You learn something every day...

[dustystreet]

Had my road-bike about 3.5 years and it was only this weekend, when changing the front tyre for the first time, that I noticed the brake calipers had a little lever on them that opens the pads out slightly, allowing you to remove the front wheel quickly without having to loosen the cable...

And there's one on the back brake calipers as well, result!

 

[ColinJ]

Each Campagnolo Ergopower shifter/brake assembly has a little rod above the pivot which can be slid over to achieve the same result.

With either the Shimano or Campagnolo system - remember to reset the brakes afterwards.

 

[youngoldbloke]

For winter use I have a Peugeot 525 road bike - early 90s vintage, with Shimano Exage 500, with, annoyingly, NO quick release on the brake calipers or levers. Can only assume that as the bike was originally specced with 19mm tyres it was thought an unnecessary feature (you could easily remove the wheels as the tyres were only minimally wider than the rims). However it is quite a PITA with 23mm tyres, so I am finally about to replace the levers with Campag lookalike ones from Tektro, which feature the little rod seen in the Ergopwers above.

 

[MartinC]

With either the Shimano or Campagnolo system - remember to reset the brakes afterwards.

Not strictly necessary with Campag levers - the brakes will still work just as well with the lever in the open position and you can also reset it whilst riding.

 

[ColinJ]

Not strictly necessary with Campag levers - the brakes will still work just as well with the lever in the open position...

... but would be a bit of a stretch for anybody short fingers.

...and you can also reset it whilst riding.

True.

 

[MajorMantra]

For winter use I have a Peugeot 525 road bike - early 90s vintage, with Shimano Exage 500, with, annoyingly, NO quick release on the brake calipers or levers. Can only assume that as the bike was originally specced with 19mm tyres it was thought an unnecessary feature (you could easily remove the wheels as the tyres were only minimally wider than the rims). However it is quite a PITA with 23mm tyres, so I am finally about to replace the levers with Campag lookalike ones from Tektro, which feature the little rod seen in the Ergopwers above.

Really? Odd. My hi-ten monster has Exage levers IIRC and they have a little QR button thingy on the lever not unlike the Campag system.

Matthew

 

[Banjo]

Had my road-bike about 3.5 years and it was only this weekend, when changing the front tyre for the first time, that I noticed the brake calipers had a little lever on them that opens the pads out slightly, allowing you to remove the front wheel quickly without having to loosen the cable...

And there's one on the back brake calipers as well, result!

I spotted one on the brake calipers on my Scott.I thought it was for fine adjustment,getting wheel off didnt occur to me so another little bit of bike knowledge gained.Luckilly you can still brake in the loose position as I would be sure to forget to close it again.Cheers

 

[youngoldbloke]

Really? Odd. My hi-ten monster has Exage levers IIRC and they have a little QR button thingy on the lever not unlike the Campag system.

Matthew

- It was marketed as "ideal for the racer or triathlete just starting out" - hence the 19mm tyres?

 

[jimboalee]

For winter use I have a Peugeot 525 road bike - early 90s vintage, with Shimano Exage 500, with, annoyingly, NO quick release on the brake calipers or levers. Can only assume that as the bike was originally specced with 19mm tyres it was thought an unnecessary feature (you could easily remove the wheels as the tyres were only minimally wider than the rims). However it is quite a PITA with 23mm tyres, so I am finally about to replace the levers with Campag lookalike ones from Tektro, which feature the little rod seen in the Ergopwers above.

Yup, my Pug Record du Monde 531 from 1974 has no QR on the Mafac brake stirups.
It originally had tubs and sprints but I fitted 20mm tyres on Mavic MAs. This made the tyres the same width as the rims.
There were also 'lead in' wings on the brake blocks.

The ride was ROCK HARD, so since the first 'downgrade', I have 'downgraded' further by relacing MA2s ( 22mm wide ) and fitted 23mm tyres. The tyres still miss the blocks when the wheel if fitted.

The reason for this is... in a race, the team mechanic or neutral wheel man doesn't want to mess about with QRs. The wheels fly out and the replacement flies in.

The Tektros on my Dawes and the 105s on my SWorks have QRs, and I often forget.

 

[youngoldbloke]

The reason for this is... in a race, the team mechanic or neutral wheel man doesn't want to mess about with QRs. The wheels fly out and the replacement flies in.

- that makes sense. The blocks on my 525 have 'lead in' wings too