Brake calipers pulling wheels to the side...

[NCRoadBiker]

I have a 2011 Specialized Allez with the Apex gruppo, the brakes are no name.

When I pull the brakes while the bike is stationary i can see quite a bit of wheel deflection to the side, like the brakes are "off balance" too far on one side. I grab the calipers and pull them back to center but they seem to work themselves back off center.

Is something too tight? or too loose?

I wonder if during extreme braking while descending this could compromise handling and stability.

[AndrwSwitch]

Can you post a picture of the brakes?

IME, most sidepulls have two adjustments that effect centering. There are a couple of washers that need to be in the right ballpark during installation, and there's usually also a fine adjustment screw. Not all sidepulls, though.

Make sure your wheels are properly seated in the dropouts and their dishing is correct before you mess around with the brakes. I don't care to say how many times I've thought I had a brake alignment problem and it was actually the wheel.

[NCRoadBiker]

I dont have a wheel truing stand, is there another way i can check dish? Will post pix tomorrow.

[AndrwSwitch]

Yeah, your wheel should be well centered between the chainstays and in the fork crown. Seatstays too, but the brake caliper being right there can be distracting. In contemporary bikes, with tight clearances, things are often close enough to get a good sense by eye. Removing the tire can help, but that's starting to be more trouble than just centering the brakes to wherever the wheel happens to be.

Another poster, Mike T., here has a method for building wheels by using a zip tie as a reference. Look for a picture of a wheel in a blue fork, most of the way down the page.

Wheels

You can do the same thing with your current bike. You just need to flip the wheel around in the frame.

Personally, I'd just eyeball it. If it's off but not enough for me to see it, in my road bike, it can't be very far off.

Come to think of it, a ruler would do the job well too, just make sure you place it against the rim in a consistent way on each side.

Is this a new or an old problem? When did it start? Anything happen at that time?

[NCRoadBiker]

I noticed it shortly after purchasing the bike, but I have riden about 1,000 miles since. Each time I mounted the front wheel I gave it a spin to be sure it was seated correctly in the fork and rolling straight, then hit the brakes, thats when i noticed the wheel deflection.

[Kerry Irons]

I have a 2011 Specialized Allez with the Apex gruppo, the brakes are no name.

When I pull the brakes while the bike is stationary i can see quite a bit of wheel deflection to the side, like the brakes are "off balance" too far on one side. I grab the calipers and pull them back to center but they seem to work themselves back off center.

Is something too tight? or too loose?

I wonder if during extreme braking while descending this could compromise handling and stability.

Your brakes are simply off center. If you can center them by hand (the brake actually turns on the mounting bolt and the brakes don't move after repeated applications of the levers while the bike is stationary) then hold them in the centered position and tighten the 5 mm allen nut that holds the brake to the frame. If you can't center them by hand, loosen the 5mm nut slightly, center by hand, and retighten while holding the brake centered.

[brucew]

Kerry's right. It's a simple centering adjustment.

The Park Tool web site shows you how here: Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Dual Pivot Brake Service