Does it matter which way round your wheel QRs go?

mediamonkey
mediamonkey Posts: 128
edited May 2008 in MTB workshop & tech
This might be a stupid question but I thought I'd ask anyway...

I got a new bike a couple of months ago and took it in to the shop for its free first service last week. When I got home I noticed that the quick-release on the front wheel is now the opposite way round to what it was - before, the QR lever was on the left, next to the brake disc, but now it is on the right. (Stupidly, my first thought was, "Hmm, they've put the front wheel in back to front", before I remembered about the disk brakes making that impossible!)

So two questions really - 1, does it matter which side you have it, and 2, why would they have swapped it round?

I suppose I could ask the shop, but what do you lot say?

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    not really. some work better on one side than the other.

    Are you happy with it? is the lever pointing back?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • mediamonkey
    mediamonkey Posts: 128
    The lever is pointing straight up, just in front of the fork leg. (The fork isn't stopping the lever from closing fully.) Should it be pointing backwards? I suppose that's because it's less likely to get caught on something and open, right?
  • GHill
    GHill Posts: 2,402
    I prefer to put my front skewer on "backwards", less chance of slipping and taking chunks out of my fingers on the disc. Again.
  • djkmtb
    djkmtb Posts: 53
    My front; Straight up, just behind the fork, allows my thumb to leverage against the fork to pull the QR lever. Foliage can't get to it. Rear; Straight back.
    I had to do it.
  • robmanic1
    robmanic1 Posts: 2,150
    So "no" then?
    Pictures are better than words because some words are big and hard to understand.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335188@N07/3336802663/
  • mediamonkey
    mediamonkey Posts: 128
    My question wasn't really about the orientation of the lever, more about the fact that the lever is now on the opposite side of the wheel! My previous bikes have always had both front and back QR levers on the left hand side of the bike. I was just wondering why the bike shop would have swapped it so the lever is on the right.
  • djkmtb
    djkmtb Posts: 53
    mediamonkey wrote:
    My question wasn't really about the orientation of the lever, more about the fact that the lever is now on the opposite side of the wheel! My previous bikes have always had both front and back QR levers on the left hand side of the bike. I was just wondering why the bike shop would have swapped it so the lever is on the right.

    In that case, oh well. 8)
    I had to do it.
  • robmanic1
    robmanic1 Posts: 2,150
    I think it's like when the dentist puts you to sleep and you wake up with your undercrackers on back to front. (They're messing with your mind man). :oops:
    Pictures are better than words because some words are big and hard to understand.

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/34335188@N07/3336802663/
  • dave_hill
    dave_hill Posts: 3,877
    Robmanic1 wrote:
    I think it's like when the dentist puts you to sleep and you wake up with your undercrackers on back to front. (They're messing with your mind man). :oops:

    Now I'd say that's a serious problem, unless your dentist is a very attractive female. And even then it's not really "on" that she had to knock you out before removing your grots.

    Oh, and has that actually ever happened to you? :lol:
    Give a home to a retired Greyhound. Tia Greyhound Rescue
    Help for Heroes
    JayPic
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    When I use skewers both ends on left of the bike, now running Xlite camlocks with the working end on the left again. On the rear the right handside is occupied by the rear mech, hence the left side.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • cunning-stunt
    cunning-stunt Posts: 614
    I can see the newspaper headline now...'Dentist fills wrong cavity' :wink:

    I normally run QR on right front,left rear...but I have had the front on the left from time to time and I haven't noticed anything untoward (e.g. my wheel hasn't fallen out or anything).
    =========================================


    Dot 4 in the eye hurts. Trust me
  • dav1
    dav1 Posts: 1,298
    I have been told that the QR skewer should always be oriented leaver side to the disc as this is the side that is under the most stress.

    As the threads are a potential weak point they go on the non-disc side.
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

    Carrera virtuoso - RIP
  • Tall Jon
    Tall Jon Posts: 168
    The traditional way on road bikes is that the rear goes on the left so that the mech doesn't get in the way of doing it up and the front goes on the left so everything looks nice and symmetrical. I run the front on the right when there's a disc brake around just because it's easier to grab the fork leg and do the lever up tight when there's no brake in the way. Still run the rear on the left as I think the mech is more of a pain than the brake.
  • RussAlf
    RussAlf Posts: 706
    Im the same as Tall Jon
  • ian_worby
    ian_worby Posts: 331
    Dav1 wrote:
    I have been told that the QR skewer should always be oriented leaver side to the disc as this is the side that is under the most stress.

    As the threads are a potential weak point they go on the non-disc side.

    I was under the impression that the lever is the potential weak point seeing as its only secured by a cam and the forces of braking 'could' cause it to work loose.
  • Prints
    Prints Posts: 86
    its tradition that the levers are on the disc side of the bike (left)
    having said this however, rockshox 20mm QR system has the tread on the left and the lever on the right and there is no option to have this the other way around!
  • 185nick
    185nick Posts: 57
    Before disc brakes the QR lever was positioned on the left on the back because of the rear mech and left on the front just to keep it tidy and also so that when the front wheel is removed it's easy to put it back on, with the right orientation, quickly. Secureness wise it doesn't matter which side the QR lever is located.

Categories