A fright...

[Boris Bajic]

Hello all.

A thing to be aware of: Your front wheel might secretly hate you.

I am fairly serious about safety and maintenance. The day after giving a very dull lecture/lesson on wheels, tyres and QRs to my son, I was descending at 40+mph in a slight wind. Others take that hill faster, but 40 is fine for me. The surface is terrible in parts so it can get a bit Moto Cross; and on windy days the gusts between hedges can give quite a sideways shove.

Lovely descent, followed by a short climb then another mad descent to traffic signals on the edge of a town. I stopped at the red and picked my bike up to cross the lights on foot.

Lo and behold.... my front wheel almost dropped out. The QR lever had popped. I have no idea where or when. I am boringly fastidious about doing these things up - and even have a favourite angle for the closed lever.

It frightened the **** out of me to see the wheel just clanking around after a fairly mad, twisty, heavy-braking descent.

I've inspected everything and can see no reason for the lever to have pinged.

Just a warning to other cyclists: Your front wheel might secretly hate you.

 

[Fubar]

Same thing happened to someone else (caimg I think?) on here, see the following thread: http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/a-scary-one.98059/#post-1770645

A bit worrying! I definitely going to start checking mine before/after each ride, glad you're ok. Regards, Mark

 

[calibanzwei]

Got to love those lawyer tabs!

 

[caimg]

Indeed, this happened to me just 4 days ago! Unlike you, previous to Sunday I'm not the kind of guy to check all these little things, especially the QR fittings which I'd assume we're fairly reliable. Never making that mistake again! Any sign of a failure, or did you just lose the cap on the end?

Anyway, main thing is that you're safe and you spotted it. I'm sure like me you're mentally retracing your route upto then and imagining all the moments when a horrendous 'off' was a real possibility!

I popped to my LBS and bought some sturdier looking skewers for my front and rear, ones I had were originals from Halfords, just 6/7 weeks old (!) and plastic cap. Nice shiny metal ones now that I check every time before I ride!

EDIT: just read again and realised it was just the lever opening - that's even more strange in a way.

 

[biggs682]

poooey and scary in one go

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Lucky it's never happened to me.
Stupid question, you guys don't lube the skewer levers?

 

[caimg]

No...

 

[growingvegetables]

I am boringly fastidious about doing these things up - and even have a favourite angle for the closed lever.
...
Just a warning to other cyclists: Your front wheel might secretly hate you.

+1 on being boringly fastidious about them; used to be first thing in the morning when I left the house.

Now - it's every trip. Ever since a "charming young gentleman" loosened my front one off in a school bike park, and set the closed lever back at the "right angle". One of the few times I've ever counted a visit by the p*nct*re fairy on the way home as a blessing. In disguise ... but a definite blessing.

 

[Moodyman]

Glad you got off scot-free with that one.

I do mine up very tight. I end up leveraging my thumb against the fork to close 'em. None have come lose so far.

I've seen others riders' QR very loose by comparison.

 

[Falwheeler]

Happened to me, came down a very steep long hill on the way too work, got there lifted the bike up to bring it through the door and wheel fell out

 

[compo]

Never happened to me, but I have seen people using cable ties to secure the levers in the locked position.

 

[Southern_Canadian]

When I was a kid riding a BMX bike - I pulled a wheelie as I was driving off my driveway. Mid-wheelie the front rim fell right off. I tried to pull the bike back and pop my feet out behind but I couldn't. Came down on the forks and did a fast and painful face plant. Older kids were in a car nearby and practically killed themselves laughing.

Anyway, that experience taught me - always check the front rim.