utoner34

I have this bike, rode it even less than a month: https://breezerbikes.eu/products/radar-expert

Recently I went to check the wheels (not the first time since I got the bike, I have already taken them down before).

To my unpleasant surprise, the rear qr skewer is bent on the screw side (so the drive side, I tightent it on the other side).

I wouldnt even notice it if I didnt try to pull skewer out of the axle. It immediatelly reminded me how much I hate quick release axle. This is not my primary but secondary bike.

The axle looks ok.

The wheel was not sitting on the skewer, but the axle.

It was tightented propely.

Yes, the rear triangle has play, its a steel gravel bike, so there is movement when I ride.

Now I ordered a new skewer, but its un unpleasant reminder on how quickly the things can go wrong.

No, there is no warranty.

Currently my biggest fear is if this happens again, in which case I really dont know what one can do. I certanly cannot change skewers every month.

Was it the poor quality ( I doubt), or did it got loose (more than it should) during the ride for some reason I cant tell.

Polaris OBark

Was it steel, titanium or aluminum or what?

Get a DT Swiss steel one. Actually, get two, one for the back and one for the front. The design is superior to any conventional quick release (including my Dura Ace internal cam). Skip titanium. It stretches (and bends) more easily, and costs much more.

The DT Swiss steel skewers are the next best thing to thru-axles.

79pmooney

Something bent that skewer. Impact? Wheeling the bike past a doorway? (Usually the RD hits first and you notice.) Or perhaps the skewer nut isn't sitting flat. Look at the outside flat of the dropout and inside of the nut. Or the dropout is askew. (Are you bending or breaking axles?) With everything straight and proper, any skewer, even cheap ones, should stay straight for years and decades.

79pmooney

The DTs may be that super but an ordinary steel internal cam Shimano OEM QR works very well, has the modern superior cam design, steel skewer (yes, stay away from ti and aluminum skewers; they stretch too much) and will last many years of good service. (And not cost very much.) Used ones at a coop, $2?.

SurferRosa

"the rear triangle has play."



I don't know what this means, but it sounds like a much bigger issue than a bent skewer.

WizardOfBoz

Uh, yeah. If the skewer is bent then I'd be suspicious of a broken axle. Which would lead to play.

maddog34

Yes.. that way he/she can bend a More Expensive Steel Rod Next Time !

wow.

and you are wrong about titanium's "bending" characteristics.. If it bends some,, it then wants to Reassume it's previous shape.. a well known factor.. See: "Metal Memory of titanium"... and it is far more resistant to bending than steel.... that is why it can have far thinner wall thicknesses than steel when formed into tubing....in the case of QR skewers, the rod is a solid bar stock.

Funny, why isn't the option of CHROME MOLY skewers mentioned... hmmmmm....

maddog34

Try $5 and up... although blowout sales of off brand ones can get the price down to $2 each...or a bulk purchase of ten or more, during the winter doldrums...

cyccommute 

Yes. The axle of the hub is very important in keeping the two sides of the rear triangle stiff. Think of it this way: There’s the two triangles of the seat stay/chainstay/seat tube (times 2) but there is also anything triangle of the hub/left/right seat stay. Break an axle and the rear triangle is loose. I’ve broken dropouts because of broken axles.

Just to be clear, the above is much more common with a freewheel wheel. This bike appears to have a freehub wheel which is very difficult to bend, much less break.

maddog34

Was it bent in the center section or the threaded end that sticks out? either can be straightened... put it back into the axle up to the center of the bent area.. apply a bit of force... check it... re-insert and apply additional pressure.. check again.. straight? ok.. if not, rinse/repeat. Alternate method.. use a soft hammer(brass, in my case) and SMACK that sucker on the high side while it's on a piece of flat wood.... my workbench has several impressions from skewer threads in it....

and everyone needs to realize that STEEL IS FLEXIBLE... and STEEL FRAMES DO FLEX..

"Was it steel, titanium or aluminum or what?"
ALUMINUM SKEWER RODS? Really??? that is STUPID. wow.

