Aligning rear wheel on trike

[robin623]

I have an ICE trike. I am installing an electric rear wheel (necessary for medical/physical reasons). Having done so, the center-line of the wheel is one-quarter inch to the right of the center-line of the fork. Does it matter? If so, why? I have spoken with bike shop people and they all say it should be centered, but the reasons do not seem founded in physics or engineering.

It seems to me that — with the two front wheels aligned — the location of the rear wheel is not a critical issue. If I were to take a sharp turn at a high speed, my

that it could be potential imbalance possibilities, but the likelihood of that occurring is very remote.

Brake considerations are not a factor. The trike has disc brakes that are mounted on the front wheels. If I added washers to the right, freewheel side, the result would be correspondingly greater distance between the derailleur and the freewheel and also increased tension to the forks.

Thanks.

 

[scrumblero]

normally you dish the wheel to center the tire , maybe it was dished for a smaller gear cluster of for a freewheel?

 

[deorman]

While centered would be ideal, I doubt that 1/4" will be a major problem. There are plenty of bikes, trikes, and automobiles out there that are slightly biased to one side, sometimes for tracking on crowned road surfaces or track use, sometimes for reasons of clearances or mechanical imbalance, and sometimes merely shoddy construction. :|