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Possible fork dropout defect

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  bradXism 
#1 ·
I have a Serotta Ti Cyclocross, with the Stella Azure carbon fork. The front wheel seems to be shifting to one side as I am riding. Looking down at the wheel I can see that there is very little room to the left side of the brake. When the QR is popped off the wheel moves noticable to the right again and the brakes are again properly lined up. The fork dropouts appear to be OK with no bends or wear marks. Changing the QR didn't seem to help. Anyone experience this, I am begining to think my only option is to go to a new fork. WHich would be a fine excuse to go to a front disk, but I am already past my monthly Bike Budget thru next month.

Thanks
 
#4 ·
The wheel has a tremendous amount of miles on it. No crashes ever on the wheel. It has been sitting as a possible sub in case I trashed another wheel...which I did this spring hitting a Mastiff. This same crashed trashed the CF frame I was on so I really can't test it on anything else. I do have a second front wheel, Its a bear of a Cyclocross wheel. The bearing seems smooth and the wheel spins fine when there is no weight on it. I haven't checked for the fork flexing. It doesn't seem to move over unless I have been riding it for a while. As soon as I pull off the quick release it settles into where it is supposed to be...
Just went back out to the Top Secret Bike Lab and checked all of the suggestions. The dropouts appear straight, there isn't any apparent flex in the fork when I put the wheel on, but that doesn't mean the fork isn't flexing on the road. The bearing is still very smooth. I have flipped the wheel around the last ride and it still moved over to the same side as before. I noticed a few days ago that the non-lever end of the QR was smooth not 'knarled?'. The whole QR was replaced with a Salsa. By the end of the ride the rim was again almost touching the left pad. Tomorrow I suffer thru the weekly thrashing by the younger guns, so I want my nice and light aero wheel. ( I will still get dropped) I will post if it is still a problem and then change the wheel to the other heavy beast to see if that one is the problem.
Thanks for your replies.
 
#5 ·
It's very strange that a front wheel would do this. I had a rear wheel keep doing this untill I got rid of the light weight quick release skewer and put on a stock Campy. Both faces should be knurled for it to really bite into the dropout. You should be good to go once you change it out.
 
#6 ·
One problem could be the fork has titanium dropouts. The hard titanium won't allow the skewer ends to bite into the dropout face securely.

If the dropouts are aluminum or steel, then try a Shimano skewer. Skewers like the Salsa I believe use a plastic bushing somewhere in the cam mechanism which tends to have too much elasticity.

Last, your fork could be poorly constructed or designed. It could also be cracking, so examine it well.
 
#7 ·
Ahhh there is a polymer skewer on the cam mech. That could make tightening it worse and the swap to another Salsa ineffective. I have both a Shimano and a Campy skewer and will use one of those. . The drops on the fork are aluminum. Today is my weekly Hammer Ride, which is a pretty good test of my equipment but more of a test for cerebral aneurysms. Should I survive another one I will post back.
Thanks all for your replies
 
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