As to titanium.. it Stretches to nearly 50% more than it's length before it breaks... Steel wants to break WAY Sooner... and no one has yet mentioned Titanium ALLOYS and their Aerospace capable qualities... All titanium we end users see is Alloyed before distribution...Raw Titanium is nearly impossible to machine/form/use... and Steel is an Alloy too, literally THOUSANDS of steel alloy combinations exist... Cro-mo is a range of STEEL alloys., etc.

the OP or someone else whacked the threaded end of the Skewer on something then found the bend later... a very common thing, IMO. if the bend is less than 20 degrees or so,straighten that sucker and go riding.... unless it's an "aluminum" skewer rod, then sue the company for endangering you life .

A bit on Titanium alloys... https://material-properties.org/stee...pros-and-cons/

ALUMINUM Skewer Rods? Really? SMH. Examples, please.. i need the laughs.

FBinNY 

Let's focus on the basics. Skewers don't magically bend. So, either it was bent or there's a reason it bent.

Normally there's no load on a skewer other than the tension from the cam, which wouldnt cause bending, so the key is figuring out what isn't normal.

So, broken axle, axle not properly supported in the dropout, dropout face not flat, QR accidently tightened with wheel half way into dropout, QR end banged into when mounting or transporting the wheel (my hunch).

In any case, arguing about QQ strength or design is pointless. The skewer isn't the problem, something else is

maddog34

Unless it's an "ALUMINUM" skewer, eh?

FBinNY 

Why would an aluminum skewer bend without some outside cause.

A skewer is supposed to be tensioned between 2 flat and parallel support surfaces. There are no other loads UNLESS something else is wrong.

Other than that even one made of salt water taffy wouldn't bend.

79pmooney

I think you missed:

Bill Kapaun

If it fits through the hollow axle and clamps, don't worry about it.

Polaris OBark

Titanium will stretch about 50% more than steel. (Look up the Young's modulus.) The titanium rod is restricted to be of the same diameter as the steel rod it replaces, so this is a critical shortcoming for something like a bolt or a rod. "chrome moly" is a form of steel. They use stainless steel because it is less prone to rust, but other alloys like Cr/Mb are stronger than stainless.

However, your random Capitalizations and punction's really make your assertion's Much more comPelling.

maddog34

nope...although, prices may vary by geographical regions... i shop in Portland,Oregon... where do you shop for used goodies from a Co-op? Good skewers are $5 and up... i usually only grab the Shimano Deore/105 and better internal cammed grades... i have two bins filled with older steel ones here... old school steel ones may only be $2, not sure. I toss the rusty ones in the scrap.

maddog34

i never questioned your rehash of previously mentioned factors... i was siding with them.

maddog34

while we're at it, Look up "Yield Point" too... and then realize that i had already looked at the Modulus of ELASTICITY for titanium... various Alloying can dramatically alter that factor. Do you know the alloy in question?

Apparently, certain things REQUIRE emphasis.... which is the PURPOSE of some of my caps, chap. would you prefer "!!!!!!!!"?

as to stainless vs. cro/mo... cro/mo resists rusting... it's a Chrome characteristic. that's one reason why it's also ALLOYED into Stainless Steels.

Polaris OBark

Welcome to my iggy list. You are wasting everyone's time.

70sSanO

How you “tighten” the skewer has a lot to do with the problem you are having.

If you just turn the lever, threading it, and not closing the lever to tighten it, the skewer will not be tight enough and is probably the cause.

John

FBinNY 

Couldn't tell. When I'm posting from the cell phone, I don't see things like emojis. Therefore I read your post in the context of your prior posts about skewer strength.

WizardOfBoz

Well, I was assuming a little laxity in the OP's description. But a bent QR is often correlated with a broken axle.

maddog34

yet you attacked my chosen typing style with sarcasm and then forgot to quote me in another reply, thereby insulting the OP...

cyccommute 

That’s your purgative but you would be wrong.