Hello, I just got my first bike and I’m having a problem. After riding for about a week I noticed the rear wheel was rubbing the left side of the rear wheel frame. I loosened the tires and re-aligned them to be straight. After a few days I noticed it again! Less severe this time but it was rubbing on my brake pads. I loosened and aligned it again, but kept an eye on it. I noticed that even though I’m tightening pretty hand tight, after a few curbs and bumps it will come loose and always skew left.
I don’t know what to do, I’m hoping someone can help me before I have to take it to a bike shop
by Jamersaur
13 Comments
What do you mean by “hand tight”? Also is it a thru-axle?
Oh didn’t see the other pictures, you definitely need to be tightening it with a tool, not just your hand
Might still be not tight enough. How much leverage do you have when tightening it? Btw I don’t think LBS would charge you (or charge you a lot) for realigning and tightening the axle.
Likely, the force of you pedaling is pulling the chain, which is pulling the wheel sideways. You can get two “single speed tensioner” super cheap that will hold your wheel straight. They’re like two O—| shaped spacers/bumpers that go in that track under your wheel nut.
You need better grip where the axle contacts the frame and/or not tightening it enough.
You won’t get it right enough with a multi tool.
It’s most likely just from pedaling. My first thought is was the chain tension too tight? Also check for a tight spot in the chain when setting the chain tension. If there’s a tight spot that you’re pedaling through it’s going to pull the right side of the hub forward because it has nowhere else to go to relieve the excess tension.
Second thing is I’ve never seen 6mm allen bolts used as fasteners for a single speed axle before. I’m not sure if I’d trust them being able to handle enough torque to tighten them down without stripping the allen head.
Allen head bolts aside there should be a washer with a knurled rough surface that bites into the frame. If the washers contacting the frame are smooth I imagine they’re going to slip pretty easy even if they’re super tight.
Sooooo… a good trick is to stand behind the bike, gently pulling the wheel in the direction opposite the side you’re tightening. Switched sides going little by little with the tightening on each side. You’ll have an easier go. I think what’s happening here is that you’re just not straightening the wheel in the dropouts and holding it with some tension while tightening. You can do it!
Get a real allen wrench and bear down on it. That’s a steel frame, it can take it. I’ve had to dremel vertical grooves in a dropout before for really strong riders. Alternatively, get a Surly Tuggnut to help hold everything in place.
https://preview.redd.it/61vmqn9gudig1.jpeg?width=3048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2a83dc4d08a33306b4bb6c3ae60c9e95d3092bd
you need these
The fastening system is sometimes called Fun Bolts, named by Chris King. Most of the industry calls them that too. You probably won’t get enough torque with a multi tool, you don’t have enough leverage to lock in the wheel. Probably best to just bring it back to where you got it and ask them to tighten it properly for you. If it happens again, ask them to install a tensioner for you, it shouldn’t slip on its own if they were tighten properly.
You need more torque on the axle bolts, or a chain tug on the drive side.
Step one – torque it properly with a full sized wrench, a multi tool sized thing won’t do it.
If it still slips, consider an around axle chain tensioner that allows you to tighten against the rear dropouts.
First, stop riding this bike. It’s not safe.
Secondly, you said you just bought it. Take it back to where you bought it and have them fix it.