Bigbadjohn

I bought this Marinoni bike on Craig's List it was raining cats and dogs and he showed me bike inside his house so did not test ride.

The front wheel is not centered in the forks I noticed this when I first rode it was not aligned with stem
and there is a big gap on one side of brakes rubber.
I took wheel off and on again made no difference, I can only think the forks must be bent
I only paid $250 so worse things can happen the bike has had a home paint job with new decals should have left it as it was I love old patina.
is there any way this can be fixed I just want to sell it as its a bit small other than that it rides OK.

FBinNY 

OK step one, eliminate the easiest, least expensive possibility. Make a note of where it centers, then with the bike held vertical and the QR open, use a cone wrench to rotate the axle and see if it moves. If so, you have a bent axle. Next reverse the wheel and see if it moves. If so, the front wheel is off center on the axle.

If you're lucky you've found the problem by now, otherwise you do have a bent fork.

Problem is that there are many ways for a fork to bend which all cause the same effect. Either one dropout is higher than the other, or the fork is bent to one side, or some combination of those. Plus one dropout may be forward of the other, though that usually shows up with the rim not square to the brakes.

Search the net for how to align a bent fork, or some similar phrase, and read carefully. The most important thing to keep in mind is to measure and confirm everything twice before actually trying to straighten the fork. Because of how multiple issues can interact, it's very easy to "correct" something that was correct before.

BlazingPedals

Another, really easy thing to check, maybe even before the things FBinNY suggests, is to make sure the wheel is fully seated in the dropouts. Loosen the Q/R, push the axle fully into the dropouts, tighten. If that fixes it you don't need to proceed.

ypsetihw

also, are you sure the wheel isn't just wildly out of true? is it always offcenter on the same side, or does it wobble when it spins?

BlazingPedals

Just as an aside, that's a nice score. Marinonis are hand-built in Canada, not some cheap Chinese brand.

ClydeTim

Would like to see a straight on shot of both forks, both equally shown in the picture.

OP says the rim is close to one of the brake pads. Heck that could be the caliper needing to be centered.

CliffordK

Another option.

I noticed a poorly centered wheel on one bike (personal rider). I don't know when, how, or why. I'll try to align it sometime. But for now, I always mount my QR on the left, so I just dished my wheel slightly based on the frame.

Hiro11

Do this test first, just flip the wheel around. If the offset moves to the other side, the wheel is out of dish (not aligned to the center of the hub). This is a very easy fix. If the offset stays on the same side, the fork is out of alignment. This is a tougher fix.

BlazingPedals

It might be an optical delusion because of the angle, but in the middle pic it looks like the left fork leg might have more rake than the right one. If that's so, un-bending it to match the other shouldn't be *too* hard. Might have to build a tool for it, though.

Jiggle

Says front wheel is not centered.

Gives us a crooked photo to go by

I already give up.

WizardOfBoz

+1. Hiro identifies the best and easiest first test.

If the wheel if offset in the same direction with either orientation, it's not improper wheel dish.

If its not dish, I'd visually inspect the fork to see where's its bent. Is one blade obviously at a different angle? Do both fork blades curve back?

If the problem was not obvious, I'd probably get some 10mm or 3/8 rod, put it in a vise, taking care (With a level) to have it level. Then I'd set the fork tips on the rod. And measure to see if the steer tube is plumb. If not, the fork needs to be straightened.

Another test: I'd clamp (gently! gently! gently! - don't want to squash the tube) the steer tube in a vise, so that it's level. At the same time, I'd make sure that the crown of the fork is level (so you have two leveling operations, at 90° to each other). Then use the rod in the fork tips to check level.

If the thing isn't straight, I'd engage a frame-builder to fix the fork, or would buy a new one.

Nice looking bike, by the way. Given it's hand-built Canadian heritage, probably well worth getting it right.

Oh, by the way, if the fork was bent (say, in a crash) I'd have the whole frame checked.

fietsbob

The Shop tool looks like this :






its a reference to where it should be..






...

Bigbadjohn

Better Picture of wheel

Fastfingaz

O k so now what,,, which is it, is the fork bent or is the wheel dished,,,, I want closure

shafter

Loosen the bolts that attach the wheel, eyeball it straight, and retighten them. Works like a charm, free, and easy.

CliffordK

That last photo looks like the wheel has a nasty dish.

Verify by removing the wheel and installing the opposite way, so the skewer lever will be on the right.

If the problem jumps to the other side (right), then the problem is the wheel.

true the wheel to get rid of dishing, or replace.

Jeff Neese

What he said. That's what it looks like to my eyes also. Either that or it's another crooked photo. Flip it around and see.

hefeweizen

Quick simplet test. Put a different front wheel in the forks?

BlazingPedals

With the last photo, dish is my new best guess. Looking straight down the head tube, we see the top of the wheel to the left but we don't see the bottom of the wheel an equal amount to the right. What we see is the whole rim to the left.

Retro Grouch 

Yup. I once stopped a fellow who had actually gotten out a spoke wrench and was getting ready to redish his front wheel when the only problem was that his axle wasn't seated in both dropouts.

San Rensho 

Really simple. Flip the wheel. If it's still over to the same side then the frame is bent. If the wheel goes the other side it's the wheel.

Cyril 

I think that bike would be big for me and I'm 6'2"
Judging from the size of the headtube, I'd guess the bike is 60-62cms.
( Could be wrong)
Just how big are you , Big Bad John?

trailangel

We cannot do anything from our computers. You need to do something yourself.

Bigbadjohn

Thanks for all the input
it's been raining here like crazy not been able to do anything.
I have a known good front wheel to try soon
I think it's the forks a bit bent
I guess I could center it then tighten skewer really tight, but it would go back in slots eventually

I am selling bike in the spring not keen on it , a bit small 58 cm I am 6-3
I did not test ride it before buying big mistake. I only paid $250 it had a great saddle like new Selle Super Turbo
brown suede I already swapped it on the bike I just bought on CL last week.

It was priced at $400 then after a week it was reduced to $300 CAD so I scooped it up quick it’s a great bike 63 cm perfect size for me,
it has chrome forks and a new rack which is a bonus as I am always picking up stuff. I am going to take fenders off in the spring
I have ridden it over a hundred miles and can not fault it. never had a bike with brifters before
Concorde America’s assembled in Canada everything 105's I can’t stress how important it is having a bike the right size pedaling is effortless it’s quite heavy Tange infinity it holds the road great and rides like a Lincoln my stolen bike steel was 022 a lot lighter.
I bought a heavy duty U lock and that has made it like a tank but I have peace of mind when I leave it.

trailangel

All you have to do is take the front wheel off and turn it around. About 30 seconds.