24
votes
Accepted
Where is the rear wheel quick-release mechanism on my bike?
This is a standard quick release mechanism simply grab the lever indicated below and flip it the opposite direction (green arrow). At which point it should loosen up a bit, then you can spin it around ...
- 9,189
18
votes
Accepted
What do the conical springs in quick releases actually do?
The springs help you center the skewer in the dropout which makes the wheel easier to install. You don't need them for the QR skewer to work, but they're nice to have -- if they're damaged or lost, ...
- 46.1k
11
votes
What is the proper position for quick-release levers?
Something noone has mentioned is that the QR lever is not to be touching the frame or fork when in the closed position.
Reasons for this are
the clamping force is not as high as it could be
the ...
- 121k
11
votes
Accepted
What is the proper position for quick-release levers?
Rule #41 Quick-release levers are to be carefully positioned.:
Quick release angle on the front skewer shall be an upward angle which tightens just aft of the fork and the rear quick release shall ...
- 140
11
votes
Accepted
What are these washers that came with my front wheel quick release?
Those washers help prevent your axles from dropping out of the dropouts if your quick releases become loose. In the USA, the CPSC requires some sort of secondary axle retention device -- if you don't ...
- 29.1k
10
votes
Accepted
Can I replace my road bike's front wheel quick release with any quick release?
Yep. Quick releases are standard and interchangeable.
You need to make sure you get one the right length for a front hub. Front hubs for a road bike, hybrid or older MTB will be 100mm wide.
- 75.5k
10
votes
Can QR cause Brinelling in hub bearing?
Brinelling happens when the contact stress exceeds the limit of the material. I don't believe you can achieve that alone with a too tight QR, although it sounds like your bearings are so tight that ...
- 17.9k
9
votes
Accepted
Need I mount my wheel flush to the top of my fork ends?
The QR interface is designed such that the axle is fully seated in the dropouts before engaging the QR. The QR engagement should be firm, but it is not designed to hold the wheel in the way you ...
- 30.4k
9
votes
Does tightening a QR skewer in different ways affect wheel alignment?
It is possible that when you put in your wheel into the drops you are not seating it all the way before tightening the QR.
This can lead to the wheel being slightly off angle that would lead to ...
- 2,517
8
votes
Accepted
Where do springs on skewer go?
From Sheldon Brown:
The lever goes on the non-drive side of the bike (i.e. the side without the gears). One spring should be on the non-drive side of the bike and the other spring should be on the ...
- 46.1k
8
votes
Can disc brakes cause front quick-release to loosen?
Most of the time, a bike wheel spins around the axle. When braking, the axle suddenly wants to spin around the point where the brake caliper is grabbing.
The traditional orientation for a fork ...
- 81.7k
8
votes
Accepted
Disc brake fork with QR and vertical dropouts: worrisome?
As long as the skewer is set with sufficient clamping force this QR disc brake setup should work fine and from a practical standpoint there will be very little functional difference between this setup ...
- 30.4k
8
votes
Adjust brakes to avoid deflating tire for removal
Some caliper brakes for wider tires have this problem. If you adjust the brake to be able to clear the tire with the release lever open, but then the lever travel becomes too great, then no there is ...
- 81.7k
8
votes
Quick release stuck
I suspect you used the lever in the Open position as a handle for tightening. Don't do that. And there may be rust involved.
Start by putting a small bit of penetrating oil on the threads. Keep ...
- 121k
7
votes
Accepted
Are freewheels really that prone and susceptible to bent axles?
It almost certainly won't happen with a cassette hub. It can happen on standard axle cassette hubs, but it takes a lot, and there's basically always a dropout alignment problem at work in addition to ...
- 81.7k
7
votes
Should the tightness of the QR skewer (rear wheel) affect the freewheel
You just noticed that quick release tightness affects the bearing preload.
If your hub has cup and cone bearings, you can adjust the bearing preload so that you are able to tighten the QR skewer to ...
- 17.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Should front fork sit directly on the axle thread?
That's how it should sit, yes. There is no significant force applied on the threads themselves, the wheel is held in place by the friction forces between locknuts and dropouts. Here are a couple of ...
- 538
6
votes
Is this a normal way to install a tire?
It's hard to tell exactly what was done and why – it would help to know the original and new tire sizes. But what it looks like is that the shop added inline barrel adjusters to your brake cables. ...
- 7,026
6
votes
Accepted
Why not have the bearings in the forks themselves with through-axles?
Interesting idea but the front axle (whether is be a 15mm through-axle or a 9mm QR axle) does not rotate, the hub-body and by extension the rest of the wheel rotates about the axel via the bearings. ...
- 1,426
6
votes
Accepted
Using turbo trainer with solid axles
Installing quick release axles requires completely replacing the axle. It's possible but does require a few extra tools and parts to disassemble the rear hub. If you install a QR, don't forget to ...
- 12.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Converting quick release to solid axle
Can I even put in a solid axle in this wheel/hub?
Probably not. The axles of QR hubs are generally not designed to be removed and replaced with a through-axle. Some hubs are designed for both ...
- 75.5k
6
votes
Can you change your skewer frame into to thru axle one?
Frame rear dropouts and forks for through-axles are of a substantially different design than those designed for quick-release hubs. Through axles are essentially a large bolt that attaches the wheel ...
- 75.5k
6
votes
Should the tightness of the QR skewer (rear wheel) affect the freewheel
You should normally be able to install the quick release with adequate force to hold the wheel, with a freely spinning hub. Tightening the quick release does have a small effect on the hubs but yours ...
- 12.7k
6
votes
Quick release stuck
As in Criggie's answer, never use the lever of the skewer like a wrench or wingnut. Tighten it with the proper cam action only. The wheel is not safe to ride even now because despite being stuck, it's ...
- 81.7k
6
votes
Accepted
How do I Remove a Quick-release Skewer when the Plastic Nut Spins?
Usually when they do that, you can use a screwdriver to pry the plastic cover off. You'll be leveraging against the dropout so you could put down some tape on it if you want to be gentle on it. It ...
- 81.7k
5
votes
Accepted
Quick release lever for wheel is stuck
Best bet with quick releases when they are hard to remove because of the frame in the way is to get a rag, place it against the frame and then use a long-handled screwdriver to pry it up. That works ...
- 1,033
5
votes
Protecting quick-release seats and wheels from theft
I simply put a ball bearing with some grease into the bolt head. You can take them out with a strong magnet. But it is very difficult to extract them otherwise.
- 51
5
votes
Accepted
Find or fabricate a metal bracket for bicycle trailer
I'm curious about why you bought a trailer without checking that it would attach to your bike. It would be better to return it, taking your bike(s) into the shop, and get them to find something that ...
- 23.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Can I replace my mountain bike's back wheel quick release?
Yes. There are many, many products exactly as you describe, with mechanisms ranging from simple hex keys to actual locks. A web search for "theft proof quick release", "anti theft skewer" or something ...
- 21.8k
5
votes
Can I replace a quick release skewer by something that needs a wrench to open?
There is a list of products here
https://www.cyclingabout.com/list-ways-theft-proof-wheels-secure-components-locking-security-skewers-seatpost-locks/
Loosely:
A set of skewer ends designed to make ...
- 4,170
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible