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Old 11-13-04, 11:48 AM
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T-Mar
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Good advice from both Drevil and Retrogtouch. Get the dishing and true verified. Then check on the frame without the tire mounted, to minimize any impact.

If it's still out, you can perform Drevil's string check. The brake and front derailleur post should be just high enough, even though the Powerwing does not have a seat tube. However, if things indicate an alignment problem, you still need to determine if the wheel is skewed relative to the longitudinal axis of the frame, or simply offest, but parallel ot this axis.

To check tracking, tie a string around the rear rim in the 8:00 o'clock position (when viewed from drive side). Stand in front of the bicycle and pull the string taught and move it laterally until it just grazes the rear rim at the 4:00 o'clock position. A perfect tracking bicycle will have the string just graze the front wheel at the 4:00 and 8:00 o'clock positions. If it doesn't, turn the steering so that the front rim grazes the string at the 8:00 o'clock position and measure the distance between the string and front rim at the 4:00 o'clock position. This measurement will be 2x the apparent misalignment at the rear stays if it is simply offset, but 9.3x if the wheel if skewed (assuming 700C rims, typical 1000mm wheelbase). You'll find a extra person or two is handy when performing this check.

The fact that the Powerwing is made for from heat treated aluminum and has such large chainstay sections makes it impractical to cold set a misaligned frame. Filing the vertical dropouts will only correct for a skewed rear wheel. Small parallel offset is easily remedied by removing or adding washers/spacers on the rear hub.

Good luck with the Powerwing. Some people find it impossible to adjust to the beam. Personally, my quads were too big and rubbed on the beam due to its width and high position. It was OK in cycling shorts, but when riding in a bathing suit during a triathlon, the chaffing was terrible. Even liberal applications of Vaseline did not help. Within a year I sold mine a got a GT Vengeance. I went from the most comfortable to the harshest ride possible.
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