(collisions reverberating)
- The quick-release skewer, something which is
often overlooked by many cyclists out there.
And often not used correctly, too.
Now it provides an ultra important mechanical function,
as well as a very important safety function too.
So let's take a closer look at what it is
and how we use it correctly.
(downbeat urban chill)
Let's look then at the most commonly found
quick-release skewer out there, the flip-type lever.
Now there are other types available,
but for easy of visual explanation,
this is certainly the easiest to actually explain.
So you can see that the handle of the lever
is actually kind of shaped in such a way
that when you open and close the lever,
it pushes against this washer-type system
and essentially closes a gap of between
1 1/2 millimeters to two millimeters.
Now it doesn't sound a lot,
but that 1 1/2 or two millimeters
actually holds your wheel in place.
So let's go a little bit further in depth.
So how do we actually use them then?
Firstly I'm going to take this bike out of the work stand,
the reason being is because
sometimes with the bike elevated,
the actual hub does get misaligned
inside of the dropout of the frame,
so the axle is not sitting squarely in there.
Whereas if you have the weight of the bike
pushing down on the axle, it finds its way into the dropout,
normally in the correct position.
(downbeat urban chill)
Now if you actually look at the quick-release skewer,
it does consist of a few different parts.
Obviously we've got the lever or the handle here,
then we've got this serrated-type washer,
then on the other end there's a little adjustable nut,
and then two little springs on the side of this rod.
Now these springs are shaped like little cones if you see,
so a wider end going narrower.
The narrower end actually sits
in the most central part of the bicycle,
so they go up against the hub axle.
Why do they do that?
Well, it's to keep the skewer nice and centralized,
so when you put a wheel in,
the skewer doesn't need any adjustment either way,
it simply needs that little adjustment here
from the adjustment knob.
Now these wider ends actually sit there inside of a recess,
both in here as well as in there.
So it's important to get these around in the correct way.
(downbeat urban chill)
So let's get started then.
Well first up, let's remove that adjustable nut,
or the locking nut, from one end of the skewer.
And then make sure you keep that little spring
somewhere safe too, and that comes off.
And then, from the non-drive side of the actual hub,
or the wheel, so that's the side
on the left if you're sat above the bicycle,
insert the skewer and that little spring,
making sure of course that the narrow end
of the cone-shaped spring is going on first, like so.
Now if you're unsure which side
is the left or the non-drive side of the bike,
some tires actually have a directional arrow,
so you can use that, or maybe you've got
a little magnet on top of one of your spokes,
so that's generally on the right-hand side of the fork.
I don't know why actually we do that,
but that just seems to be the way
in which it's been done for many, many years.
Although sometimes they're not even directional,
so just bear that in mind too.
Then, actually with the skewer,
sometimes you just need to give it
a little bit of pressure from that side,
put the little spring on, of course making sure
that you've got the narrowest end on first,
and then simply give that adjustable nut a few turns,
then we're ready to put inside the dropout of the bike.
So now this skewer is in place,
and as you can see it's perfectly centralized,
and that's the function of those springs,
so even if I push either side,
it does return to its central place.
Now it's time to actually put the wheel
inside of the dropout of the fork or the frame.
So providing you haven't tightened up
that adjustable nut too much,
the wheel will find its way into the dropout
of either the frame or the fork
really easily, like so.
Now the incorrect way of using a skewer, and it's something
which I quite often see, believe it or not,
is for a skewer to be in the open position, so this one,
and then someone just fully winds that on like so,
and goes out and rides.
That's not the idea of a quick-release skewer.
This is the correct way.
So, you are going to have the skewer in the closed position.
Gradually wind it on in place
so that both sides are touching,
and then open it, and then just rotate just enough,
a couple more times, and then when you close that skewer,
you want it to be fairly firm, so enough that it gives you
a slight indentation on your palm
or just changes the color there.
And also you actually tuck it away just behind the fork leg.
Something I've seen people do in the past
is actually have it so that it's inline with the fork leg.
I'm not going to do it because I don't have
enough strength to undo it really.
And then in the depths of winter,
not be able to open that when they've got numb, cold hands.
So that's not what you want to be
struggling at the side of the road with,
so just bear that in mind, and just position it
just behind the actual fork leg.
Again, making sure that it's not super tight.
And also, importantly, it's not really loose.
So what's the danger, then, of having
a quick-release skewer too loose?
Well if it's on the rear wheel,
you're not going to get ideal power transfer
because the wheel could have a tiny amount of flex in there.
And then on the front wheel, well actually
you are at risk of that wheel falling out.
Because most modern bikes, they do in fact have
these little tabs on the inside of the dropout,
called lawyer tabs, which prevent a wheel from dropping out
even in the undone position.
But if it's undone it still could slowly undo
a little bit more, then you could find
that wheel popping out.
So make sure it's done up plenty tight enough.
If you can do it up with one finger,
that's not tight enough.
Really you want to have the palm of the hand
to be able to close it.
(downbeat urban chill)
Now where to place the rear skewer lever then?
Well, my preferred position is like so,
so in between the chain stay and the seat stay,
keeping it out of harm's way.
So when I was a young boy growing up,
I spoke to a professional cyclist
and he told me that was the way to do it.
The reason being, if a rider was coming from behind
and then they suddenly moved their front wheel,
they can actually open up the lever.
If that was to happen, I think both riders would fall off,
but it's always stayed with me.
I appreciate though, that not all
quick-release skewers and frame designs
do allow a lever to be positioned in such a way.
If so, then I would probably move it
and have it facing forwards.
But again, not actually up against the frame tube
because that's not easy to actually undo.
So instead, just possibly down beneath
the actual chain stay itself, like so.
Now a final little tip, which can help
a few people out there, is to actually
grease your quick-release skewers, so the actual rod of it,
before you insert it into the hub.
Why?
Well it can in fact reduce any creaking noises that
you can hear when you're out of the saddle giving it some.
So just bear that in mind if your quick-release skewers
are giving you a little bit of a creak.
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