Skewered

[DavePat]

I am sure I read recently on the forum about a potential danger with disc brakes and quick release skewers. Well in the middle of my usual 26 mile N Tyneside scenic ride yesterday on The Mighty Woosh I was left in this situation after I had picked myself out of the ditch.

With good luck I avoided the horsesh*t, just some scratches and scrapes and bruising. Lucky it wasn't on the road, there is a steep hill with a sharp left onto N Shields Fish Quay earlier on my ride, RobF will know the one, if it happened there it would not have been pleasant.
Also with luck the wheel was OK, the electrics were OK, it was a bit of a fiddle to get the wheel back in the forks though and I gingerly rode the last 10 miles home.
I need to give the bike a good inspection but I don't think anything is bent and I don't know if the QR skewer had come loose with vibration or if some tow rag had fiddled with it during my coffee stop. Here is the question, do I reverse the skewer, replace the skewer with a new one or can I fit a non QR type?

 

[Nealh]

Lucky you and the bike came away unscathed.
I have replaced my QR's with non QR ones fairly cheap on Fleabay of from online BS, If you carry a tool kit with you then tightening with an allen key only takes a few more seconds, less likely then of some one tampering or loosening. They are all std length for dropouts 100mm or 135mm rear for replacement for you bike.

 

[D C]

I've never ever had one come loose, glad you are OK.
It's likely someone had loosened it as the "lawyers lips" at the open end of the slot should normally have stopped the wheel coming right out of the forks even when the lever is fully open.
If your confidence in them is shattered you could cable tie or Velcro strap the lever against the fork.
Dave.

 

[RobF]

to N Shields Fish Quay earlier on my ride, RobF will know the one,

Evening Dave,

Good to hear from you again, shame about the circumstances.

That descent to the Fish Quay is steep, it wouldn't be impossible for a bike to get away from its rider.

I can't add a lot to what's been posted about the quick release.

For what it's worth, the recall concerned skewers on which, once open, the lever could flop back over into the spokes.

If you buy a new quick release skewer, my suggestion would be to get a Shimano one.

They don't cost a lot more, and Shimano hold the patent on the cam mechanism which my friendly bike mechanic tells me makes Shimano skewers the pick of the bunch.

 

[DavePat]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I will give the bike a clean up at the weekend check nothing is bent and change the skewer for good measure.
I doubt it was tampered with it must have come loose somehow.
Anyway this is a learning experience, never had a wheel come loose before but not had disc brakes before either. Had the Woosh for 2 years now with no problems but only done about 1100 miles so far.

 

[mike killay]

Were you braking at the time the wheel came out?
I understand that disc brakes can pull front wheels out of the forks.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I've had them come loose before. It happens when you don't line up the skewer with the dimples properly, so you tighten on a ramp. When you go over a bump, the skewer centralises, so there's no more tension. It will then work loose and the wheel can come off.

 

[Fordulike]

I've had them come loose before. It happens when you don't line up the skewer with the dimples properly, so you tighten on a ramp. When you go over a bump, the skewer centralises, so there's no more tension. It will then work loose until the wheel can come off.

I make sure the lever is totally horizontal, then I screw in the opposite side nut sort of hand tight, but not excessive. Then I push the lever totally vertical, using a fair bit of muscle power, but again not excessive.

Is this the proper way to tighten these?

Bloody scaremongers, the lot of you

 

[RobF]

The lever needs to be pushed home as far over as it will go - out of the way of the fork.

As regards pressure, the usual advice is closing the lever should leave an indent on your palm, but it shouldn't be graunched home as tight as you can make it.

Shimano's patented cam action means the lever cannot come on done.

Other makes can use the Shimano design, but some cheap makes don't because they have to pay a royalty to Shimano.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You can push the lever as hard as you like. If the skewer isn't central, your wheel can still come off. You have to check that both ends are in the dimple. Some people only half tighten it to hold the wheel. Then, they bounce the wheel on the ground to make sure that it's fully home before final tightening.

 

[DavePat]

Yes I can confirm I was braking at the time but not hard. I have always tightened cams as hard as possible in the past , tending to overtighten then backing off to the point where I can actually close the cam.
Maybe I am just unlucky with wheels as I had one come off the front of my Austin Maxi about 30 years ago. I was on my way from the garage where they had been working on the brakes, so I was blameless. Hopefully another 30 years to the next event.

 

[RobF]

http://www.shimano.com.au/media/techdocs/content/cycle/SI/Notes/SI_3000H/SI-3000H-En_v1_m56577569830606259.pdf

 

[Deleted member 4366]

You don't seem to be getting it. Read again what I wrote in my first post..

 

[RobF]

You don't seem to be getting it. Read again what I wrote in my first post..

I will stick with Shimano on this one, but thanks anyway.