it out.

Yeah Cannondale SS 29er, thinking about i got a Canyon 29er in summer ‘which has a thru axle drop out, if that had a come this wonky i think id have trouble getting the axle in without cross threading it.
Will send it back a hope the next comes one comes without the wonkyness!
Will update the thread when the new one arrives.

My Giant XTC was out about that much and I got it replaced under warranty. Couldn’t honestly say that it really made an appreciable difference, but it bugged me- if it’s new and it’s not right why put up with it?

And I wouldn’t let it put you off Cannondale (or whoever), at least until they’ve had a chance to make it right- all brands will have the odd duff one.

I bought a Corratec from CRC which rode in circles. CRC sent someone to pick up the bike and promptly refunded so I thought it worth trying again for the same bike. The price had gone up but CRC honoured the original price, and the replacement rides straight.

When you look from the front of the bike the wheel is offset to the seat tube, dont know how much it would effect the ride, but im not going to ride it anyway obvouisly, I certainly wont right them off, just hope its sorted out and the new one comes strait.

Perhaps it’s meant to be wonky? I have an old cannondale ht that is not symmetrical at the back end but that’s how it’s meant to be.

Asymmetrical chainstays are usually made for drivetrain clearance. Often the drive side chainstay is lower and/or curved, and may attach to the bottom bracket in a different manner or location than the other chainstay.

It still puts the tire/wheel on the bike centerline, though. The OP’s frame clearly does not.

Those are seat stays anyway – almost never asymmetrical.

What causes that is getting the seat stay length a bit wrong.

Remove the rear wheel QR from the rear hub and have a good look to make sure the rear wheel is fully into the rear dropouts, right to the top.

On an Turner frame (new) there was an overspray on the inside of one dropout that did this to me.

O/T ahwiles Ive emailed you. Im in Ladybower tomorrow am if good

What she said a post further up if its not sat square in the dropout it will cock over
To one side, is the wheel vertical

Hope hub?

Aren’t frames welded together from batches of identical tubes in a jig ?
How do they end up making one different to the others ?

Hope hub?

laughing.

yes. they are always a bit on the big side. Like CK headsets are on the small side.

Hope hubs have a 10mm axle. Paint is occasionally thicker than it should be. A couple of seconds with a file and every one is a winner.

Aren’t frames welded together from batches of identical tubes in a jig ?
How do they end up making one different to the others ?

Possibly, by not getting one dropout fully home in the jig’s dummy axle. That is if it’s not just paint in the dropout.

In what universe is 5mm an acceptable deviation from centreline? I very much doubt the paint is that thick – send it back.

It wouldn’t be 5mm of paint, less than 1mm at the spindle would tip the wheel 5mm at the rim

can we get a picture of the axle with the ruler. that will show if it’s the frame or the wheel/hub or not!

If you send it back under distance selling regs you’ll have to pay the cost of sending it back.

If you send it back warranty (which it clearly is!) then the company should re-imburse your return postage costs or collect the item.

Wrap a piece of string from the outside of one dropout, round the headtube and back to the outside of the opposing dropout. Measure the distace from the string to the centre of the seattube on each side. If it’s not the same then it’s the frame, if it’s the same look for other possibilities.

That’s for measuring chainstay errors or rear triangle offset – not vertical offset like in this case. The way I do it (apart from the method the OP used) is to put a tyreless wheel in and eyeball the rim against the seat tube.

how the wheel rim meaure up against chainstays? seattube?

if this is a dropout issue(axle not horizontal across both dropouts) then on a small issue (like paint etc) at the dropout will lead to a big error at the wheel rim (vertical – setastays, for and aft – chainstays)

my caad8 road bike has a slighly larger lefthand drop hole to always have to make sure axle is right place before tighthening the QR or it is out at the chainstays

Its still out at the chainstays and off at the seatube im going to double check it now, but i think the rear triangle has just been welded wonky, ie seat stay junction weld is lower on the seat tube, effecting the er… drop of the dropout. I dont mind stuff being out by a bit, but this is noticeable by eye from the front of the bike.

Cheer for the comments and help everyone! 🙂

laughing.

yes. they are always a bit on the big side.

Welleither you’re being sarcastic, or you’re taking the piss. I can’t quite decide. Every time I had to fit a hope hub in a reputable brand with proper R&D and quality check they have been spot on.

Why i think one drop out is lower than the other.