Trek 5200 Frame Alignment Problems?

oldbluejeans said:

I have a Trek 5200 and I noticed that the rear wheel seems off center to the left of the bike, ie
the distance from the rim to the chainstay is closer on the left than on the right. [...] Then, on
a club ride, I checked several other Trek 5200s, same thing. Is

I just checked my Trek 5200 from 2001 (54cm) and I don't seem to have the problem you describe. I
didn't measure it down to the millimeter, but by sticking my finger between the rim and the
chainstay, both sides feel about the same.

--Noel

[BTW, please use the cross-posting feature instead of posting the same post multiple times to
different newsgroups]

oldbluejeans said:

I have a Trek 5200 and I noticed that the rear wheel seems off center to the left of the bike, ie
the distance from the rim to the chainstay is closer on the left than on the right. Ok, this could
be caused by the rear wheel not being dished enough. But recently I purchased a set of HED 3
wheels, and you can't redish them, same off-center alignment. Then, on a club ride, I checked
several other Trek 5200s, same thing. Is

Quoted message said:

what effect this would have on performance?

For a test, flip the wheel around backwards (cassette on left side). If the wheel is still offset to
the same side as before, the frame or rear dropouts are out of alignment. If it's offset to the
other side, the wheel is not dished properly.

Art Harris

My 5500 has the same problem. I don't use it too much since we have started importing our ti frames.
But I need to send it back to Trek to get redone. Mine is off by over 5/16 inch or so. The dropouts
are aligned alright so the bike tracks straight. However, if I ever break a rear spoke the tire will
hit the chainstay big-time. I need to tear the bike down and take care of it....

Bruce

"oldbluejeans" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have a Trek 5200 and I noticed that the rear wheel seems off center to the left of the bike, ie
the distance from the rim to the chainstay is closer on the left than on the right. Ok, this could
be caused by the rear wheel not being dished enough. But recently I purchased a set of HED 3
wheels, and you can't redish them, same off-center alignment. Then, on a club ride, I checked
several other Trek 5200s, same thing. Is

Quoted message said:

what effect this would have on performance?

And if you are using HED's, that's it, nothing you can do.

John

oldbluejeans said:

I have a Trek 5200 and I noticed that the rear wheel seems off center to the left of the bike, ie
the distance from the rim to the chainstay is closer on the left than on the right. Ok, this could
be caused by the rear wheel not being dished enough. But recently I purchased a set of HED 3
wheels, and you can't redish them, same off-center alignment. Then, on a club ride, I checked
several other Trek 5200s, same thing. Is

Quoted message said:

what effect this would have on performance?

And if you are using HED's, that's it, nothing you can do.

Such fatalism!

Remove the wheel, flip it over and drop it back in the frame. If the wheel remains off to the same
side you have a frame problem. If it is then off the other way, you do indeed have a wheel issue -
but not an insurmountable one.

I would think we are talking very small variance amounts here if any at all. A thin spacer on the
end of the axle can center an errant "non-adjustable" axle set. Either a knurl or a drop of super
glue keeps the thing from getting lost.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Noel Llopis said:

oldbluejeans said:

I have a Trek 5200 and I noticed that the rear wheel seems off center to the left of the bike, ie
the distance from the rim to the chainstay is closer on the left than on the right. [...] Then,
on a club ride, I checked several other Trek 5200s, same

Quoted message said:

I just checked my Trek 5200 from 2001 (54cm) and I don't seem to have the problem you describe. I
didn't measure it down to the millimeter, but by sticking my finger between the rim and the
chainstay, both sides feel about the same.

Did the same check on my Trek 5200 from 2001 (58 cm) and no problem.
--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

Quoted message said:

I have a Trek 5200 and I noticed that the rear wheel seems off center to the left of the bike, ie
the distance from the rim to the chainstay is closer on the left than on the right. Ok, this could
be caused by the rear wheel not being dished enough. But recently I purchased a set of HED 3
wheels, and you can't redish them, same off-center alignment. Then, on a club ride, I checked
several other Trek 5200s, same thing. Is

Quoted message said:

what effect this would have on performance?

Your frame alignment is probably fine, but one of the oval chainstays may be rotated ever-so-
slightly, which results in less clearance on one side than the other. This usually doesn't present
any problems, unless someone is trying to use a 28c tire.

A quick alignment check anybody can do is to stand a bit behind the bike and look forward (through
the rims) and see if the wheel lines up with the seat tube in both vertical and horizontal planes.
The rim/wheel should be centered on the seat tube and not be angled (it shouldn't cross the seat
tube diagonally from top-to-bottom). I should mention that, before doing this, you should make sure
the wheel is correctly dished by reversing it in the dropouts and making sure results are the same.
If you see something different, then the problem is with the wheel.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗

Mike,

In the case of my bike, the wheel does not line up at all with the seat tube. The chainstay is in
the correct rotation. Your suggestion is a really good one.

The local Trek rep was amazed this one made it out of the factory at all....

Bruce

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have a Trek 5200 and I noticed that the rear wheel seems off center to the left of the bike,
ie the distance from the rim to the chainstay is closer on the left than on the right. Ok, this
could be caused by the rear wheel not being dished enough. But recently I purchased a set of HED
3 wheels, and you can't redish them, same off-center alignment. Then, on a club ride, I checked
several other Trek 5200s, same thing. Is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

what effect this would have on performance?

Your frame alignment is probably fine, but one of the oval chainstays may

be

Quoted message said:

rotated ever-so-slightly, which results in less clearance on one side than the other. This usually
doesn't present any problems, unless someone is trying to use a 28c tire.

A quick alignment check anybody can do is to stand a bit behind the bike

and

Quoted message said:

look forward (through the rims) and see if the wheel lines up with the

seat

Quoted message said:

tube in both vertical and horizontal planes. The rim/wheel should be centered on the seat tube and
not be angled (it shouldn't cross the seat tube diagonally from top-to-bottom). I should mention
that, before doing this, you should make sure the wheel is correctly dished by reversing it

in

Quoted message said:

the dropouts and making sure results are the same. If you see something different, then the
problem is with the wheel.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles chainreactionbicycles.comchainreactionbicycles.comOpen ↗