scuzzo

i took a wheel set of my old 853 bike. and the cam on the skewer is shot... worn out,, im looking for some decent, inexpensive skewers.. they dont need to be Ti but i would prefer alloy handle to steel old style Shim stiyle.. i dont want the hex key style... those sent me to the hospital once... just lever type.. no carbon..

and suggestions... are ones off of the EBAY any good or steer clear?

rpenmanparker 

Look for some take offs on ebay like American Classic. Those are good skewers of the external cam type. There are a couple of listings for them now.

woodcraft

These are pretty good, moderate cost.

Amazon.com : SRAM Quick Release Pair SS X.9 Black : Bike Wheel Skewers : Sports & Outdoors

dr_lha

Exposed cam skewers like these can't clamp with as much force as traditional skewers, so I personally would not recommend these ones if your frame has anything other than vertical drop-outs. I like Shimano skewers.

rpenmanparker 

I agree with you, but OP seemed to be asking for external cam type, or so I read his post.

sced

These are very light generic skewers sold under several brand names. I've had them on my bike for 4 years w/o problems. I've given two sets away as little b'day gifts and they are still going strong too. Just don't treat treat them like steel, but with vertical dropouts you don't need to.

Titanium Alloy Skewer Bicycle Wheel Quick Release Hub for Road Mountain Bike | eBay

JohnDThompson 

Sure, but perhaps what the OP is describing as "worn out" is simply inadequate clamping on a horizontal dropout. I have yet to "wear out" a skewer, and some of mine have had over 30 years of service.

rpenmanparker 

Your guess is as good as mine, maybe better. But you know me, I just aim to please.

scuzzo

these are easton ea something wheels.. and the front skewer will not clamp ;with any force or snug up and close... i consider them warn out if they just close but will not stay closed of clamp.. its done i got enough good suggestions.... close thread.

chaadster

This is the conventional wisdom, but I don't understand why that would be universally true. I mean, they both work by displacing the axle skewer with an eccentric, so whereas one may be easier to operate, isn't the clamping force determined by the amount of offset by the eccentric?

Or, if it's the nylon cam bed that's often used which is of concern, there are those which use metal. But anyway, that's not a "clamping force" issue but rather a wear issue, no?

Can anyone explain this to me?

CliffordK

A set of those are going on my next build. We'll see how they hold up.

You can get them for about half that price if you watch the auctions.

Our local bike co-op has a pile of skewers of different lengths. Maybe some picking around for matching nuts, but they are good solid old-school type skewers. Keep in mind that there are different lengths of rear skewers. Oh, I need to skim about 1cm off the end of that titanium skewer.

rmfnla

Shimano makes alloy handled QRs as well; I use them and they work great.

This is just an example:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shimano-Dura...WuF2efMPd9IG2g

DrIsotope

A hearty second to the Chinese Ti skewers mentioned in post #6 . Search around, you can find them for under $10 a pair shipped. Have them on both mine and my wife's bikes, never had a single problem with them. Also really light, if that interests you at all.

dr_lha

This is what Sheldon Brown has to say:

chaadster

Sure...he's talking about ease-of-use, not wheel clamping force.

Anyone else have an idea? Or is a misunderstanding of Sheldon what's behind this?

Sy Reene

Get a couple of trainer skewers and call it a day?

rpenmanparker 

Isn't it true that the clamping force that results from the greatest force you can physically exert on the handle will be lower with the external cam? That is ultimate clamping force, not ease of use. Right?

chaadster

But the issue is not ultimate clamping force, but rather what is insufficient clamping force. I, personally, have never exerted, nor needed to exert, all the force I can muster in order to close a quick release and secure a wheel.

Reynolds 

Do external cam skewers have any advantage over internal cam ones?

chaadster

They're the lightest.

As stupid-dope uncommonly light as the expensive Tune AC14s are, there are many external-type QRs to rival them.

rpenmanparker 

Me neither. And I use external type. Just saying that if a person won't exert more than a given force, they will get lower clamping force from that with external. Hey, I can see this is just a semantic argument I'm waging. Over and out.

chaadster

Yes, but that given force could still be sufficient for external cam, despite being less than the internal cam. So the question remains, why do people say external cams don't generate sufficient clamping force?

In fact, given the practical dominance of external cam skewers and the utter absence of official admonishment to avoid all but vertical dropouts, it seems very unlikely that the common refrain that they provide insufficient clamping force would be true.

scuzzo

you may be right, i will tell every one NOT TO BUY THOSE SKEWERS THAT TIGHTEN WITH A HEX KEY... they may be light weight.... but i had some on my cannondale.. thought the back wheel was in there good, friend says "lets wind up a sprint for the limit sign...... see where this is going... kicked for the limit sign.. back wheel jammed in to the rear stays of the bike.. halting all forward progress.. not sure the speed.. but it was enough to knock me out.. i woke up in the hospital, asking about my cycling shoes... Glad i have a bucket on.... but those skewers sure were lite.... i kinda hope they took them off the market... but i doubt it.

chaadster

Most likely you over-torqued them when tightening, and pulled the threads, given the description. They'uquite simple devices, so it's very unlikely the fault of a design failure.

noodle soup

it's funny that you mention this happened with an Easton skewer. My SO had a similar problem with her Easton wheelset during a TT. Twice the rear skewer released and caused the rear wheel to lock up against the seat tube. I had never seen this before, or since, but the one time I did see this sort of issue was with an Easton skewer.

Hers were not old and worn out, but I believe they had a design flaw.