My front wheel release is coming loose on rides
10-03-18, 05:14 AM
#1
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My front wheel release is coming loose on rides
Basically like the title of this thread states. I am tightening it and making sure the closed side is just like the rear wheel. But after riding this past weekend and yesterday, both times when I went to take the wheel off and put the bike back in the car, the release was loose.
Is there something I missing? Do these releases need to be replaced after a while?
Sorry if this a dumb question.
Is there something I missing? Do these releases need to be replaced after a while?
Sorry if this a dumb question.
10-03-18, 06:11 AM
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When you tighten, are you folding the lever over like intended? FWIW, I once had a QR set on which the levers didn't fold over past a hard spot into a looser spot. (I'm describing that poorly. Maybe over-center is the word I"m looking for). The result was that it took trivial finger pressure to start the levers going loose, and I trashed them and bought better.
10-03-18, 06:41 AM
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Two things...
...first, is it an internal cam or external cam type skewer? Post a photo of the head.
Second, describe how you know you've reached the tightness point before you throw the lever to fully lock it. What is you method?
Second, describe how you know you've reached the tightness point before you throw the lever to fully lock it. What is you method?
10-03-18, 06:41 AM
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To do it right the lever should be open
Then tighten the bolt on the other side until it's just touching the frame (this is a variable...you may have to tighten it a little more on your bike)
Then close the lever. It should take some force to be able to close it. If it closes super easy with one finger, it's too loose. Conversely you shouldn't have to put all your weight into closing it either. If you do it's too tight.
I've seen people try to just hand tighten the screw with the level closed. That will fail every time.
If you're doing it right and it's still loosening up, the quick release may be bad. They are relatively cheap and easy to replace.
Then tighten the bolt on the other side until it's just touching the frame (this is a variable...you may have to tighten it a little more on your bike)
Then close the lever. It should take some force to be able to close it. If it closes super easy with one finger, it's too loose. Conversely you shouldn't have to put all your weight into closing it either. If you do it's too tight.
I've seen people try to just hand tighten the screw with the level closed. That will fail every time.
If you're doing it right and it's still loosening up, the quick release may be bad. They are relatively cheap and easy to replace.
10-03-18, 06:44 AM
#5
Interocitor Command
What JG says is correct. The skewer levers should go from a point of peak resistance to a lower resistance when fully engaged. There is an elliptical contour built into the skewers that allows this to happen. It may appear that the lever may sit too close to the spokes, but they should never make contact.
10-03-18, 07:05 AM
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You are not alone, I have had the same thing happen to me to a lesser extent (twice in 7 months) on the front wheel with quick release of a cheap Wal-Mart Schwinn. I'm not sure the manufacturer of the wheel, but figured it happens because it's cheap and check the wheel regularly before rides.
10-03-18, 07:19 AM
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Rim brake or disc brake?
All disc brakes with the caliper positioned behind the wheel axle will exert a downward force on the axle during braking.
Under some conditions this can cause the wheel to shift and/or allow the q/r to work its way loose.
The available cure is to use a high-quality, internal-cam q/r, and close it hard.
All disc brakes with the caliper positioned behind the wheel axle will exert a downward force on the axle during braking.
Under some conditions this can cause the wheel to shift and/or allow the q/r to work its way loose.
The available cure is to use a high-quality, internal-cam q/r, and close it hard.
10-03-18, 10:27 AM
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It's not a dumb question because it's really happening to you and is definitely a potential danger.
1. If you are using your QR lever like a wing nut, that's your problem.
The right way to tighten it is to hold the lever so that it's parallel with the axle and tighten the nut on the opposite side until it is barely finger tight. Then push your lever in so that it's flat. If it isn't pretty hard to do, you didn't do it right.
2. Another possible (but less likely) problem I thought about has to do with the "lawyer lips". If you are reinstalling your wheel with your bike upside down, you might not be getting the wheel bottomed in the dropouts.
1. If you are using your QR lever like a wing nut, that's your problem.
The right way to tighten it is to hold the lever so that it's parallel with the axle and tighten the nut on the opposite side until it is barely finger tight. Then push your lever in so that it's flat. If it isn't pretty hard to do, you didn't do it right.
2. Another possible (but less likely) problem I thought about has to do with the "lawyer lips". If you are reinstalling your wheel with your bike upside down, you might not be getting the wheel bottomed in the dropouts.
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10-03-18, 10:31 AM
#10
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Didn't trek have a recall because the handle could go in the spokes and flip you?
10-03-18, 02:52 PM
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The skewer will be replaced someday.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2006/sh...ng-fall-hazard
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10-03-18, 05:13 PM
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You are not alone, I have had the same thing happen to me to a lesser extent (twice in 7 months) on the front wheel with quick release of a cheap Wal-Mart Schwinn. I'm not sure the manufacturer of the wheel, but figured it happens because it's cheap and check the wheel regularly before rides.
10-03-18, 07:08 PM
#14
Cycleway town
Are the threads good? It's only a 5mm thread, if it's bad on either the male or female thread then it may be jumping a thread during riding.
The lever itself should be closed all the way to it's stop (note any disc brake or spoke issues and use the drive side).
And ensure it takes a firm push, though i always found my thumb was just strong enough.
