trich

Hi everyone,
I purchased a used Lemond Tourmalet (2002-ish) the other day and I'm having some problems. The guy who owned it before me replaced the stock wheels with Rolf Vector 24-spoke wheels, and I think the spacing is off. When I mash, from a stop, the rear wheel gets pulled out of the dropouts (horizontal). I checked the quick release skewer, springs, etc, and they are all in good shape. I thought at first I just hadn't tightened the quick release enough, but it happens no matter how tight I make it.

The reason I think it may be a spacing issue is because, when I set the rear wheel in the drop-outs, the rear triangle doesn't line up with the bit of axle sticking out. Instead, I have to tighten the quick release to flex the rear triangle in to rest on the axle. Once tightened, it comfortably rests on the axle on both sides. I would say that the triangle has to flex about half an inch to get to this point.

This is my first "real" road bike, so I wasn't sure if that was normal or not. My hybrid and mtn bikes do not flex the rear triangle - it just lines up when you set the wheel in. I think the "pop out" problem is related to this, but could be wrong. What do you all think?

If the flexing is the issue, what do you suggest to fix it? I've heard you can get the spacing adjusted on your rear triangle, but I don't know if that's a good idea. Would it be be a better idea to replace the hubs with something a little longer?

Thanks,
Tony

Gonzo Bob

I don't think the flexing is the issue. My guess is that the axle is protruding outside one or both of the dropouts and the QR is clamping down on the axle instead of the dropouts.

Measure the spacing of the frame. If it's 130mm (about 5 1/8"), someone has likely reduced the spacing of the Rolf rear wheel (maybe to work in an old 126mm frame?). You can add axle spacers to get it back up to 130mm but you will likely also have to redish the wheel (unless you add half to each side).

well biked 

If your estimate is correct and the dropouts are really spaced about 1/2" wider than the hub's axle spacing, then you've got a significant problem you need to address. That would be around 12-13mm too wide. If that's the case, I could definitely see that causing the problem you describe. What's the dropout spacing? It should be 130mm on that bike. What's the spacing of the hub?

And I agree with Gonzo Bob that it could be the axle is protruding past the face of the dropout(s) once the dropouts are flexed inward, and therefore the QR isn't able to work correctly. But seriously, if you've got that much difference between the dropout spacing and the axle spacing, that's likely the problem and you need to take care of that-

Bill Kapaun

"...when I set the rear wheel in the drop-outs, the rear triangle doesn't line up with the bit of axle sticking out..."
You can't have ANY axle sticking out past the dropouts with a QR.
Is the axle a bit "short" on the other side?

SoonerBent

I've got to agree that your axle is either offset to one side or is too long. You shouldn't see any axle sticking out from the dropout.

well biked 

I took the "bit of axle sticking out" to mean the ends of the axle that extend beyond the lock nuts, not that the ends are necessarily sticking out past the face of the dropouts. Maybe I interpreted it wrong, I don't know. But yeah, if the axle extends beyond the face of the dropouts, that's a problem that would cause the slippage. But still, a rear triangle that has to be flexed inward 1/2" to secure the axle? I could definitely see that causing the problem, too-

trich

Sorry - I meant the bit of the axle that sticks out past the hub casing. I'll double check again tonight, but I don't remember the axle sticking out past the dropout at all. I'll measure the frame spacing and the axle length while I'm at it and get some pictures up for your review as well.

ilbat

Check and be sure the frame isnt cracked

tellyho

I wasn't aware that any new bike had horizontal dropouts.

trich

I measured the spacing on the frame and it is about 149mm, and the axle is 130mm. This means I'm flexing about 19mm. Therefore, I assume this is the main problem. I took the bike to my LBS to see what they thought, and they should look at it today sometime. I'll let you know what they think, but I'm pretty sure this is the ultimate problem. Thanks a lot for all the suggestions and help!

Al1943

Sounds as if the frame is bent or cracked. 149mm spacing doesn't make sense.

well biked 

Good luck with it. That bike should have dropout spacing of 130mm, so something is definitely screwy. The 149mm certainly explains why you couldn't keep the rear wheel from slipping, I'm surprised it was rideable at all. Let us know how it turns out-

trich

So, I got a call back from the LBS yesterday. The mechanic said that the drive-side triangle is bent out 9.6mm and the whole triangle is shifted to the drive side another 8.8mm. He said the most likely cause of this was a car accident, but in any case, he said it is irreperable. Do you all agree? Should I take the bike to another shop for a second opinion, or are they going to just tell me the same thing?

well biked 

Is that a steel frame? If so, there might be hope. Otherwise, I'd say it's a goner for sure. I had a frame repair done once by the nice folks at Southwest Frameworks in Dallas, but it was a much more minor situation than what you're describing. You might contact them, describe the situation, see what they say. David is the owner, and he's been building steel frames for a very long time. I thought his price for what I had him do was very reasonable. Or to avoid shipping costs, you might try and find a framebuilder in your local area-

www.southwestframeworks.com

vpiuva

You need to find the guy you bought it from and lay some serious hurt on him

trich

Two bike shops both said that there is nothing that can be done to save it. They said that if they try to bend it back into the correct alignment, the frame will just re-bend out of shape ("metal memory"). I was wondering if anyone had any success with a frame that was bent at least that far out of true?

I emailed the guys over at Southwest Frameworks, so maybe they can help. I'm also going to see if I can find a frame builder in the St. Louis area and see if they can do anything.

DMF 

How much did you pay for it?

trich

$350 and I've been on it less than 100 miles.

DMF 

Yep.