Important safety notice

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redjedi

Über Member
Location
Brentford
Remember to do you rear wheel up properly :smile:

I put some new wheels on on the weekend and they were fine for the last couple of days, until last night when I dropped into a low gear to go slowly up a short hill (slow moving traffic) and BANG I was laying face down on the road.
I'd had no problems up till then but and I think shifting onto the small chainring and dropping a few gears at the back, put more leverage on the wheel and out it popped.

No damage done to the bike, except for a few scuffs on the levers. I however, have a nice patch of road rash on my left forearm and I ache just below my ribs. I landed more stomach first than face first, probably for the best, as there is more padding there :blush:

I'll be double checking my wheels before I leave this evening, please do the same.
 

RecordAceFromNew

Swinging Member
Location
West London
Thanks for the notice redjedi. Presumably the bike has horizontal dropouts? Do you remember how the QR was done up?
 
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redjedi

redjedi

Über Member
Location
Brentford
RecordAceFromNew said:
Thanks for the notice redjedi. Presumably the bike has horizontal dropouts? Do you remember how the QR was done up?

Vertical dropouts, and done up as they should be with the lever aimed up into the triangle.
I think the vertical dropout helps push the rear of the bike up when the wheel pops out. I was also standing at the time to help keep balance, so most of the weight was on the front.

I wonder if it had anything to do with the new levers I got with the wheels. They are basic Rovals, but I assume they are still up to the job.

I'm not ashamed to say that I rode home very gingerly and also on a lot of quiet pavements :smile:
 

RecordAceFromNew

Swinging Member
Location
West London
I thought it is not so easy for a rear wheel to come lose with vertical dropouts? Fyi Sheldon did talk about this subject in relation to skewers. It would be good if you can suss out the actual cause, so we can learn from your experience.

I have to declare I have put a pair of the modern skewers he considered unsafe on a bike with horizontal dropout recently. ;)
 
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redjedi

redjedi

Über Member
Location
Brentford
I'll admit that it has happened before.
After fixing a rear flat (in the dark) I put the wheel back but had not taken the skewer out. When it went back in the spring got caught in the dropout. I'm not sure why I left it but I did, and as soon as I put pressure on the pedals out came the wheel and down I went. No damage done that time.
The chain was still on the smallest cog after the change so all the pressure was on the very end of the axle.
Yesterday I had been in the middle of the cassette all the time.
I'll inspect the skewers tomorrow and see what they are, if I can get them open again ;)
 

Davywalnuts

Chief Kebab Taster
Location
Staines!
Dude, ouch!! Not a good week for you. Dont go pulling out of the fnrttc now.

Ive managed to pull to rear wheel out before under hard acceleration. I just have to make sure the QR's are super tight now..
 
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redjedi

redjedi

Über Member
Location
Brentford
Davywalnuts said:
Dude, ouch!! Not a good week for you. Dont go pulling out of the fnrttc now.

Ive managed to pull to rear wheel out before under hard acceleration. I just have to make sure the QR's are super tight now..

Not just me then. I feel better now.
It hasn't been a good, especially since it was my birthday at the weekend. Someone doesn't want me to get any older :wacko:

ermm..I already pulled out of the FNRttC. I'm doing a "Davy" this weekend, booze, birds and kebabs :tongue:

I'm not feeling too great this evening and the ride home was an effort. If I hadn't already I would probably pull out of this friday's ride.
 

Svendo

Guru
Location
Walsden
redjedi said:
Vertical dropouts, and done up as they should be with the lever aimed up into the triangle.

I'm curious as to why the lever should be pointing up into the triangle? I read somewhere about having the lever pointing rearward so it can't catch on something as you zoom past and come undone, possibly on Sheldon. I guess it's also be slightly more aero.
 

Davywalnuts

Chief Kebab Taster
Location
Staines!
Oh, happy belated birthday!

Yup, the smell of bike paint and tyre rubber isnt pleasant.

Oh yes, you are.. darn you luke!! Yeah, I am jealous!! haha

G.W.S. then!
 
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