Vertical dropout issue
 

Hi, I notice recently the wheel was no longer aligned with the mudgard. It's the first time I see such situation where the frame got gnaw by the axle on the chain side.

It's not the first aluminium frame I scrap and don't worry for me I have many other ride but I was wondering if this is common?



Thanks

Mudguards can get misaligned quite easily. I have had that happen quite a few times on different fenders at different times. Nothing to do with the frame at al. Not sure why you would scrap a frame because your fender is misaligned but I am guessing you have loads of money and if so share some with us. I would love to have enough money to throw away a bike, I wouldn't do it but it would be nice to have that kind of cash.

If your dropouts are damaged post pictures so we can see what is going on and make suggestions but otherwise just adjust your fenders or have a shop do it. Not uncommon.

straightening bent/out-of-alignment mudguards is part of every tune up i do. i just did both fenders on a Marin Hudson bike three days ago... and both fenders on an Izip e-bike last week.

to check if the wheel is ACTUALLY out of alignment with the frame, Look At The FRAME, and compare the gaps to the rim/tire, just behind the crank bearings, not a mudguard, ok?

ps.. the kind of damage you think has happened is EXTREMELY Rare.... i have only seen it a couple times, out of Several Thousand Bikes that were donated/abandoned/bought here.

Sorry I don't write enough I,m not allowed to add any image an easy way please add https to ibb.co/hRcZb3k6

I started jbwelding the gap but definitively going to look for a replacement frame

OP's picture.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fb009ce711.jpg

Looks like the bike was ridden with the quick release loose, and the limited movement of the axle damage the dropout. But the vertical dropout prevent the wheel from going anywhere.

Tighten your QRs, people. This could have caused a terrible accident.

Think he meant the fender looked misaligned but actually it was the wheel

because the QR was loose.

A couple flat washers JB welded in would be my suggestion

Build it up with actual weld and grind it flat, then adjust the top and front of the slot with a round file so the wheel sits straight between the seat stays and chain stays.

Also, use proper QRs, people - those aluminium and plastic things just don't hold enough tension.

Well yeah, that's the proper way to do it if you have or pay an AL welder

JB weld is not going to work.

Obviously inadequate for horizontal dropouts, but they work fine for either fork ends or vertical dropouts. These are widely used, at least partially because they're cheaper than internal-cam QRs, but I'm unaware of a rash of wheels flying off, despite the pessimistic predictions of some crusty traditionalists. The problem in this instance was that the QR was simply too loose and ground away at the dropout material. This was user error and would have been the case with any sort of QR.

that wear can also occur from using the QR as a Wingnut lever...steel ones chew up the dropouts faster, in that case...

the axle is now flush to the dropout's outer face... the wear will be found in the top of the dropout too..

getting the dropout welded up, when reworking it to fit properly, is a very highly skilled task that most people should not attempt, nor could do well.
the difference between "Level" and too far is a matter of two or three strokes with a file.
i re-dress fork dropouts on brand new Walmart bikes fairly often... the workers are instructed to use off-center wheels to "compensate" for the leveling errors, which actually exacerbates the problems.

If you can find a welder who has ten minutes free that's $20 worth of work at $120 an hour. File it back into shape and it's as good as new, apart from the burned paint.

Ironically I pulled the back wheel over yesterday, on my old touring bike which has a very crusty and traditional nutted axle. I cranked hard to cross oncoming traffic at the lights, and suddenly no more go, while clipped in. Carry bike to side of road, hope nobody noticed (of course they noticed).

Hi, thanks for he input. I actually use a special longer metal qr with extra spacers since this bike is equiped with a Tubus disco rack.

I did search before posting and couldn't found any similar situation.

Then you either didn't assemble it with the washers in the right places, the washers aren't designed correctly, or you didn't have the QR tight enough.

meet the tubus disco rack.
i can see a few issues waiting to happen with this design... like, a heavy load causing QR flexing and momentary looseness when hitting bumps., etc.

https://carsoncitybikeshop.com/bike-...s-disco-26-bk/

Always seemed like a bodge to me - if you want to carry stuff on a race bike use a backpack, seat pack, bar bag; if you want to tour get a touring bike, or at least a training bike with rack/fender eyelets. Or you can use P-clamps on metal seat stays, maybe not on high-end carbon.

yep.. i used a backpack for laundry, and would sit a double-bagged sack of groceries on my handlebars/stem... had a big seat pouch for small stuff. My 930R trek race bike was my only local transportation for more than a decade.

That style of rack certainly isn't going to work with a wallowed out dropout. It needs contact with a flat face.

There's no such thing as a 10 minute welding job ... assuming you want it done correctly.