Chainline Alignment Front and Rear Although I have read Sheldon Brown's All About Bicycle Chainline article I'm still struggling to understand a key point.

If you are running a different chainline to the manufacturers (new crankset) can this be adjusted for in spacing of the rear axle? Essentially the question is, does the frame drive the chainline or the components and set up?
There's a number of things that affect and can be tuned to adjust chainline.


Bottom bracket shell width. If the bottom bracket is wider, the chainline is going to be further out.
Bottom bracket spindle length. A longer spindle can be used in a narrower shell to give the same chainline as a wider shell.
Crank sizing. Cranks are usually designed towards a certain chainline and mixing and matching these can alter it.
Chainring positioning. You can space out your chainrings to move them further from the crank spider.
Frame spacing, hub size &amp; dishing. Using these you can build a hub that is farther to one side than the other and dish the wheel back to the center line.


Most of these adjustments are time consuming and a hassel, or need you yo carefully buy new parts. If this is bike has a derailler then your chainline is never going to be correct anyway and I wouldn't worry about it.

So, to answer your question, the frame tends to set a lower limit to the chainline in the front and an upper limit in the rear. With careful component choice you can always make a good chainline (most framebuiders are unlikely to stick a 73mm BB on a frame with 120mm rear spaceing, I would guess).