DIY Frame repairs or frame builder in Hull area

[techno]

So, I fell off my bike and it got hit by a car.
LBS said frame is straight but I'm not convinced.
Can anyone recommend somewhere local-ish to Hull that will be able to tell me definitively and perform the repair.

Alternatively has anyone here ever tweaked their frame alignment, was it worth the sweat or should I leave it to the pros?
Ta.

[psling]

What frame material is it?

[techno]

It's a chro-molly genesis longitude

[Bearbonesnorm]

What makes you think it's bent?

[psling]

What makes you think it's bent?

Keeps going round in circles without steering...

Chances are that if you're "not convinced" then you may never be happy with that frame again (it's a mental thing). Having said that, not being anywhere local to Hull I can't offer any local ideas I'm afraid. Hope you're OK btw!

[techno]

What makes you think it's bent?

Fitted freshly built rear wheel and with wheel aligned to have equal clearance at chainstays the clearance at the seat stays is unequal, 10mm difference I think.
Suggests dropouts or seat tube bent I guess?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Fitted freshly built rear wheel and with wheel aligned to have equal clearance at chainstays the clearance at the seat stays is unequal, 10mm difference I think.
Suggests dropouts or seat tube bent I guess?

Was it ever any different? I've a couple of bikes that are similar to this where clearances between various points aren't equal or symmetrical ... but you'd think they would be.

[sean_iow]

As much as I love my Genesis Latitude... how can I say this politely.. it's not made to exacting standards with regards to symmetry The little brace which runs between the seat stays close to the seat tube is on a slope. It used to annoy me a bit being as I'm a bit ocd about these types of things (valves and tyre logos aligned) but it doesn't make any difference to how it rides. Saying that, 10mm is quite a lot. I think several on here have the same frame, perhaps they can comment on if this is normal.

If you get a length of timber, say 100x50, stand it on it's edge and put the bike next to it with both wheel touching it you might be able to look along the bike to see it the wheels are aligned? I actually saw this done by a motorcycle mot tester back in the 90's to check for frame/wheel alignment I assume it more high tech these days.

[Steezysix]

The chainstays on my Longitude aren't symmetrical - the metal plate on the drive side is a lot thinner than the nds stay. Have you tried flipping the wheel to check that the dishing is correct?

Also, given the amount of abuse my Longitude has taken without batting an eye, I'd be more worried about the car than the bike!

[techno]

Was it ever any different? I've a couple of bikes that are similar to this where clearances between various points aren't equal or symmetrical ... but you'd think they would be.

Good question.... Yeah I'm pretty confident the clearances were equal prior to the car/bike interface.

[techno]

The chainstays on my Longitude aren't symmetrical - the metal plate on the drive side is a lot thinner than the nds stay. Have you tried flipping the wheel to check that the dishing is correct?

Also, given the amount of abuse my Longitude has taken without batting an eye, I'd be more worried about the car than the bike!

As much as I love my Genesis Latitude... how can I say this politely.. it's not made to exacting standards with regards to symmetry The little brace which runs between the seat stays close to the seat tube is on a slope. It used to annoy me a bit being as I'm a bit ocd about these types of things (valves and tyre logos aligned) but it doesn't make any difference to how it rides. Saying that, 10mm is quite a lot. I think several on here have the same frame, perhaps they can comment on if this is normal.

If you get a length of timber, say 100x50, stand it on it's edge and put the bike next to it with both wheel touching it you might be able to look along the bike to see it the wheels are aligned? I actually saw this done by a motorcycle mot tester back in the 90's to check for frame/wheel alignment I assume it more high tech these days.

Gonna check a few more dimensions tonight, will report back....

[restlessshawn]

"Freshly built rear wheel" raises alarm bells. I've had to redish a wheel as it was off 3-4mm

try a known wheel, or try that wheel in a different frame

Genesis paint is so crap I'd expect you'd see a good crack or a chunk flaked off if it was really bent?

[techno]

"Freshly built rear wheel" raises alarm bells. I've had to redish a wheel as it was off 3-4mm

try a known wheel, or try that wheel in a different frame

Genesis paint is so crap I'd expect you'd see a good crack or a chunk flaked off if it was really bent?

Yeah, wheel dish needs checking too. Will flip wheel And will chuck another wheel in to compare.
Thanks for all the input everyone.

