I have had similar chain stay alignment issues with my 2016 R5 which led to rubbing on the non-drive side, but was superficial and not structural. Did need structural repair from bottom bracket damage from chain dropping to the inside of the small chainring and gouging at that site. Where you are based is critical - in Melbourne, Australia I went to Raoul Luescher and got superb service: https://carbnbikerepair.com.au but sounds like you will also need some work on drop-out alignment / refacing.
Hey Brian,
Shawn here, owner, founder, and engineer at Ruckus Composites. This is definitely something we’ve seen many, many times.
Quick questions to start:
Do you use the bike on a stationary trainer? (these are destroyers of dropouts)
What skewer and rear wheel are you running? I believe the stock setup is Mavic Ksyriums, and if you’re still using the Mavic quick release, that’s high on my “don’t use” list. The camming action on those skewers can wreak havoc on carbon dropouts. I love the DT Swiss RWS skewers. Pricey, but absolutely worth it.
Here’s what comes to mind:
Rear wheel issues – Could be out of true or have a broken axle, though I assume the shop already checked that.
Dropout plate drama – If I remember correctly, that era of R5 has a small metallic plate on the inner dropout. These are notorious for falling off. Once it’s gone, the carbon in the dropout compresses significantly, and even a tiny shift in the axle seat can throw off alignment enough to cause tire rub or frame contact. Geometry at the dropout is unforgiving.
Ovalized dropout – If that plate’s missing and the bike’s been ridden or clamped without it, I’ve seen the dropout wear into an oval shape. That misalignment can also push the wheel into the frame.
Also worth noting, frames from that era are tight in the chainstay area. Realistically, 700x25mm is the max safe tire size to allow for flex, both from the frame and the wheel, especially under load.
I’m in DC, and when I broke my carbon frame I shipped it to Broken Carbon out in Boulder, Colorado. Brady Kappius knows his stuff with carbon fiber and the repair has held up for over 14 years - he’s been in the custom carbon component and repair biz for over two decades. Turnaround was less than two weeks. Highly recommended!
I love Philly and I’m pumped to see the Philly Classic back! We’re based out in Portland, Oregon.
Feel free to email anytime with any follow-up questions. We work with most manufacturers and pro teams around the world and offer easy, discounted shipping for everyone.
Check out hottubes.com. Toby out of Shirely, MA knows a thing or 2 about this (to say the least) and is a bit closer to where you are. I consulted with him about some chips in my wife’s frame from heavy chain drops and he was nice enough to say they were superficial and didn’t need repairing which certainly saved a few bucks. I appreciate candor like that and I’m sure he’d show you the same honesty.
Sounds great! We are going through the images and will follow up on Monday but it looks exactly like what I have seen a hundred times out of this model.