I have an early 50's Columbia balloon tire bike which came to me apart as part of a bunch of other bikes and parts, this is the 5th bike out of the lot I'm beginning to piece back together.
As found, it was a bare frame and fork with the cranks, chainguard, and rear fender attached. The front fender, wheels and handle bars were tagged an in a box that came with it. I pulled it out of storage yesterday and did a few basic checks before going through it well enough to see if it was a viable bike or not. I pulled the cranks and fork, I mounted the bike in the stand and got out my frame guage for a quick check. I checked across the head and seat tubes to make sure it wasn't hit or bent, and both dropouts looked fine left to right. I stuck a wheel in the rear frame and noticed it was a bit closer to the right seat stay than the left, but would center fine in the chainstays. I checked the wheel dish and all was fine.
I connected the chain and centered the wheel in the chainstays and tightened it up.
Before puttingthe forks back on I gauged them as well, and found them only slighly off to the left, maybe 3/16" or so, which I corrected.
I went ahead and installed the fork and front wheel, I used its original bars and stem and stuck an extra long seat post an modern saddle in it for a test ride.
The bike pulls severely to the right at almost any hint of movement. It feels like it takes about 50 lbs of force to keep the bike going straight pushing the bars left to center and it all but refuses to make left turns. I've had bikes with bent frames or forks but never felt anything this drastic from a bike that has no real visible damage.
Back on the stand, I go further in taking measurements. I already made sure the forks were dead on, and the perfectly dished front wheel fits perfect. I go back to the rear and the fact that the wheel is about 1/4" closer to the right seat stay no matter what I did. I take a few more measurements and figure that the left dropout is 3/16" higher than the right one.
Now with that in mind, I'm thinking that it took a downward hit, some kid jumped a ramp and bent the rear triangle. I stripped the frame back down, I find two modern crank bearing adapters and a tube to slide through the bb, and I put an equal length rod in the rear dropouts.
I also took a few readings off the top of the chain stays, and both are dead level, the difference begins at the dropouts.
Both dropouts are fully inserted and secure, I see no sign of one working loose or moving.
The top of the seat stays are slightly off, the rise begins at the left dropout and continues to the seat tube.
My take is that the bike has likely been this way since new. Its not enough to cause such a bad pull. The headtube is 90 degrees to the bb, and within 3 degrees of the rear axle. The wheel sits leaning to the left compared to the front wheel by 3/16" of difference at the top. Its not turned left or right and no matter what that would be adjustable when mounting the wheel.
I have bikes that have far worse alignment issues front to back and they don't pull. I even swapped in another set of wheels thinking maybe somehow it was the tires but no change.
Before I go through the trouble of trying to pull the left dropout down 3/16", I want to make sure I'm not missing something here.
If I pull down on the dropout, its going to align the wheel better but make the left chainstay lower by a bit to get the dropouts aligned perfectly.
I even tried putting the forks back over to the left a bit but it made no difference in the pull.
At minimal balance speed, I've got two hands on the bars trying to go straight. Even in a leaning left turn, the thing is trying to pull right.
I also swapped in a different headset just for fun, but it didn't change anything. I feel like the pull is equal to my weight, any further than a few hundred foot ride and your exhausted trying to fight the bike to go straight.
I wouldn't think a bike could pull so hard and so bad. Just walking with the bike I don't feel any pull.
Has anyone ever had a bike with a severe pull like this?
As found, it was a bare frame and fork with the cranks, chainguard, and rear fender attached. The front fender, wheels and handle bars were tagged an in a box that came with it. I pulled it out of storage yesterday and did a few basic checks before going through it well enough to see if it was a viable bike or not. I pulled the cranks and fork, I mounted the bike in the stand and got out my frame guage for a quick check. I checked across the head and seat tubes to make sure it wasn't hit or bent, and both dropouts looked fine left to right. I stuck a wheel in the rear frame and noticed it was a bit closer to the right seat stay than the left, but would center fine in the chainstays. I checked the wheel dish and all was fine.
I connected the chain and centered the wheel in the chainstays and tightened it up.
Before puttingthe forks back on I gauged them as well, and found them only slighly off to the left, maybe 3/16" or so, which I corrected.
I went ahead and installed the fork and front wheel, I used its original bars and stem and stuck an extra long seat post an modern saddle in it for a test ride.
The bike pulls severely to the right at almost any hint of movement. It feels like it takes about 50 lbs of force to keep the bike going straight pushing the bars left to center and it all but refuses to make left turns. I've had bikes with bent frames or forks but never felt anything this drastic from a bike that has no real visible damage.
Back on the stand, I go further in taking measurements. I already made sure the forks were dead on, and the perfectly dished front wheel fits perfect. I go back to the rear and the fact that the wheel is about 1/4" closer to the right seat stay no matter what I did. I take a few more measurements and figure that the left dropout is 3/16" higher than the right one.
Now with that in mind, I'm thinking that it took a downward hit, some kid jumped a ramp and bent the rear triangle. I stripped the frame back down, I find two modern crank bearing adapters and a tube to slide through the bb, and I put an equal length rod in the rear dropouts.
I also took a few readings off the top of the chain stays, and both are dead level, the difference begins at the dropouts.
Both dropouts are fully inserted and secure, I see no sign of one working loose or moving.
The top of the seat stays are slightly off, the rise begins at the left dropout and continues to the seat tube.
My take is that the bike has likely been this way since new. Its not enough to cause such a bad pull. The headtube is 90 degrees to the bb, and within 3 degrees of the rear axle. The wheel sits leaning to the left compared to the front wheel by 3/16" of difference at the top. Its not turned left or right and no matter what that would be adjustable when mounting the wheel.
I have bikes that have far worse alignment issues front to back and they don't pull. I even swapped in another set of wheels thinking maybe somehow it was the tires but no change.
Before I go through the trouble of trying to pull the left dropout down 3/16", I want to make sure I'm not missing something here.
If I pull down on the dropout, its going to align the wheel better but make the left chainstay lower by a bit to get the dropouts aligned perfectly.
I even tried putting the forks back over to the left a bit but it made no difference in the pull.
At minimal balance speed, I've got two hands on the bars trying to go straight. Even in a leaning left turn, the thing is trying to pull right.
I also swapped in a different headset just for fun, but it didn't change anything. I feel like the pull is equal to my weight, any further than a few hundred foot ride and your exhausted trying to fight the bike to go straight.
I wouldn't think a bike could pull so hard and so bad. Just walking with the bike I don't feel any pull.
Has anyone ever had a bike with a severe pull like this?