Something tightens on a hill

[Martinsnos]

My troublesome quick release was way too tight. It took an awful lot of effort to open or close it. Obviously, you can go too far the other way though. I forgot to adjust a quick release when distracted by a phone call when putting a rear wheel back in the bike a few months ago and the wheel subsequently pulled over on a steep climb.

If you struggle to open or close a quick release, it is too tight. If you can do it easily with one finger, that is probably too loose.

Very interesting. I seem to remember forcing it shut with my palm, so maybe too tight?! But yes, I always fear the whole wheel shifting.

 

[Martinsnos]

It's certainly possible to ride many miles with a cracked quick release axle only held in place by the tension of the quick release skewer. It functions fine until you put a load on it like climbing a steep hill when it pulls to one side, making the climb seem harder, yet when you look at it, without the load, everything seems normal. It's only when you come to take the wheel off that you find out about it. I had this happen a couple of times in the days of screw on free wheels. It was very mysterious at the time. It turned out that the rear triangle had been slightly distorted in an accident which only came to light when I had the frame refurbished. I've never broken an axle since I've been riding with freehubs, which have wider bearing spacing to better cope with the load.

Thank you very much. I think I rode for ages with a broken spindle once.

 

[All uphill]

It's certainly possible to ride many miles with a cracked quick release axle only held in place by the tension of the quick release skewer. It functions fine until you put a load on it like climbing a steep hill when it pulls to one side, making the climb seem harder, yet when you look at it, without the load, everything seems normal. It's only when you come to take the wheel off that you find out about it. I had this happen a couple of times in the days of screw on free wheels. It was very mysterious at the time. It turned out that the rear triangle had been slightly distorted in an accident which only came to light when I had the frame refurbished. I've never broken an axle since I've been riding with freehubs, which have wider bearing spacing to better cope with the load.

That sounds right to me; I've seen it once on a bike I repaired and it gave the symptoms reported.

 

[Ajax Bay]

I seem to remember forcing it shut with my palm, so maybe too tight?!

No: that is the correct/minimum tightness.

 

[Martinsnos]

By the way - thanks to everyone because now knowing that this ‘can’ happen has made me feel less mad and that I was imaging it!!!

 

[Ajax Bay]

Is 'normally' rim brake rubbing because of wheel flex under powaahh. Less easy to get this with disc brakes.

 

[ColinJ]

No: that is the correct/minimum tightness.

There is a difference between 'forcing' and 'using'!

I agree that needing to use a fairly firm push with the palm of the hand is about right. That should leave a bit of an imprint of the QR lever on the flesh.

If the pushing is so hard that it is painful though, that is too firm. Another sign of a lever that is too tight is when undoing it again is extremely difficult even with 3 fingers wrapped round it

 

[Martinsnos]

There is a difference between 'forcing' and 'using'!

I agree that needing to use a fairly firm push with the palm of the hand is about right. That should leave a bit of an imprint of the QR lever on the flesh.

If the pushing is so hard that it is painful though, that is too firm. Another sign of a lever that is too tight is when undoing it again is extremely difficult even with 3 fingers wrapped round it

Brilliant, thanks. That gives me a good idea how to judge it (although with my abnormally enhanced strength - and generally impressive musculature - I’ll have to adjust accordingly 😉).