How To Make A Cheap Bike Frame Alignment Gauge Tool

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

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[@KJT673]

I made this in 5 minutes with a 60 cm ruler(already had a hole drilled), a strip of mdf I had around and 2 stainless pieces from a float switch turn out great, mine was 25 mm out after a crash and now it’s perfectly aligned and rides great again, great video !

[@sennapode]

Nice simple video. I can’t believe the people that complain that it’s ‘only in inches’. If you can’t work out how to convert Inches to Cm, then I’d be quite worried.

[@SethJayson]

I realized I have enough scrap stuff (MDF slats that packed a replacement treadmill deck) to make this except for the $1.23 worth of hardware, and just when I need one. Excellent.

[@steverahe]

thank you for thinking of this and sharing it. Great use of what you have on hand to get the job done well.

[@danielcentilli2288]

Great video, as always RJ. Thanks for the knowledge, especially during the Covid 19 lockdown. Lots of bike projects in progress, especially because I am sitting at home. I picked up a Ross Gran Tour XV, Ishiwata 024 tubing. Going to attempt a frame spread to 130.

[@nimarahmanian4489]

Saving money on a daily basis. Your great

[@romelabella9714]

Wow you really give me a cheap idea which is i will only use it for onces thanks

[@Murrell84]

So cool really great vid 👌

[@victorlozada1]

Great job simple and effective like a pro tool

[@armandomunoz3190]

Great vid thanx buddy

[@grbicaleks]

Nice work! Thanks Is it possible to provide measurments in metric units :)

[@richardjohnson3901]

Cool life hacks hopefully I can straighten me frame a little now or keep riding in circles

[@CarlosRamirez-sl3vb]

Awesome!!!

[@Hardi26]

This is great tool. I will try this out for sure. I've already made a string test to my bike and I saw that the wheels are not on same line.. there's at least 4 millimeters difference. But how can I check fork(front). I think my bike might actually have also fork or steerer bent to left a bit.. The best way that I could think, is to make a tool that has 3 contact points against front wheel rim, and then one measurement point against top end of steerer tube.. Then if I have properly straight and dished wheel, it would not matter if the tool that I make, is not perfectly built and straight.

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

Hardi Erstu Not sure off hand. Bent forks are probably best replaced.

[@circustown7475]

Great video!

[@mariusz1LOADmt]

Hey! I have a question about this subject. I'll start with the fact that I set everything as it should be the instrument FFG-2 and now. How do I use this device on your bike it shows me that the left side of the bike is OK, but right now leaves a few centimeters. How to fix only the right page? sorry for my English

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

***** Both sides should be equal. And the spacing between the dropouts should be the correct distance for your wheel. If the spacing between the dropouts is correct, and there is a 20mm gap on the right side with this tool, then both sides need to move to the right by 10mm, so they will be equal and the spacing between the dropouts stays the same. Only do this on a steel frame.

[@mariusz1LOADmt]

RJ The Bike Guy Thank you for the quick reply. That's right, you're right, but how do you move so as not to alter the left. What device do it, or how? You can burn any video to straighten it?

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

I do it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoCYh2anoLxja8k

[@mariusz1LOADmt]

RJ The Bike Guy Thanks for your reply! I have for you an interesting case could you give me an email and I sent you a picture? I struggle with it is another day and I do not know how to solve

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

***** You can post it over on my facebook page: facebook.com/RJTheBikeGuy

[@EwenThompson]

Thanks RJ - good idea. Presume you have a wheel dishing gauge - any chance of making a cheap version, similar to what you've done here?

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

I do have a shop grade Park Tool dishing tool. But I was thinking of how to build a cheap one a while back. I will have to get back to that.

[@SoySeanez]

I definitely wanna see you align the frame

[@bolsanareal]

Thanks RJ, may you please tell me the tool dimensions? Cheers from Brazil!

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

Watch and listen to the video.

[@johannesi.9201]

Can you tell what's the tolerance in your opinion? 5mm? I guess on a racing bike frame you have less tolerance than on a normal city bike, right?

