Skewer direction

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

On the rear wheel it avoids any interference with the derailleur and
keeps your hand away from the chain/etc. Having both on the same side
makes it a little quicker for me when I undo both to put the bike in a
car trunk - and it's easier to remember so you don't end up with the
computer magnet on the wrong side.

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

Malcolm

on the rear, you don't want the lever to foul the derailleur. on the
front, it's just aesthetics to follow the rear. unless it's mtb with
disk brake, in which case, some people use the lever on the right for
similar reasons and to have the adjusting nut serrations help hold the
axle more firmly.

jim beam said:

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

Malcolm

on the rear, you don't want the lever to foul the derailleur. on the
front, it's just aesthetics to follow the rear. unless it's mtb with
disk brake, in which case, some people use the lever on the right for
similar reasons and to have the adjusting nut serrations help hold the
axle more firmly.

Both ends of qr skewers - even those with cut (as opposed to rolled)
threads - have serrations, and one of the essential qualities of a qr
skewer mechanism is that the clamping force is applied equally to both
sides.

jim beam said:

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

Malcolm

on the rear, you don't want the lever to foul the derailleur. on the
front, it's just aesthetics to follow the rear. unless it's mtb with
disk brake, in which case, some people use the lever on the right for
similar reasons and to have the adjusting nut serrations help hold the
axle more firmly.

The skewer will not foul the derailleur. Put them wherever you want them.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored
_`\(,_ | by little statesmen and philosophers and divines." --Ralph Waldo
(_)/ (_) | Emerson

"David L. Johnson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

jim beam said:

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so
that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

Malcolm

on the rear, you don't want the lever to foul the derailleur. on the
front, it's just aesthetics to follow the rear. unless it's mtb with
disk brake, in which case, some people use the lever on the right for
similar reasons and to have the adjusting nut serrations help hold
the
axle more firmly.

The skewer will not foul the derailleur. Put them wherever you want
them.

I don't agree. When removing and replacing the wheel, getting the chain
over the nut without touching the chain is easier than over the lever.

Phil H

David L. Johnson said:

jim beam said:

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so
that the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

Malcolm

on the rear, you don't want the lever to foul the derailleur. on the
front, it's just aesthetics to follow the rear. unless it's mtb with
disk brake, in which case, some people use the lever on the right for
similar reasons and to have the adjusting nut serrations help hold
the axle more firmly.

Quoted message said:

The skewer will not foul the derailleur. Put them wherever you want
them.

If by "them" you mean the lever, why on earth would you put the rear one on
the drive side where the derailleur, cogs and chain are? I just removed my
rear wheel to fix a flat, and it would be plain stupid to reverse the
skewer.

The front doesn't matter, really, but most people seem to like both wheels
set up the same (for looks if nothing else).

Bill S.

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

No particular reason.

As recently as 30 years ago some bikes (Atala, Garlatti, Bottechia) came
from the factory the other way around. If you want to reverse them, go
right ahead.

Don't forget to lube the cam, shaft and threads.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

In article <[email hidden]>,

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

The weight of the levers on the left counterbalances
the weight of the drive stuff on the right :-)

I've heard it suggested that the front brake lever
was moved to the left (typically weaker) hand, so
people would be less inclined to use the front brake
and flip 'emselves over the bar.

I'd rather actuate my front brake with my right hand,
so I can brake and signal a left turn at the same time.
One of these days I gotta get around to switching my
brake levers around.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

Tom Keats said:

I've heard it suggested that the front brake lever
was moved to the left (typically weaker) hand, so
people would be less inclined to use the front brake
and flip 'emselves over the bar.

I'd rather actuate my front brake with my right hand,
so I can brake and signal a left turn at the same time.
One of these days I gotta get around to switching my
brake levers around.

Every bike I've bought here in Australia has had the right lever cabled to
operate the front brake. Maybe the idea is that it should be possible to
signal the sharper turn (left here, right in the US) while using the
more effective front brake.

Seems reasonable to me, anyway.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

Michael Warner said:

Tom Keats said:

I've heard it suggested that the front brake lever
was moved to the left (typically weaker) hand, so
people would be less inclined to use the front brake
and flip 'emselves over the bar.

