Is my front wheel 'backwards'?

BUICK

A couple of days ago, at the end of a particularly tiring workday, I got kitted up and ready for the ride home then noticed my front wheel was flat (why does this ONLY happen on days when I'm utterly shattered already?). As the Law of Murphy would have it, I'd unpacked my spare innertube that morning so set about fixing it with the punctur3 repair kit after removing a surprisingly large piece of glass. I spent a good while on the mini pump, popped the wheel back on, set the brakes back in place and off I went - but had a hard, tired ride home.

I took the next day as a rest day and felt charged up for the commute yesterday - and although I made good time it felt like harder work than it usually does and the front end seemed to be handling differently, so I looked it over and I'd put the front tire back on backwards. Bearing in mind the bike I was on is a Tricross and the front tire had clear direction arrows. Now I've been led to believe the tread on a road bicycles wheels isn't really an issue, but perhaps that is different on thicker, more heavily treaded tires? It certainly felt so. To solve the problem without going through a lot of effort I took the wheel off and simply turned it around (so the quick release lever is now on the right). The journey back was quicker and felt 'right', but... have I done the wrong thing? Is this likely to cause any harm? I figured that I can reverse the wheel on my fixed bike to use a different sprocket so there shouldn't be any issues but am now suffering niggling doubts...

richa

Could be an issue - you will need to look on the opposite side of the bike to find the quick release now...

Other than if you have a bike comp the magnet is on the wrong side it should be fine.

AFAIK there is no favoured side for the quick release. Wheels/rims would have an arrow on them if they were not bi-directional.

BUICK

I have swapped the magnet over! I saw a piece of writing about maintenance recently saying that the quick release SHOULD always be kept on the left - which is one of the reasons I've been niggled by doubt.

Ambermile

If it is on the left and gets a clout, it will be knocked in the tightening direction (assuming you are moving forwards). Were it on the right, it could technically undo itself from a knock giving all sorts of interesting side issues :shock:

Arthur


PS - I am assuming here that you have the lever *up* when locked of course!

richa

I have the lever pointing backwards. Anyway, the lever really needs to be opened, rather than just twisted.

k-dog

There's no difference in the wheel other than the position of the QR - but that would take about 10s to undo and turn the other way round - that would be your easiest option.

BUICK

Haha - will do K-dog. As long as I'm not worried about the hub it's all good. I will go change the QR skewer around after I'm finished watching tonights highlights from the Olympics

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

I'm thinking all the difference is imagined... The tread pattern might make a difference in soft off road conditions, e.g helping to cut through mud without it building up on the tyre.

The tread will make no difference on a tarmacced road - it will slow you down just as much in either direction! If you're riding with the tyres that came on your tricross you'd be faster fitting a slick tyre instead.

Cheers, Andy

ps your wheel (unless it's a trispoke or something) was never the wrong way round - your tyre may have been!