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

The faster you go, the more difference it makes.

[@TheTwsa]

Love your videos, but do you have one about how to measure for adjustment therear dropout on vintage steelbikes? (steelbikes are coolest ridingexperience!)

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

+TheTwsa What do you mean?

[@TheTwsa]

my rear derailiure drop is out of alignment on my rodabike, steel, which can be bend back, steel can bend but alu will crack, and I know a tool for adjusting exist, but cannot find it nomore. I have aligned with homemade tool that should work, but somehow it does not do so 100%. So do you have a way to adjust rearderailure drop?

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

Like this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqS4aXyhoKuUpc0

[@TheTwsa]

this is very similar to what I have constructed allready, but somehow it does not align 100% but only allmost.I cannor find out why it does not work, but the small screws for adjusting the alignment of the wheel from the rear somehow sits evenly for the wheel but a little uneven for the 1.5 foot long steel pin inserted with bolts like you have done here. I meant I am trying to adjust the drop for the rear derailiure, not drop for rear wheel.. And allso, do you have any experience with beding frequently in steel, cause it may weaken the drop every time twisting it I think.

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

You mean the derailleur hanger? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqHWeGubeatoabc

[@maxthemax65]

Great

[@Hardi26]

I think that bicycle manufacturers make cheaper frames purposely non straight. Especially smaller frames. This is also the reason, why newer bike frames are from aluminum. The steel frame, u can straighten by your self. And also they are probably bent to left. The rear end to left and front end to right. That's because this will make it more compromising when you try to get wheels to travel on same line, by dishing. Both bikes that I have, have front ends same way twist.. newer bike have also rear end non straight. It won't cause issues on flat paved road, but in snow, and probably also in mud it's bad. I don't ride too much in mud... But in snow, it seems it will be difficult to handle if it's too much off. And probably it's harder to pedal too. My old cheap hybrid bike had it over 2 cm off. And it was very difficult to ride hands off from handlebar. It wanted to turn to left. And at winter when there was a inches or so snow, on the icy road. It was dragging the rear end to ditch. Well the road is a bit tilt to ditches anyways. So if the wheel spins it naturally drags the rear end to there, but I think, that the non straightness of frame has a part in that too. Anyways, I'm sure, that they make the cheaper bikes not so straight on purpose. It's just because the more expensive ones would not justify the 3X higher price.. Well, I actually never owned a expensive bike, maybe those are actually same, but.. I think they must be straighter, since they are used for competitions.. The cheap frames are made unstraight, so that u would not get a temptation to equip it with better wheels and groupsets, and still get a very good bike.

[@aiquelindo]

I really enjoy watching your videos but I am metric so you get me totally lost when you start talking about inches. I guess you're making videos for American audiences only. Oh well.

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

Johnny If only there were a way to convert inches to cm's. Maybe someday someone will invent a way.

[@aiquelindo]

RJ The Bike Guy Oh. So you want me to pause your videos every few seconds to convert the inches and quarter of inches to centimeters? Nice. No need to be sarcastic, I was just trying to make a point in a diplomatic way. I don't think you are very polite to your subscribers. UNSUBSCRIBED.

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

There are only a few measurements in this video and none of them need to be exact.

[@spiderman01980]

It's cheaper to buy the parktool than it is to buy the tools make a cheap version.

[@RJTheBikeGuy]

Well you could use hand tools. Or borrow tools. Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. Maybe you should look at just taking your bike to a bike shop and letting someone else work on it.

[@spiderman01980]

@@RJTheBikeGuy in the UK(London) everyone is after your arsehole, everyone wants to make love to it if you understand what I mean. You definitely don't get what you pay for and there are very few honest bike shops around. Big names work on targets and small ones will not touch the bike at all unless it's worth doing and they can be sure you're happy.

[@KJT673]

I made this in 5 minutes with a 60 cm ruler(already had a hole drilled), a strip of mdf I had around and 2 stainless pieces from a float switch turn out great, mine was 25 mm out after a crash and now it’s perfectly aligned and rides great again, great video !