[Gummikuh]

I also ride a longitude, and yep, there are a few stays that look as though they are crooked.
If you can find a way of accurately measuring lengths left and right say with a non stretchy piece of string or a long metal ruler, then that will give you an idea. But it is true what others have said, it may be that you will never feel comfortable on the bike for other reasons. I would be surprised if it is bent, but I guess that depends on the severity of any impact it took. Longitude is a pretty tough old frame.

[techno]

So, here's what I found last night.
the wheel is out of dish by less than 1.5mm. Drive side = 26.75mm, NDS = 28mm.

Rim to chainstay clearance: DS 24.5, NDS 23.5
Rim to Seatstay clearance: DS 23.5, NDS 18.5

With the wheel flipped the clearance changes proportional to the difference in the wheel dish.

So it's not quite as drastic as I said previously but there is a difference.

I also checked the frame alignment like this: https://youtu.be/dUPAKqS3dt8 And found the alignment to be 34mm on the drive side and 36mm on the NDS.

Clear as mud then.....
I think this points to the dropouts being twisted or possibly (but hopefully not) the seat tube being bent. Gonna take it back to LBS to get them to re-check as they should do it free.

[windjammer]

Can't you claim for a new bike off the car insurance that hit you.i wrap a length of string around the head tube and tie off at both dropouts then measure either side of string to the seat tube

[techno]

Can't you claim for a new bike off the car insurance that hit you.i wrap a length of string around the head tube and tie off at both dropouts then measure either side of string to the seat tube

can't claim off them as it wasn't their fault. I fell off in front of them, no way they could've missed the bike.

And I've strung the frame as mentioned above:
"checked the frame alignment like this: https://youtu.be/dUPAKqS3dt8 And found the alignment to be 34mm on the drive side and 36mm on the NDS."

[Zippy]

How does it ride?

[sean_iow]

So, here's what I found last night.
the wheel is out of dish by less than 1.5mm. Drive side = 26.75mm, NDS = 28mm.

and

I also checked the frame alignment like this: https://youtu.be/dUPAKqS3dt8 And found the alignment to be 34mm on the drive side and 36mm on the NDS.

Don't forget that the out of alignment is only half the difference between the measurements. On the wheel dish you would only have to move the rim over by 0.625mm to get it in the centre so that's quite close already. The seat tube would only have to be 1mm further over to get the measurements the same. I.e. if it moved 1mm towards the NDS that would go down to 35mm and the DS would go up to 35mm. Given the tolerance of mass produced frames that seat tube could well be where it was when manufactured which points to the drop-outs being slightly twisted. It should be possible to tweak these a bit to get it all straight again.

[Wotsits]

Does it move through all the gears ok?

If it does then I'd just re-dish the wheel & not worry about the frame too much. Genesis could prob tell you if it was within tolerance to put your mind at rest though.

If you do decide to start pulling at the frame you may need to apply some heat, which would mean a new paint job & which maybe a job better left to a professional frame builder/repairer.

I've bent a chainstay before & the chain wouldn't stay on (was SS)..

[techno]

How does it ride?

[ouch]Dunno yet. Just got pins out of my hand from the crash [/ouch]

Sean: yeah, I hope once the dropout alignment is sorted I should have a betterer alignment, then maybe a tiny tweak of the rear trIangle to center it up.

Does it move through all the gears ok?

If it does then I'd just re-dish the wheel & not worry about the frame too much. Genesis could prob tell you if it was within tolerance to put your mind at rest though.

If you do decide to start pulling at the frame you may need to apply some heat, which would mean a new paint job & which maybe a job better left to a professional frame builder/repairer.

I've bent a chainstay before & the chain wouldn't stay on (was SS)..

I'm running it with an Alfine hub so I'm wanting to get it as squared up as possible, and a jumped chain got me into this mess in the first place

[Trail-rat]

we are thinkign about straightening a frame over 1mm ?

Lord knows you should never buy an intense..... ive had to manipulate them by 10mm+ to get them to go back together after a bearing swap - and im not alone !

[techno]

we are thinkign about straightening a frame over 1mm ?

Lord knows you should never buy an intense..... ive had to manipulate them by 10mm+ to get them to go back together after a bearing swap - and im not alone !

Nah, the wheel is sitting 5mm closer to one of the seatstays when it is equal at the chainstays.
Maybe I'm being picky.

[johnb]

Dave Yates frame builder/repairer New York Lincolnshire.


https://www.google.co.uk/search?client= ... 7840197784

[techno]

Dave Yates frame builder/repairer New York Lincolnshire.

Lincolnshire
Haha, thanks. I've discovered there's also feather cycles near York which avoids heading into the land of the twelve toed folk
http://www.feathercycles.com/