Has someone tried to pinch my wheel (or, worse, kill me)?

[MossCommuter]

Hi

Just picked the bike up and the back wheel fell out!

Can QR wheel nuts work loose or has someone tampered with it?

I have no idea how long I have been riding it like that! It's middle of last week since I last cleaned it and I don't recall picking it up since then (until tonight).

 

[Berlinbybike]

On two occasions I have had a back wheel come loose -suddenly- and never figured out how or why. One was an XTR hub and the other a Campag Record (which is to say I really do expect the QRs to have worked properly). I really cannot explain what happened, but in both cases it was while riding, so that eliminates the sabotage theory. I'd love to know if anyone else has experienced this - no-one I know has admitted to it.

Bbb

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Always good practice to check Q/Rs before riding. I always do.

 

[Turkish]

Back wheel came off once. That was just before I started to ride. I still dont know how that happened. But I am sure it was not tampered.

 

[MossCommuter]

OK, I'll stop being paranoid and try to get into the habit of checking.

Would be nice to know how...

...maybe we kicked the QR lever mounting/dismounting?

 

[ColinJ]

OK, I'll stop being paranoid and try to get into the habit of checking.

Would be nice to know how...

...maybe we kicked the QR lever mounting/dismounting?

In my opinion a properly adjusted quick release couldn't come loose by itself and you wouldn't be able to knock it open either. It should take a very significant force on the lever to undo it.

Perhaps you have what Sheldon Brown called boutique skewers? He identified a potential failure mode which could account for such quick releases coming loose.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i've known the rear wheel to try to slip out of the dropouts having been recently removed and replaced with a qr. this is only with an old steel frame with horizontal (but not track end) dropouts, i've never known it with vertical dropouts of the kind found on more modern alu and carbon frames.

 

[MossCommuter]

Perhaps you have what Sheldon Brown called boutique skewers?

No, I don't think so - they're vertical drop-outs but they're not "boutique-skewers" (as in Sheldon Brown's pictures). They're marked "Shimano" and look like the first of his two pictures. Perhaps I am not tightening them enough

 

[ColinJ]

No, I don't think so - they're vertical drop-outs but they're not "boutique-skewers" (as in Sheldon Brown's pictures). They're marked "Shimano" and look like the first of his two pictures. Perhaps I am not tightening them enough

All the Shimano QR skewers that I've used are good and chunky and have worked really well.

Please don't feel insulted by this question... You are using the QR lever as a lever and not as a wing nut aren't you? (Apparently a significant number of cyclists don't know how a QR works!)

I adjust the QR nut so that the lever starts to bite just before it is perpendicular to the wheel. It then takes a significant force to get the cam in the lever 'over the top' and a good hard shove with the palm of my hand to close it completely. The common test for how hard that effort should be is that it leaves an imprint of the lever on your palm. When closed like that, you can't easily unlock the lever with one or two fingers. You need to get a really good grip on it and pull hard to open it.

How does that compare to how you do up your QRs?

 

[MossCommuter]

Please don't feel insulted by this question... You are using the QR lever as a lever and not as a wing nut aren't you? (Apparently a significant number of cyclists don't know how a QR works!)

It's a fair question and I am not insulted.

I do know how they work but I have not been using nearly that much force to close them - the guys at the LBS implied not to but after this experience I will tighten them a half turn more before closing the latch.

 

[ColinJ]

Obviously you can go too far though... I saw one cyclist using his foot to close a QR because he didn't have the strength to do it with his hand. That is obviously too tight. Apart from the risk of breaking the QR, how on earth would he have got it undone again if he got another puncture?

 

[battered]

With a tyre lever, I imagine.

I generally go a bit less tight than Colin - I tighten the nut with the lever vertical (perpendicular to the wheel) then push the lever over. If it feels a bit loose, I release it and give the nut another part-turn.

My guess is that there was some crud on the assembly that made it feel tight when it wasn't. Either that or simple human error when you last closed it. It happens to us all.

 

[e-rider]

I've never had one come loose just for no reason - however, after leaving my bike in the city centre for 20 minutes I got on to ride home and instantly thought "this feels weird" stopped fo a quick bike inspection and both front and rear Q/Rs were undone.

Either someone was halfway through taking my wheels or it had been done for a joke (yeah, very funny)

My mates' came undone when we we out on the trail - we put that down to him not doing it up tight in the first place.

In terms of 'how tight' - a slight struggle (with your fingers) to undo them is about right I'd say.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

it's better to leave the lever at an angle that allows you to get a grip of it to loosen it. it does, of course, look better sartorially to have the lever running at the same angle as the seat stays, but it's a bugger to get your fingers behind to open it…

don't ask me how i know this…

 

[summerdays]

I adjust the QR nut so that the lever starts to bite just before it is perpendicular to the wheel. It then takes a significant force to get the cam in the lever 'over the top' and a good hard shove with the palm of my hand to close it completely. The common test for how hard that effort should be is that it leaves an imprint of the lever on your palm. When closed like that, you can't easily unlock the lever with one or two fingers. You need to get a really good grip on it and pull hard to open it.

But make sure it is how tight you can undo ... Mr Summerdays tightened mine up too tight once ... that I was unable undo them .. I still do it very tight but not quite as tight as him.

it's better to leave the lever at an angle that allows you to get a grip of it to loosen it. it does, of course, look better sartorially to have the lever running at the same angle as the seat stays, but it's a bugger to get your fingers behind to open it…

don't ask me how i know this…

I was told that the lever shouldn't be facing forwards and that tucked up along the frame, which would make it harder to be released accidently.