Rear wheel frame clearance

[Mea Culpa]

What amound of clearance should there be between the rear tyre and the seat tube / non drive side chainstay?

I am SURE that under load, my rear tyre is rubbing against the inner corner of the non drive chainstay/seat tube. I thought the wheel would naturally sit with plenty of clearance, but there's only a few mm.

 

[chris42]

what type of bike do you have?
road/mountain/flatbar?

 

[Mea Culpa]

Shoulds have added -

Road bike.

I've just been out and fecked with it, took the wheel out and put back in. I now have more clearance. I did think that the rear wheel would always settle in the 'correct' place when you put it back into the drop outs, but evidently not!

The wheels are Reynolds Alta Race Comp and i'm starting to become less impressed with them........perhaps they are not as stiff as I'd thought.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

The only 'bulge' you get under load is the part in contact with the road. Your problem can only be:

1. Wheel not centred in the dropouts properly. Always tighten the quick release with the bike upright and the wheel on the ground. (Most likely cause.) If the wheel is not in tight enough, powerful 'stomping' on the peddles can pull the chainstay side of the wheel forward in the dropouts.

2. Tyre too big for type of bike. Pro Race 25cs are tight in my race frame.

3. Wheel built badly so rim is not centred between the drop outs. Either a dishing or axle spacing problem. Have you had the wheel 'trued' recently?

4. Lack of wheel stiffness so it's distorting under load.

 

[Keith Oates]

Tim has covered it pretty well, but if it's only doing it on one side then it suggests it is not correctly centred in the first place!!

 

[Mea Culpa]

Correct. I think Tim has it with point 1.

I had taken the wheel off to clean the bike the other day and had inverted the bike on the lawn when I put the wheel back in.

I adjusted and have just come back from a 55 miler with plenty of honking.........no rubbing. :?: