How do I fix this?
 

Picked my bike up today from the LBS after receiving its tune-up. I took it for a quick spin in the parking lot and it seemed to be running great. Took it home, and after dinner decided to take another quick spin around the block. I'm riding around and I start to hear a faint whining noise. Finally, I figured out it was coming from the back tire and I see that the back tire is rubbing against one of the chain stays. I don't know anything about fixing bikes, so the only thing I could do was loosen up the wheel a bit, then I was able to get it straight again. However, once I rode it again the tire immediately when back to that position.

I guess I will have to take it back to the bike shop because I know it wasn't doing this before I brought it in. Anybody know what the problem is and whether I could take care of it myself?

P.S. I am attempting to upload a picture but, conveniently, Photobucket is deciding not to work for me right now.

Tighten the axle nuts or quick release.

Be back in a minute...

Hexenmeister, Hi!

I'm only guessing here but is it rubbing on the left side of the bike? If the quick release or the nuts holding the wheel in the rear dropouts is too loose the wheel will move forward when the chain is under tension.

Ok what does that mean in lay terms? When it's too loose and you pedal the top part of the chain is pulling on the rear cog. Thus there is tension on the chain pulling the rear wheel forward, predominantly on the side with the chain, gears, and crank.

The best thing to do is loosen the quick release, pull the rear wheel all the way back and up into the dropouts, then tighten the quick release (or nuts) until it's very very snug. The quick release functions two ways, one is to release it easily just flip the lever, the other is to hold the opposite {gear} side of the release with one hand and with the other tighten the lever side on the threaded axle. Flip the lever towards the bike to close it, but make sure it's somewhat difficult to close it all the way. (just my humble opinion of course).

Remember to keep the rear wheel pulled back and up into the drop outs which should keep the tire centered between the chain stays.

Ok so that all sounds simple and maybe there is another problem, but that's my gut feeling and experience from quite a few years of riding and maintaining bikes.

Do let us know if that works, please.


Liz

Thanks Liz. I appreciate the laymen's (noob's) speak. :)

Yes, it is the left side of the wheel, and I also noticed that the wheel was sitting very far forward in the dropouts. I wondered if this might be the problem.

I played with the quick release and was able to get the wheel centered again. Tomorrow I'll see about getting it further back in the dropouts.

I'm hoping this will take care of it. I was planning on taking it out for a its first full ride tomorrow.

Hey Hexenmeister, take Liz's advice and make sure you tighten the nut opposite the quick release lever so the lever is pretty darn hard to close. If it's not tight enough you will find yourself starting on a hill and ripping the back wheel out of the drops, possibly with bad consequences. I've had it happen and someone posted about it recently. Enjoy your full ride too!

Yeah, I was looking at the rear dropouts thinking, "Could the wheel actually fall out of there?"

Doesn't sound like fun. I'll make sure it's nice and tight. Thanks.

Okay, I decided not to wait until tomorrow.

No matter how much I loosened the quick release I wasn't able to push the wheel back into the dropouts. The furthest I could get it was about halfway in. And when I did this, the tire was pressing firmly against the left chain stay. I can't tell how far back the wheel sits in the right dropout because the derailleur and cassette are in the way.

Anyway, I have the tire straight now, but the wheel is still in the front 1/4th of the dropouts. I tightened the quick release as tight as possible, but it still scares me a bit with the wheel so far up front. Should I worry about it?

Hexenmeister, Hi!

I'm glad to help. Dirtdrop, and amnomad both know that the damn wheel can come forward and lock up against the frame just when you aren't expecting it. Sometimes it'll seem like everything is ok during daily riding then when you go to stand up to get over that rise and putting all your weight on the pedals, just when you don't need to be launched into the top tube, the wheel will pull forward to bind against the frame. That only has to happen once to remember it forever.

As an aside and I know this is unsolicited information, I learned from years of racing to flip the rear quick release lever up and forward a bit so it's between the seat stay and chain stay when it's locked, and the front lever flipped back and up along the side of the fork. The reason for both of these is in the case of someone else's front wheel overlapping the rear wheel and hooking under the rear facing quick release. The same goes for the front if it's pointing forward (and potentially if it's pointed backward if someone comes up along side you) and overlaps someone else's rear.

While standing still try hooking and releasing the lever with a friends bike. You'll be amazed how easy it opens. In a peleton it's a disaster.

Ok, I apologize again for far to much information, but it just came to mind.

Enjoy,


Liz

Check to see if the cogset is binding in the frame at the dropout.

Here's what the rear drop out looks like...

http://img528.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img1561it8.jpg

Actually, it's slightly further forward now. This was taken when the wheel was still crooked.

What exactly do you mean by "binding in the frame"?

Cool nice old Campy Nuovo quick release. Can you take a photo of the other side too?

The last (smallest) gear on the cogset might be hitting the frame as you pull the wheel back into the dropouts.

Hex, Hi! :)

Is there some sort of bolt that the skewer (quick release) is hitting on the gear side?

Liz

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4893/img1565kp7.jpg

I guess you can see the drop outs after all. :o

Ok, Easy Peasy.

The Suntour dérailleur is designed to fit into the drop out. Just make sure the wheel is centered, don't worry about the left side quick release going all the way back in the drop out, just reef make sure the skewer is really tight. And center the front of the tire between the chain stays.

Just out of curiosity what did the tune up include for work?

er, i meant to say "just make sure ... "

Strike the word 'reef'

Do you do Yahoo messenger? I'm the same name on there as here.

Hex, Hi!

Here is my 'final answer' for the $1,000,000.

On the drive side of the bike the SunTour dérailleur is bolted into dropout. The little 10mm (I think) bolt should have a nut on the other side of it that is keeping the dérailleur attached to the bike. What that has done is moved the skewer/axle position forward from the rear of the dropout. Sounds pretty simple.

On the other side where the quick release is, there should be some sort of piece with a similar bolt and nut that keeps the axle from shifting backwards. When power is put to the chain it pulls the drive side forward and will actually pivot the passive side backwards. It's just shifting the axle around.

I'm explaining this as an ideal circumstance. If the skewer is really tightened up a lot it might not be a problem, but from what you have said thus far it sounds like it's going to shift no matter what the tightness of the skewer is.

The fix can be really simple, just a small bolt and nut fit into the dropout on the left side and tightened up will give the axle a firm anchor to keep itself from moving around.

Does this make sense?


Liz

Sorry I disappeared there. My wife needed the computer.

Here's what the left side looks like now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...o/IMG_1562.jpg

You say I can put a nut and bolt somewhere on this side to secure it?

put the nut and bolt behind where the axle is on the left side. it's not securing the axle or skewer but just acting as a 'door stop' so to speak, to keep the axle from sliding back.

If you look at the right side you'll see the head of that bolt with the slot in it for a screw driver. It's just behind the skewer. Basically you doing the same thing on the left side. Just putting something there to keep the axle from sliding backwards.

Does that make sense?

OK, reading this, I think I should be OK.

Thanks a lot for your help. I really appreciate it.

Oh, and the tune-up was just a basic one working on the brakes and derailleurs. They did replace one of my brake cables, but they still behave like, well, old brakes.

Yep makes sense. I think I've seen pictures of what you're talking about.

Something like the screw coming out the back of this?

http://www.campyonly.com/images/myst..._0230_1000.jpg

do you have the holes to put those in from the back ?

What I was referring to was a nut and bolt that would go in from the side and sit between the skewer and the back of the dropout opening.