Nominate a good QR lever.

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mattheus
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Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by mattheus »

You can choose any criteria you like e.g.
- most reliable if cost no object
- does the job, cheap, not bling or light
- prettiest
- etc

(I haven't bought one for .. well, I can't remember! They very occasionally wear out, and I scavenge one from a spare set of wheels. At some point this strategy will catch me out ... )
robc02
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Location: Stafford

Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by robc02 »

Enclosed cam types such as Shimano or Campagnolo.

Secure and reliable.
pwa
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by pwa »

I have never had a problem with the Shimano ones.
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geomannie
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by geomannie »

Never really given it a moment's though. All the many I have or have owned just work (mostly Shimano or Campagnolo).

Is there a perceived problem?
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Paulatic
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by Paulatic »

The ones that came with the bike. :D I’ve never changed one not even those on my 1993 Clockwork.
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foxyrider
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by foxyrider »

Old skool Campag with the nice curve and knobbly edge are my choice - on my Eroica bike. They wouldn't do on a more modern bike, the smooth lines of newer Shimano (XT i think) look good on one of my bikes but in terms of performance, the more industrial levers supplied with my Campag Zonda's are hard to beat

Having spent 20 years in the trade i've had opportunity to use/try all sorts of fancy brands, price points, materials etc, etc and its worrying that for such a critical item the performance can be so bad and difficult to use - especially given the number of people who clearly don't get how they are supposed to work.

Personally i prefer a slight curve with a length that falls comfortably into my palm but a wide enough blade that you can grab it firmly to undo. The action should be smooth and lock without needing a lot of force. The 'nut' should be easy to grip, IMO the pinched design is one of the best designs.
Convention? what's that then?
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mattsccm
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by mattsccm »

Either Campag or Shimano internal as said. Possibly something French or Italian if pretty. Shimano espcially look better the higher up the level you go. Must be silver.
Valbrona
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by Valbrona »

DT RWS are the best ... only they are not QR levers.
I should coco.
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simonineaston
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by simonineaston »

I was so fed up with the QR skewers that came with some of the otherwise perfectly adequate hubs on some recent builds that I posed this very Q. some time ago. I ended up using skewers from Shimano and the difference between the grotty cheapies and the carefully designed and built Japanese products was marked. I'd use no others now. (I'll check later, to see exactly which model I bought.)
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mattheus
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by mattheus »

Thanks folks!

I've just found this page, which amongst other tips has info on what makes good/bad external designs.
https://handsonbike.blogspot.com/2013/0 ... r.html?m=1

(Must admit I think the externals look much better: but consensus is they are probably inferior.
And I might ask Santa to bring some Ti axles for the nice bike - it's been very good this year, even when I've been very bad to it!)
slowster
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by slowster »

Valbrona wrote: 5 Dec 2021, 12:11pm DT RWS are the best ... only they are not QR levers.
Quite a number of reports of them breaking. Very few reports of Shimano skewers breaking, despite the number of Shimano skewers probably exceeding DT RWS by several orders of magnitude.

£2.99 for a Shimano rear skewer - https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/hub-spares/ ... y30t98010/.
WOT
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Joined: 22 Aug 2019, 9:43pm

Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by WOT »

Nice smooth, curved and radiused Shimano ones as they double up as tyre levers in an emergency such as when it is cold and wet.

Only did this once, and actually only needed one so no need to remove the 2nd wheel. :D
scottg
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by scottg »

mattheus wrote: 5 Dec 2021, 6:42pm[snip]
(Must admit I think the externals look much better: but consensus is they are probably inferior.
And I might ask Santa to bring some Ti axles for the nice bike - it's been very good this year, even when I've been very bad to it!)
Externals are subject to wear, and in Blighty were everything is covered wet grinding paste
from road spray, externals are probably extra bad.
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fastpedaller
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by fastpedaller »

The old Campag ones are nice, but unfortunately seem to suffer from 'Italian chrome'
Of that same era, the Maillard ones are IMHO good.
Nowadays, Shimano with an internal cam are my choice.
rogerzilla
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Re: Nominate a good QR lever.

Post by rogerzilla »

Valbrona wrote: 5 Dec 2021, 12:11pm DT RWS are the best ... only they are not QR levers.
I despise those almost as much as I despise lawyer lips, which make QRs about as useful as wingnuts.
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