# Back wheel not sitting perfectly straight between chainstays



## ToiletSiphon (Jul 23, 2014)

I have a Cannondale Synapse carbon and recently realized that my back wheel is not perfectly straight between the chainstays. As seen from behind, the tire is always a little closer (1-2 mm) to the frame on the left than on the right. 

When I install my wheel, I'm able to close the quick release so that my wheel sits perfectly straight BUT it requires me to push the wheel to the side while I close the QR and the wheel doesn't feel like its sitting properly in the dropouts (like if one side is closed in a "hovering" position). I'm pretty sure it's safer to have it properly seated in the dropouts, and when it is, well its not totally straight.

Is it normal? Problematic? Is there something that can be done to have the wheel safe, secure in the dropouts AND straight ?

Thanks!


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## Texico (Aug 5, 2015)

Is it actually at an angle to the centerline of the frame?

Most likely it isn't dished properly. Take it to the shop you purchased it from and have them take a look at it with a dishing gauge.


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## ToiletSiphon (Jul 23, 2014)

Texico said:


> Is it actually at an angle to the centerline of the frame?
> 
> Most likely it isn't dished properly. Take it to the shop you purchased it from and have them take a look at it with a dishing gauge.


Hard to tell by looking at the top tube and vertical tube, but I guess it is at an angle since it's not equidistant to both chainstays


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## Roland44 (Mar 21, 2013)

Texico said:


> Is it actually at an angle to the centerline of the frame?
> 
> Most likely it isn't dished properly. Take it to the shop you purchased it from and have them take a look at it with a dishing gauge.


Second that. Happened to me a while ago, easy fix.


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## Texico (Aug 5, 2015)

ToiletSiphon said:


> Hard to tell by looking at the top tube and vertical tube, but I guess it is at an angle since it's not equidistant to both chainstays


If the wheel isn't dished properly then that means the rim is not centered properly on the hub. This would put it closer to one set of stays than the other. Like Roland said, it's an easy fix.

My commuter bike came with it's front wheel out of dish. I rode it that way for a while until it was just visually bothering me too much looking over the bars and finally fixed it.


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## ToiletSiphon (Jul 23, 2014)

Texico said:


> If the wheel isn't dished properly then that means the rim is not centered properly on the hub. This would put it closer to one set of stays than the other. Like Roland said, it's an easy fix.
> 
> My commuter bike came with it's front wheel out of dish. I rode it that way for a while until it was just visually bothering me too much looking over the bars and finally fixed it.


So it's probably just a wheel issue? Good to know that my dropouts are probably not skewed. I guess I can ride it safely for a while and have it looked at during my next tune up 


ToiletSiphon said:


> Hard to tell by looking at the top tube and vertical tube, but I guess it is at an angle since it's not equidistant to both chainstays


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

Not all frames have the same spacing between the chainstay and the tire on both sides, My Crocket doesn't, but it's tighter on the drive side and that makes sense. from what I read in your post, it's tighter on the non-drive side which makes no sense as the crank doesn't limit the shape of the frame on that side.


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## ToiletSiphon (Jul 23, 2014)

Srode said:


> Not all frames have the same spacing between the chainstay and the tire on both sides, My Crocket doesn't, but it's tighter on the drive side and that makes sense. from what I read in your post, it's tighter on the non-drive side which makes no sense as the crank doesn't limit the shape of the frame on that side.


Yeah it's on the non-drive side. I wondered if it might have something to do with my BB30A bottom bracket, which is described as 'asymmetrical'


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## .je (Aug 25, 2012)

ToiletSiphon said:


> As seen from behind, the tire is always a little closer (1-2 mm) to the frame on the left than on the right.


I have seen this on quite a few bikes. I (and also some others) asked a question like this on this forum, and many answers were that the wheels were not properly dished. I checked dish with a dish tool, and they were even, on two different sets, one factory, one assembled by me. The wheel was evenly dished and not rubbing, so I stopped looking at it. 
There are a few bikes that seem to be closer to the rear wheel on the non-drive side, that have non-symmetrical chain stays that are wider on the non-drive side, which doesn't seem to make sense to me either. What brand is yours?


