I am seeking a supplier of quick release skewer springs.

[Brucey]

at risk of stating the b.obvious, if your dropouts are 5.95mm wide, and your QR has a 1.1mm stroke, your 'QR open' measurements are at least 1mm shy of being in accordance with your dropouts....

cheers

[Mike Sales]

For some reason those new to QR wheels seem often to think that the obvious way to fit the springs is the opposite way round. That is, with the narrow end outwards. This is quite a good way to bugger them.

[Mick F]

It's very difficult to measure the QR gaps because you move them when you touch them. I reckon they are 6mm per side.
The main thing is, they are the same both sides. Absolute figures are difficult.

The QR closes 1.1mm but that figure in not under any tension at all. Maybe under tension the figure is less because the shaft will stretch. Dunno how I could measure it.

The QR sits centrally when open with the wheel out.
One handed, the wheel is put into position.
( I tend to hold the top of the wheel and lift it into position, then hold brake caliper and wheel together with one hand.)
The QR gap just rubs the faces of the dropout with a little bit of play.
The QR is then closed with the other hand.

............ and yes, the spiral springs should be narrow end inwards.

[jb]

There are people who I have observed actually taking their wheels out without turning the bike upside down This unusual method would result in needing the skewer to be held centrally in the hub whilst both hands are employed both grasping the wheel and holding the bike straight.

Having seen this peculiar practice with some bemusement on dark rainy nights I can only assume they have exceedingly precious saddles.

[elPedro666]

Can't believe we're on page five...

No way I'm scuffing saddle and hoods/barends/thumbshifters/brakelevers* jb, bike stays right side up! Dropper posts also dislike being inverted, as do some air/oil forks**



*delete as applicable
**this is technically true(ish), but I'm mostly trying to detract from the tragedy of my earlier tartiness

[Brucey]

There are people who I have observed actually taking their wheels out without turning the bike upside down This unusual method ...

standard racing practice, that.

Mind you they do a lot of strange things, don't they...?

cheers

[Mick F]

My bike won't sit upside down. It falls over.
As the dropped 'bars are lower than the saddle, upside down the saddle peak and the stem touch the floor first. ie only two narrow points. Therefore unstable.

If I need to remove a wheel, it comes out whilst the bike is held normally, then laid down.
Wheel goes back in with the bike upright.

[Paulatic]

Please JB put me out of my misery. Your comment was TIC ......wasn't it?

[jb]

Please JB put me out of my misery. Your comment was TIC ......wasn't it?

It was a bit, I always turn the bike upside down, I find it quicker and my bike is prefectly stable bottom side up.
My comment was from memories of a chum struggling to get his rear wheel back into the frame whilst steadfastly refusing to invert the bike or accept assistance.

[Vantage]

My bike stays upright when removing a wheel. The Garmin and computer would get wrecked if it was upside down. Not to mention the weight, she weighs the best part of 40lbs even in 'lightweight club mode' when I only take the bare essentials and along with a wonky leg and my right arm now developing issues, I just don't have the muscle to turn the heavy lump upside down. And yep, I do like my saddle unscratched

[drossall]

There are people who I have observed actually taking their wheels out without turning the bike upside down

There's a reason why they are called drop-outs. If you turn it upside down, it doesn't (the wheel doesn't drop out, that is).

I watched someone struggle for ages to get a tight-fitting wheel out with the bike upside down. I turned it the right way up and hit the wheel with the palm of my hand, and the drop-outs exhibited nominative determinism.

[MikeF]

There are people who I have observed actually taking their wheels out without turning the bike upside down This unusual method would result in needing the skewer to be held centrally in the hub whilst both hands are employed both grasping the wheel and holding the bike straight.

Er what? I've just done that three days in a row, because on the first two occasions I failed to find the minute piece of flint almost invisibly embedded in the carcass. This bike hasn't lawyers lips so the wheel drops out easily after releasing the clamp, and the springs keep the skewer nicely spaced for easily replacing the wheel in the forks.

[jb]

A derailleur is not the greatest thing to support a bike on. For those mudguard-less gossamer creations I can see it being sort of possible.

[drossall]

A bike supported on its derailleur falls over.

So, after removing the wheel with the bike the right way up, you lie the bike down yourself, and save the fall.

Or put it against some handy bank or whatever.

I've been doing it this way for 40 years.

[beardy]

I wonder if anybody has seen the light and changed the way that they do it?

I have always put bikes on their backs to remove (though replacing is the important bit). Because that is what my father told me way back when. I probably wasnt strong enough to hold my bike with one hand!

In particular I have a bike with horizontal dropouts that needs springing and I like large cassettes which are more cumbersome.
Then my newer bike has a shadow dérailleur which doesnt move out of the way as nicely as a normal one, added to a disk that never lines up with the calliper and a 132.5mm spacing that needs springing.
I struggle enough with out having a hand holding the bike.
Possibly it is better the other way, certainly stops STIs getting scuffed and dirty and having to remove GPS and luggage. I have on some occasions tried it but decided I still prefer it on its back.