An issue with my skewers

Rudd

Hello All,

Hope you can help with this. I have just acquired a steel framed bike with ambrosio hubs. When I picked up the bike from the shop and cycled home I quickly noticed that with only a little pedal power the rear wheel shifted in its dropouts to the extent that it started to rub on the chain stay. This confused me greatly so took it back! It was simple to fix - just adjust the quick release skewer so it now really really really tight. The wheel no longer moves and all is good, however:

Its so tight that I struggle to release the quick release. I'm a bit of a weed ( in the arms only!) but it worries me that a cold day and a puncture it would almost be impossible to get the wheel off

Is this right, my previous wheels ( campag, fulctrum and mavic) once the quick release was locked the wheel was in place? I always thought it was good practice to not over tighten quick release lever as they could break.

Does anyone know if this is a 'known issue' with ambrosio? Could I improve matters with a different chioce of skewer? Should I even be bothered and just MTFU when changing the wheel?

Any help much appreciated!

keef66

The QR should begin to tighten when the lever is perpendicular to the wheel, ie in line with the axle.

Something's wrong if you have to rely on Chuck Norris levels of physical force.

giropaul

I immediately replaced my Ambrosio skewers with Campag for this very reason.

Actually, quite a lot of skewers seem to assume that they'll be used exclusively in vertical dropouts - hence needing less grip.

Rudd

thanks all - I have ordered some replacements from Hope which hopefully will remedy the issue,

prawny

Shimano ones are good too.

bails87

prawny wrote:

Shimano ones are good

FTFY.

Send the Hope ones back, get Shimano.

prawny

bails87 wrote:

prawny wrote:

Shimano ones are good

FTFY.

Send the Hope ones back, get Shimano.

But what if he's running campag! I'd rather have my wheel slip every time I pedalled than commit such a heinous crime :shock:

ugo.santalucia

It is a common problem of horizontal dropouts. Only an internal cam quick release can sort it. You do need a shimano one, or campagnolo or fulcrum... Not aware of any other internal cam type

mercia_man

Ugo's right. An internal cam all-metal quick release skewer - as invented and patented by Tullio Campagnolo in the 1920s - will give the grip you need for horizontal dropouts and will stop the wheel pulling over when you pedal. That means you need a Campag, Fulcrum or Shimano one. I'm not aware of any other makers.

External cam systems using a curved nylon cam are cheaper to make and often lighter but don't produce anywhere near the clamping power of the traditional design. Hope quick releases are pretty but use the external cam design.

There's loads on the internet about this. Sheldon Brown's website has a good article on the failings and potential dangers of so-called "boutique" quick releases.

Rudd

Thanks guys - this is all really helpful. I didn't know there was distinction between internal and external QR's. The hope one are better but not perfect so they will be going on another bike ! Campag it is!

Rudd

Had a very helpful conversation with Cycle fit in covent garden. They have found some nearly new campag skewers from a demo wheel and will sell them to me for £25. They are over £60 new!

racingcondor

The Hope ones I have are good, a huge amount of compression from the cam (too much if anything).

I'm with ugo though, Shimano, Fulcrum or Campag can't be beat.