QR skewers on fixies
mz__jo
Posts: 398
Most fixed hubs are nutted because track rules require it. Fixies dispute whether this is really necessary on the road (like rear-facing fork-ends as well). This has been discussed in length on Bike Radar in the past, either in this section or in the commuter section. If you skid to brake or are a bit violent with the reverse pedalling it is probably no bad thing, you can tighten nutted rear wheels a bit better than with a Q/R. Some people argue that since modern racers don't have any problems with Q/R (except if you are called Evans and you are climbing the Telegraph in the TdF) fixies shouldn't either. The little difference is that on a modern racebike the vertical drop-outs take all the twisting and pulling forces and the Q/R has a much easier life than on a bike with a horizontal fork-end. In the end remember that if your wheel comes loose on a fixie you could very easily pull it out of the frame, except with track fork ends. Forward or backward facing fork-ends, the consequences of the wheel moving far with a fixed transmission could be very unpleasant.
To complete the story, on the track front wheels are normally nutted. It used to be (40 years ago) that you could use a Q/R if the lever was taped up to the fork but I see in the Herne Hill track rules that even this is not permitted.
To complete the story, on the track front wheels are normally nutted. It used to be (40 years ago) that you could use a Q/R if the lever was taped up to the fork but I see in the Herne Hill track rules that even this is not permitted.
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Comments
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I used an old Campag steel QR for a few years with no problems and that was with chromed drop outs too.0
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I used to be a fanatic for tracknuts. I have since used a road hub (old Mavic) with a fixed sprocket in place of the freewheel, -no lockring - and Q/R in place of nuts. No problem, I don't skid of course. I regularly use a cassette hub with a single-speed conversion and Q/R with no problems. So the answer to your question is undoubtedly yes. Check however if you can convert to a Q/R. I imagine that your frame has 120mm spacing so finding the right axle and skewer to fit might be more difficult than you imagine.0
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Your hub will need a new axle.
As for the issue you're trying to address - I find carrying a small spanner to undo tracknuts to be a simple solution. You can even buy or bodge ones that will attach to the bottle cage mounts.More problems but still living....0
