I’m still yet to pull my QR equipped wheel on my Hillman, and I’ve given it some serious arseholes in the past couple of months. Some people see that I’m running them and say it seems unsecure or not tight enough… and I’m beginning to think its an urban myth that people pull QR axles riding fixed.
I’m also sitting here thinking is it any different to running QR on a roadbike with non-vertical dropouts? I know the grub screws would have stopped the left from slipping back as the right pulled but then I’m also sure a lot of people rode road sans grub screws.
I love bikes, and beautiful bike parts as much as the next person, but I also sit here and wonder about changing flats… the fact that there is such a thing as that large brass clamping washer available makes me think that bolts, tightened without a ham-fist, might need some backup when it comes to keeping the wheel straight… which (for me) would mean getting a chain tensioner, which also means the chance to add a lovely part to your lovely bike. BUT it means carrying an allen key and a wrench to take off your wheel in some/a lot of cases… and I hate that… bulges in lycra are uncool in most places.
So here’s my poll to crack the myth wide open. vote for either option if you’ve pulled a wheel knowing that you’d properly/reasonably tightened either clamping mech.
I’ve just changed the axle from QR to solid on the back but left the front. Main reason being is that the frame is powdered and the QR clamps kept creaping forward even after I’d cranked them way tight. Time will tell if that $12.95 was well spent
pretty technical case for nuts being better - but keep in mind, operator error and cheap parts count much more toward a failure (ie pulled wheel) than anything else, and that’s for both types
I’ve never seen yielding of an axle or a QR, although I have seen stripped threads on the nuts of both and occasionally on an axle or skewer (usually from cross-threading).
Mashed dropouts is another problem, the dropouts are usually softer than the nuts/ bolts/ QR. This leads to problems when really tightening things down, particularly when the chain stretches…
I agree with Mr Brown on this one but have nutted hubs on my current fixed wheels.
Solid-Axle vs Quick Release
Conventional wisdom is that you need a solid (nutted or “bolt-on”) axle hub for fixed-gear or singlespeed use, and that a quick-release will not hold the wheel solidly enogh in a horizontal fork end. This is not true, however.
Since most newer bikes have vertical dropouts, people have gotten used to wimpy aluminum skewers, and often don’t adjust them as tightly as they might. If you use a good quality (I think Shimano is the best) skewer , tightened securely, it will hold just fine.
A quick release is a considerable timesaver in switching a flip-flop wheel around, and having a QR means that you don’t need to carry a big wrench to be able to replace a damaged inner tube.
No need for chain tensioners to keep your wheel straight when tightening. Keep a tennis ball in your wheel. When adujusting your chain tension, jam the tennis ball between the wheel and the seat tube or chain stays. Instant hands free chain tension with a straight wheel. All that needs to be done is bolt the wheel in and remove tennis ball.
Don’t like having a tennis ball in wheel while riding? When you change a flat, fold up the old tube and use that.
I used to struggle to get the wheel straight AND the chain tension tight enough when putting the rear wheel back on. Until I picked up this tip from the FGG forum.
I don’t use a tennis ball though but a folded up old rag.
Most trackies of any age would know this - imagine “walking” the wheel backwards in the dropouts - maybe hard to explain without a visual, but here goes:
Insert wheel and engage chain as usual;
now, looking from the back of the bike:
Snug down nut on NDS, tilt wheel a bit towards NDS (don’t force it), snug down nut on DS;
Loosen nut on NDS, tilt wheel a bit towards DS, snug down nut on NDS;
Repeat until you’re happy with chain tension on Drive side. Your final step then is to snug down DS nut a bit more firmly, loosen NDS nut and align wheel. When happy, tighten both nuts firmly.
Hope that makes sense. Takes a little care but isn’t difficult - don’t force anything at any step. Obviously doesn’t work with vertical dropouts and/or a QR. Needs decent track nuts, or at least axle nuts that are in reasonably good shape.
Regards
