seibaatgung

What do you recommend is most reliable for locking skewers? Pitlocks?
Edit: the bike is a priority apollo, pictured

Rolla

Pitlock, Pinhead, and Evo all require a proprietary key, so they're about equally reliable and equally flawed. For that reason alone, I'd opt for a gravity skewer like Abus Nutfix or Kryptonite Wheelboltz, if I was inclined to lock my wheels.

Seu

I agree with Rolla that gravity wheel locks should be more secure assuming the frame it locked up in the vertical position. My commuter bike has the Abus Nutfix. Must say that they worked the few times when needed but it always seems like magic. I'm always nervous that they won't work and [size=13px]surprised when they do. [/size]

The added feature is there is no key to keep track of.

Rick

Pitlock and Pit Stopper look like a good choice for the bicycle in the picture.

seibaatgung

Yeah but how often do you need to take your wheel off? Pitlock at least offers you the chance to buy a new key.
Which one is a better buy?

Rolla

Being able to buy a new one isn't very helpful when you're trying to fix a flat and you left your key at home. I'd choose the skewer that uses a normal tool.

seibaatgung

my solution to flats is to put in a 2 sided tube until I get home where the key or Allen wrench is

randomgear

In years past Pitlock had two keys per set, a few years ago to lower costs, they started doing only one key per set. Pony up for the 2nd set, keep one on your keyring with your bike lock key, the other in your bike tool box with the 14mm wrench.

With pitlocks overtightening can lead to the skewer breaking off, thankfully they are cheap to replace, but it does take a few days to come in the mail.
Also, when buying future pitlocks for a second bike, you can get pits (keyed nuts) made to match the same key that you already have, but the upcharge is a bit steep. just keep the key number somewhere safe and maybe on your phone as well. Peter White records the key numbers before he sends them out, so even if you loose it, you still may be able to get more keyed nuts that match.

veganbikes

I would honestly just do a skewer or thru axle that requires a hex key to remove. I love ABUS, they make fine products but I was just not wowed by the Nutfix especially after someone stripped it and we had a dickens of a time getting it off to replace the tube and then put it back on and they put the dang wheel in crooked and then just adjusted the brakes because we couldn't get it loose again. Granted I had completely forgotten to give the rider my 8mm wrench when they picked up the bike from me (and before the ride as I was only packing what I needed or what I had planned on) and they were using some lower quality stuff that someone had in a shed but still not so happy in that instance. Granted yes probably a lot of user error but still not my thing. I have used the OnGuard skewers as well and didn't dislike them but sometimes they weren't super reliable and will say with full certainty that I don't like open cam skewers, enclosed cam or don't bother. For the keyed stuff it is keyed and that doesn't work well for me as someone who works in a shop having to store someones bike will they find the key instead of getting them in and out is ridiculous.

A hey key is a super common tool but one maybe a thief might not have on them because they want better stealing tools or if properly locked up they may not mess with. Plus I can lock the frame and rear wheel and potentially take a cable to the front for an added layer of thief avoidance so it would be decent enough for most things.

Rick

I don't worry about stripping out my Pitlock, because in almost 8 years I haven't had a flat. If you have Thru Axles The same key can't be made for the other Pitlocks.

adipe

reapplying a proper grease and then turning 180 degrees after it is finger tight (two finger grip) is safe enough. you get to know how much that finger tight means once you back off by 180 degrees after you measure 7-10Nm. one more thing: that adjustment should be more precise to achieve proper bearings preload (not too much, not too little). having quick release can vary much more on the preload than what you can get on the road with a pitlock using this method. you don't want to spend minutes measuring wheel spin differences each time you mount the wheel in the frame. what i do with pitlocks is i have them marked so i know the angle i need to reach while tightening. and i would only need to carry a 5mm hex key which is much smaller and i would also need it in case my handlebar (stem) is moved from an accident etc.

the steel grade is very high and therefore vulnerable to corrosion and embrittlement once galling happens.

"There are three requirements for failure due to hydrogen embrittlement:

• A susceptible material.
• Exposure to an environment that contains hydrogen.
• The presence of tensile stress on the component.

High-strength steels with tensile strength greater than about 145 ksi (1000 MPa) are the alloys most vulnerable to hydrogen embrittlement."

be careful which lubricant you use, avoid copper and moly based greases. i'd say a safer bet (although not the best but it's quite readily available) would be beeswax or surf wax - both are sticky enough. you could mix such wax with a bit of GL4 gear oil. and avoid candle wax - it is crap, no need to explain why.

adipe

the pitlock tool/key is not that hard to carry around. the bike in the pics has frame and saddle bags and rack... it's not a race bike.
if i would carry a pump, glue, patches AND spare tube then i'd certainly not mind too much carrying the pitlock tool somewhere in a safe tight pocket of my backpack (or a bag taken off the bike when locked) where the spare tube would also be.

and there's no reason to use racing tires... just get yourself something like marathon supreme or mondial as their puncture resistance is quite good so there's an even smaller probability to get punctures in the first place.

the tires in the pics seem to be wtb byway which should resist punctures in most situations. don't go crazy on the pressure on any tires because the nylon can stretch (from excessive tire pressure along with temperature) and the puncture resistance will be compromised. and of course, don't have too low pressure as the nylon protection is not that wide.

Rolla

I still don't see the advantage over using a keyless skewer.

seibaatgung

It's so that someone with a wrench can't steal your wheel.

Rolla

Either you aren’t keeping up with your thread or you don’t know how the keyless gravity locks I recommended work. Or both. Good luck in your quest.

seibaatgung

I don't count myself on remembering everytime to lock my bike in a way which can't be rotated sideways.

Rolla

But you'll count yourself on remembering the key every time you ride?
Personally, I'd have to get pretty creative to use a U-lock in a way that would allow the bike to be laid down horizontally while locked.

seibaatgung

No, if I carry a 2 ended tube to put in a normally tubeless tire in case of a flat, I won't have to take the wheel off. Taking the wheel off takes way too long on a commute anyways.

Kimmo

I like the PZ Racing skewers. Not super secure (you could get them off with vise grips) but sleek AF. Probably secure enough to leave your bike for shopping but not work.

They use a tool that's like a little cone wrench.

elcraft

The gravity skewers, at one time, were defeated with a magnet. Has this defect been eliminated?