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

Many check dish in the upside down frame as Sheldon describes here:



Sheldon Brown said:


> Centering may be checked by flipping the wheel over (so the cassette is on the left, etc.). When the position of the rim between the brake shoes and frame parts remains the same after the wheel is reversed, the rim is centered.


But I check the dish by removing the wheel as he describes below. It's accurate to 1mm. I use two stacks of cd jewel cases and a metric ruler. It helps to take the tire off the rim.



Sheldon Brown said:


> You may also check dishing by placing two piles of blocks, books etc. on a tabletop to support the rim at two places opposite one another. The distance from the tabletop to the hub locknut on the underside should be the same, no matter which side of the wheel is down.


Wheelbuilding


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## ToiletSiphon (Jul 23, 2014)

.je said:


> I have seen this on quite a few bikes. I (and also some others) asked a question like this on this forum, and many answers were that the wheels were not properly dished. I checked dish with a dish tool, and they were even, on two different sets, one factory, one assembled by me. The wheel was evenly dished and not rubbing, so I stopped looking at it.
> There are a few bikes that seem to be closer to the rear wheel on the non-drive side, that have non-symmetrical chain stays that are wider on the non-drive side, which doesn't seem to make sense to me either. What brand is yours?


Cannondale Synapse 2014. Is it part of your list?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

So now that you've had 9 people telling you to check the dish, you've probably checked whether the rim is centered over the hub. If the the problem is still there take a look at your q/r springs. Make sure the small end of the spring is towards the middle of the skewer and the big end is towards the outside. If it's backwards the big end will go over the axle and cause your wheel to sit off center in the dropout. Very easy to check, happens ALL THE TIME.


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## ghettocop (Apr 19, 2014)

I concur with CX about the Tornado springs......check them. That said, as a few others have mentioned there are a few frames out there with asymmetrical chain stays, BB shells, and even seat tubes. Mine is one of them. One way to tell if it is a drop out problem or dish problem and NOT because of asymmetry is to not just observe the chainstays, but the top of the seat stays. Is it closer to the left side of the top of the seat stays AND the left side of the chain stays? If so, it is a dish or drop out problem. If it appears centered at the top "arch" of the seatstays, feels properly affixed in the drop outs, but is still closer to the non drive side of the chain stays, the frame is probably asymmetrical.


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## duriel (Oct 10, 2013)

The only true way is to check alignment. With the front wheel straight, the rear wheel should be pointing to it.
I think with CF bikes, this is a more common issue. This happened to my bike and it was not the wheel dish, well part of it was, but then when the dish was corrected it still was not even and the wheel did not point to the front wheel.
You will need a long piece of angle iron that is straight, clamp it to the rear rim as it is extended to the front wheel.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

> I'm pretty sure it's safer to have it properly seated in the dropouts, and when it is, well its not totally straight.


This assumption is incorrect. The QR, when properly tightened, will hold the wheel fine, even if one side of the axle is not fully seated in the dropout. It's not unusual for a frame to have a little bit of dropout misalignment, requiring the kind of adjustment you describe. It's not really a safety or performance issue. If the wheel is properly dished, and you can align the wheel so that spacing is even at both chainstays and seatstays, you don't have a problem worth worrying about. 

If you can't get that with a properly-dished wheel, then there may be a real frame alignment issue.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

ghettocop said:


> I concur with CX about the Tornado springs......check them. That said, as a few others have mentioned there are a few frames out there with asymmetrical chain stays, BB shells, and even seat tubes.


I also have a 2014 Cannondale Synapse Carbon. No asymmetry with mine.

I say check the tornado springs first, then make sure the wheel is dished properly.


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## ghettocop (Apr 19, 2014)

Lombard said:


> I also have a 2014 Cannondale Synapse Carbon. No asymmetry with mine.
> 
> I say check the tornado springs first, then make sure the wheel is dished properly.


Agreed. Should have looked up the OP's bike before posting. Not asymmetrical!


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## BigPoser (Jan 11, 2013)

This happened on my Focus. The rear wheel was dished correctly yet it was still very close to the NDS chainstay. Close enough that there is rub marks on the inside of the stay. I lived with it.


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