The lever itself should be closed all the way to it's stop (note any disc brake or spoke issues and use the drive side).
And ensure it takes a firm push, though i always found my thumb was just strong enough.
10-04-18, 09:12 AM
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It's not a dumb question because it's really happening to you and is definitely a potential danger.
1. If you are using your QR lever like a wing nut, that's your problem.
The right way to tighten it is to hold the lever so that it's parallel with the axle and tighten the nut on the opposite side until it is barely finger tight. Then push your lever in so that it's flat. If it isn't pretty hard to do, you didn't do it right.
2. Another possible (but less likely) problem I thought about has to do with the "lawyer lips". If you are reinstalling your wheel with your bike upside down, you might not be getting the wheel bottomed in the dropouts.
1. If you are using your QR lever like a wing nut, that's your problem.
The right way to tighten it is to hold the lever so that it's parallel with the axle and tighten the nut on the opposite side until it is barely finger tight. Then push your lever in so that it's flat. If it isn't pretty hard to do, you didn't do it right.
2. Another possible (but less likely) problem I thought about has to do with the "lawyer lips". If you are reinstalling your wheel with your bike upside down, you might not be getting the wheel bottomed in the dropouts.
10-04-18, 10:42 AM
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"Lawyer lips"? It has a name? Why that one?
10-04-18, 01:42 PM
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Easier to say and more descriptive than "wheel retention fork end ridges."
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10-04-18, 02:13 PM
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10-04-18, 02:34 PM
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As the story goes:
BITD when society trusted people to accept responsibility for their own shortcomings, fork ends were smooth and wheel changes fast.
Supposedly, someone lost a wheel and promptly sued (=lawyer) the manufacturer for not doing enough to prevent wheel loss.
The manufacturers then retaliated against ALL cyclists by adding those ridges, costing us all precious seconds at every wheel change.
BITD when society trusted people to accept responsibility for their own shortcomings, fork ends were smooth and wheel changes fast.
Supposedly, someone lost a wheel and promptly sued (=lawyer) the manufacturer for not doing enough to prevent wheel loss.
The manufacturers then retaliated against ALL cyclists by adding those ridges, costing us all precious seconds at every wheel change.
10-04-18, 04:49 PM
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As I understand it, the bike industry tracked front wheel detachment failures -- on both nutted and QR axles -- for many years. I once found a transcript of a lawsuit, where I gathered that there were maybe a dozen or so incidents per year that the bike companies were aware of. This was a legal problem but also a straightforward engineering problem: Even if a failure mode is believed to be caused by user error, most engineers will try to design an error-prone user adjustment out of a product if it can be done with reasonable convenience.
Bike engineers started designing "secondary retention" for front wheels. An engineer at Schwinn patented one idea involving simple spring clips. Other companies tried without success to license the Schwinn patent, and eventually the industry settled on lawyer lips. Also, front wheel detachment failures virtually disappeared around the same time, so any hope of gathering good statistical data on the issue is lost.
Disclaimer: I'm neither a lawyer nor an engineer. Also, I prefer nutted axles or Brilando clips.
Bike engineers started designing "secondary retention" for front wheels. An engineer at Schwinn patented one idea involving simple spring clips. Other companies tried without success to license the Schwinn patent, and eventually the industry settled on lawyer lips. Also, front wheel detachment failures virtually disappeared around the same time, so any hope of gathering good statistical data on the issue is lost.
Disclaimer: I'm neither a lawyer nor an engineer. Also, I prefer nutted axles or Brilando clips.
10-05-18, 10:30 PM
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THe hidden internal cam skewers clamp tighter that the external exposed cam skewers. You can get them for $14.00 per set at VeloORANGE.
https://velo-orange.com/products/vo-...elease-skewers
https://velo-orange.com/products/vo-...elease-skewers
10-06-18, 06:57 AM
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As the story goes:
BITD when society trusted people to accept responsibility for their own shortcomings, fork ends were smooth and wheel changes fast.
Supposedly, someone lost a wheel and promptly sued (=lawyer) the manufacturer for not doing enough to prevent wheel loss.
The manufacturers then retaliated against ALL cyclists by adding those ridges, costing us all precious seconds at every wheel change.
Although in some cases they should be left on.
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Last edited by Homebrew01; 10-06-18 at 07:00 AM.
10-06-18, 11:26 AM
#24
Banned
User error,
but they found lawyers to shift the blame..
But if you put the QR lever on the opposite side of the fork from the disc
this won't be a problem.
the fork tip safety retention was added after a similar set of people did not close their QR properly, so found a Contingency % lawyer rather than taking any responsibility themselves.
....
Last edited by fietsbob; 10-06-18 at 11:32 AM.
10-06-18, 01:15 PM
#25
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OP, get someone with more experience to look at your skewering technique. Maybe go to a bike shop, I can't imagine they wouldn't help you.
thanks for posting that. Looks like I might have a couple of those
Those were Shimano skewers. I'm still using one. Not on a Trek. On the drive side of the front wheel. Opposite the rotor.
The skewer will be replaced someday.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2006/sh...ng-fall-hazard
The skewer will be replaced someday.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2006/sh...ng-fall-hazard