Quick Release

[Rouge79]

Twice now in the past 8 weeks my quick release on my front wheel has become loose.

Now i'm not sure if it's the actual QR itself, me being a numpty and not tightening it properly or some twit at work trying to be funny.

Has anyone else ever had an issue with a faulty QR coming loose slowly over a period of time?

 

[Dusty Bin]

I can safely say I've never had an issue with a QR that wasn't my own fault. You are either tightening it incorrectly, or it is faulty. Is there a spare one you can try?

 

[Rouge79]

I can safely say I've never had an issue with a QR that wasn't my own fault. You are either tightening it incorrectly, or it is faulty. Is there a spare one you can try?

I'll have to dig a spare one out.

I've never had this issue on my main bike with all the different wheelsets/QR's that I've used,

 

[Smurfy]

Is it enclosed or exposed mechanism? Enclosed are generally considered better.

http://sheldonbrown.com/skewers.html

 

[Rouge79]

Exposed

 

[Smurfy]

Exposed

Check the washer is aligned correctly (as per my previous link)

For the long term, consider buying a replacement with enclosed mechanism.

 

[ufkacbln]

If you are suspicious then when you park up align the skewer specifically and then recheck when you return.

A quick release may loosen under vibration or stress but will NOT move when stationary

 

[I like Skol]

A quick release may loosen under vibration or stress but will NOT move when stationary

I don't agree with this. An adequately tightened QR will not loosen unless it is faulty (and that could be design or damaged)

How are you tightening it. I have in the past seen people I would consider to be experienced cyclists tightening QRs by flipping over to the closed position then spinning the lever around to tighten it like a big wingnut.

I happened to read the Shimano leaflet that came cable tied to the QRs of my new hubs just this week and the advice it contained confirmed my method as correct. Shimano suggest that with the lever halfway between open and closed (i.e in line with the axle) the securing nut should be tightened hand tight then the lever should be moved to the closed position, requiring firm hand pressure to move it to 90 degrees to the axle. I just do mine so they are really tight and I can just about get them undone with my fingers (so probably a bit tighter than Shimano advise).

 

[ColinJ]

I just do mine so they are really tight and I can just about get them undone with my fingers (so probably a bit tighter than Shimano advise).

I used to do that but then I noticed that it was causing friction in my wheel bearings. (When I lifted the wheel off the ground and gave it a good spin, it was only rotating a few revs before stopping. When I adjusted the QR the way Shimano recommend, the wheel would spin for at least 40 or 50 seconds before coming to a stop.)

 

[Tyke]

I had this a few years ago, turned out to be a dick at work thought it was funny to unlock my wheels every day. I fitted locking spindles but that just resulted a in a supposedly innocent question about the locks that he could only know about if he tried to unlock them. After he came out of work at midnight to four flat tyres on his car he had to agree it was far easier for me to fix a loose wheel and he has never touched any of the bikes in the shelter since.