Repair guides › Wheels & Tires
Use a quick release properly
The center of the wheel. Bearings let it spin; the quick release clamps it into the dropouts. Loose ball bearings run between cups in the hub shell and threaded cones on the axle, held by locknuts. Adjustable and serviceable. The QR skewer's cam lever clamps the axle in the frame: usually 100 mm front, 135 mm rear (130 mm on road bikes). 6-bolt rotor mounts.
Open this job in RideLoadout▶ Watch it done
Steps
- Open the lever fully. With the wheel seated all the way in the dropouts, spin the nut on the other side until snug.
- Close the lever. It should start to resist when halfway closed and leave a print in your palm when fully closed.
- Too easy? Open, tighten the nut a half turn, close again. Cannot close? Loosen the nut.
- Point the lever up or back so it cannot snag. Never use the lever like a wing nut.
Diagram
Seen from behind the bikeWheel axle and dropouts
Signs it needs doing
- Wheel knocks side to side at the rim (loose cones)
- Rough or grinding when spun by hand (worn or dry bearings)
- Wheel slides out under hard pedaling (QR not tight)
Problems this fixes
- Creaking when climbing or pedaling hard
- Brake rubs or scrapes when the wheel spins
- Shifts by itself
- Wheel knocks or moves side to side
- Rattles over bumps