What are these for??

[karlosondet]

Hi all and this is my first thread so please bare with me!!

I have just put a bike together and I am left with 2 bits that look like a can ring pull (attached)...... Any ideas please

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

^^^ What @User said. They are to help prevent the wheel dropping out if the wheel nuts (or quick release) are loose.

My knockabout bike has them, but better quality bikes usually have a lip on the fork in place of these.

 

[karlosondet]

Cheers mate just fitted them!!......... Doh!!

 

[karlosondet]

Cheers Phil this is a intro bike and cheap so guess that's why they have them still!!

 

[KneesUp]

They are there so you don't sue the bike maker if you are too incompetent to use a quick release properly.

Forks didn't used to have these, or annoying 'lawyers lips' - in fact mine doesn't, because it's ancient. Get rid of them - they just make taking your wheel off a faff. If you use the QR properly there is absolutely no need for them. Unfortunately a few lawsuits from those unable to do so led to this sort of sillyness for all of us (except people with old bikes)

 

[karlosondet]

Cheers for that and pretty competent with Quick Release been mountain biking with Quick Release for a while, just thought I would try road biking for a change!!
If not essential I will lose them for sure!!
Cheers for the info

 

[Cycleops]

Mostly found on US bikes, due to the lawsuits issue above. I have some on my Schwinn.

 

[young Ed]

pretty sure my second hand mid range road bike (modern) doesn't have them but i will check. but then again before me last owner did change wheels twice and if they were here to start with they probably would have been lost or thrown by now
Cheers Ed

 

[karlosondet]

Cheers for all the help everyone have them now fitted see how long it is before I lose them!!

 

[KneesUp]

There was also this even more annoying type that bolted into the mudguard eyelets, so you needed an allen key to get your quick release wheel off. I seem to remember this type being marketed as some sort of anti-theft device though. (Excuse bobbins 'mobile phone in low-light' picture)

 

[karlosondet]

Thank god I haven't got them then otherwise I could have put them anywhere!!

 

[young Ed]

There was also this even more annoying type that bolted into the mudguard eyelets, so you needed an allen key to get your quick release wheel off. I seem to remember this type being marketed as some sort of anti-theft device though. (Excuse bobbins 'mobile phone in low-light' picture)

View attachment 62742

if you do indeed need an allen key seems to defeat the point of having a quick release!
Cheers Ed

 

[KneesUp]

if you do indeed need an allen key seems to defeat the point of having a quick release!
Cheers Ed

You could also so it by un-dong the nut off the skewer and pulling it out, but if you had an allen key that way was quicker. I have two in my box of bits. I doubt I'll ever use them

EDIT - unless you had two on the same wheel, in which case you really did need the allen key