Uncentered Wheel Safety?
 

I spent mega bucks on a custom breakaway frame. The rear wheel mounts off center. The Dorky builder said it's not his problem.
I'm paranoid because a simple bad gasket in the header of another bike caused side swipe during fast mountain descent- and resulted in massive catastrophic crashes at high speed. I worry so much about the safety of the frame it has never been ridden (going on 5 yrs). I've spoken to a number of other frame builders and for unknown reasons they won't take on frame modification.

So is this mega bucks frame to be nothing more than wall art or is there anything that can be done?

Many thanks
Tam

First you need to confirm whether it's your frame or the wheel that's out of alignment. All you need is a piece of string.

Is this even a bicycle?
"a simple bad gasket in the header of another bike"

You're not giving us much to work with here. Your "bad gasket" thing sounds like a motorcycle problem, not a bike problem, unless your terminology isn't what most people use.
Of course. Can't help you with your paranoia. But based on what you have told us, you appear to have jumped to the worst-case scenario of a manufacturing defect. So I have to ask: have you taken it to a bike shop and had them look at the problem? If the builder says it's "not his problem" then that means (according to him) the frame was in alignment when it left his hands. That's probably true. No need to resort to name-calling.

That means it is either:
a) a problem with the wheel installation, or
b) a problem with the wheel centering, or
c) the frame was damaged in shipping or some time after leaving the frame shop.

All of which can be easily checked by a competent shop, or by yourself.

First, check installation. Remove the quick release skewer, install the wheel in the frame and set it on the ground so the frame weight pushes the axle to the rear/top of the dropouts. Visually verify that the axle is fully and evenly seated in the dropouts on both sides. Sometimes new frames have paint in the dropouts that prevents this from happening. If there is paint there, scrape the paint off with a utility knife.

If the error is still there, check wheel centering. Flip the wheel around so you're putting it in "backwards." If the error is now to the other side of the frame, the rim is out of center. Or you could also try a different wheel in the frame. If the error disappears with a different wheel, have your rear wheel checked and corrected by a professional wheelbuilder.

If the error is still there after verifying the axle seats fully in the dropouts and the wheel is certified centered, then there would appear to be a rear triangle misalignment. If the frame was shipped rather than picked up in person, it might have happened then. Good luck getting a claim on that from five years ago. But you will have to pay to have it aligned. The framebuilders who refused to do any repairs should have no problem doing an alignment for you.

Seems like a word salad, but in case it's a real post: FYI light race hardware is fragile and disposable. Easy solution for your fear and worry is just don't ride it for another five years.

I assumed the "breakaway bike" in question is not "light race hardware." It's a frame that can be taken apart for traveling. https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/br...-road-frameset. But who knows.

Your guess is at least as good as mine (and every other poster's guess, including the OP's).

What "light race hardware" are you talking about?



Sekhem, take your rear wheel that won't center in the frame, turn it around and put it in backwards (sprockets on left side). Is it still off center on the same side as it was before?

Is the frame steel or something else?

How is it off center? Behind the cranks, up at the seat stays, both?