# Calling all Madone 2008/2009 5.1 owners and beyond



## unklesocks (May 25, 2009)

I have a 2008 Madone 5.1 and I noticed the other day that when looking at the rear wheel with the bike upside down it was not in the center of the chain stays. So, I had the frame checked by the LBS and they said it was fine as well I had my wheels checked and they were also fine. According to them the wheel is centered with the frame not the stays because of the different size stays and unique BB. 

I was hoping you guys here on RBR could check out your bikes and confirm the LBS's statement. FYI... the bike is upside down in the picture.


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## brentley (Jul 20, 2008)

Can you adjust the brake clearance?

what does LBS say about wheel dish?

I will take a photo in the AM of my 5,2


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

Looks okay and normal. As you may be aware the Madone's chainstays are asymmetric. The NDS stay (The right one in your picture looking from the bottom) is much beefier than the DS stay. One would think that this would lend itself to the tire fitting closer to it, but it doesn't. Since the DS stay is more inboard due to Chainring clearance, it is pushed closer to the CL of the bike. Just take a peak down the stays toward the BB shell and see how they connect at the lug. Also line them up with the CL of the underside of the DownTube. You will notice the DS stay is significantly pushed inboard moreso than the NDS stay.

Since you asked for other bikes, I took a peak at my 6.5 frame and I see a similar thing with the centerline of the rim being about 17mm to the inner surface of the NDS stay and 15mm to the DS stay.

This picture is from an '08 Madone 6.5Pro that I had









But my current '09 shows the same spacing. 


I know it bothers you or you wouldn't have posted, but you may want to check a few things too:

1) Make sure you have the wheel on correctly. When you install your rear wheel, pull on the rim at about the 10 o'clock position while closing the quick release.

2) Make sure the cones are secure on the axle and there is no lateral play in the wheel. The Bontrager hubs have pressfit outer parts and they can loosen up, but once you clamp them in the frame they should properly snug up, unless some grit gets in there and behind the bearings.

3) Make sure your rear dropouts are clean and free of excess paint. Use an x-acto knike to cut away execess paint in the dropouts. Or lightly file the inner and outer surfaces to clear them. This shouldn't really matter all that much but if you have excess buildup on one inner face and it somehow gets caught between the hub and the inner dropout, then it will throw things off a bit. Go to your local hardware store and buy a 3' length of 3/8" threaded rod. Screw in two nuts to the center such that they will contact the inner dropout surface, then screw on outer nuts to hold the rod in place. Sight along the rod making sure it is level when the bike is perfectly vertical. Also measure out a fixed distance from the dropouts and precisely measure to the inner arm pit of the TT/HT lug at the exact same point. If the rod is level and the measurements are exactly the same, then your frame's alignment is good.

4) Check the wheels dish, use another wheel and does it also fit the same? Flip it and if it fits the same, then it is not the wheel.

and lastly, and most importantly,

5) Does the bike track neutral? Ride no hands along a straight flat (especially one without a crown in the middle) road and does the bike track straight ahead without you having to lean or somehow counter balance? If so, then you are good.


HTH
zac


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## alias33 (Sep 15, 2008)

is your BB shell slightly cracked in that pic?!? It looks like it is going across the bb shell parallel in nature


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## atimido (Jun 17, 2009)

alias33 said:


> is your BB shell slightly cracked in that pic?!? It looks like it is going across the bb shell parallel in nature


I was going to say the same thing. I see a crack on the red bike.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

He did say "had".... hmmmm


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