I'd rather actuate my front brake with my right hand,
so I can brake and signal a left turn at the same time.
One of these days I gotta get around to switching my
brake levers around.

Every bike I've bought here in Australia has had the right lever cabled to
operate the front brake. Maybe the idea is that it should be possible to
signal the sharper turn (left here, right in the US) while using the
more effective front brake.

Seems reasonable to me, anyway.

I've thought about that too. When setting up my bikes (in the US) I
still opt to put the front brake on the right side since I'm more likely
to have to stop when turning left (due to on coming traffic).

It'd be tough to convince me that one is safer than another. I just
prefer mine that way.
\\paul

Michael Warner said:

Tom Keats said:

I've heard it suggested that the front brake lever
was moved to the left (typically weaker) hand, so
people would be less inclined to use the front brake
and flip 'emselves over the bar.

I'd rather actuate my front brake with my right hand,
so I can brake and signal a left turn at the same time.
One of these days I gotta get around to switching my
brake levers around.

Every bike I've bought here in Australia has had the right lever cabled to
operate the front brake. Maybe the idea is that it should be possible to
signal the sharper turn (left here, right in the US) while using the
more effective front brake.

Seems reasonable to me, anyway.

The theory has been that braking with just the front is dangerous if there
should be a surprise. So the powers that be assume Americans should have the
front brake on the left and you all should have it on the right. Me I think it's
all about the cyclocross and the front goes on the right. Which completely
failed to keep me from grabbing it and crashing most absurdly when coasting up
to a barrier and having the guy in front of me klutz it. There I am coasting in,
standing on one pedal with both hands on the bars and far more front wheel
traction than was good for me.

Ron

Bill Sornson said:

David L. Johnson said:

jim beam said:

Malcolm Smith wrote:
> The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so
> that the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?
>
> Malcolm
>
on the rear, you don't want the lever to foul the derailleur. on the
front, it's just aesthetics to follow the rear. unless it's mtb with
disk brake, in which case, some people use the lever on the right for
similar reasons and to have the adjusting nut serrations help hold
the axle more firmly.

Quoted message said:

The skewer will not foul the derailleur. Put them wherever you want
them.

If by "them" you mean the lever, why on earth would you put the rear one on
the drive side where the derailleur, cogs and chain are? I just removed my
rear wheel to fix a flat, and it would be plain stupid to reverse the
skewer.

The front doesn't matter, really, but most people seem to like both wheels
set up the same (for looks if nothing else).

Also sticking to a convention means you can remember without having to
check where the computer magnet is or the directionality of the tread
(although I doubt that really makes much difference).

Tom Keats said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

The weight of the levers on the left counterbalances
the weight of the drive stuff on the right :-)

I've heard it suggested that the front brake lever
was moved to the left (typically weaker) hand, so
people would be less inclined to use the front brake
and flip 'emselves over the bar.

I'd rather actuate my front brake with my right hand,
so I can brake and signal a left turn at the same time.

Ironically it is no coincidence. See
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brakturn.html, "Which Brake Which Side".

My front brake is on the right, but I live in the UK where we drive on
the left, so I get to use the back brake for difficult right turns.

Actually though I'm so used to having the right brake be the front I
don't think I'd swap them.

It is annoying when you hire a bike in France though and keep grabbing
the wrong brake.

"Michael Warner" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tom Keats said:

I've heard it suggested that the front brake lever
was moved to the left (typically weaker) hand, so
people would be less inclined to use the front brake
and flip 'emselves over the bar.

I'd rather actuate my front brake with my right hand,
so I can brake and signal a left turn at the same time.
One of these days I gotta get around to switching my
brake levers around.

Every bike I've bought here in Australia has had the right lever cabled

to

Quoted message said:

operate the front brake. Maybe the idea is that it should be possible to
signal the sharper turn (left here, right in the US) while using the
more effective front brake.

Seems reasonable to me, anyway.

Rode motorcycle for years. Right side front was always a no brainer.

Signals, who cares.... I've always watched "them" a lot more than they've
ever watched me. ;-)

Chas.

Aesthetics

On the rear, there is less interference with the derailleur

As to the front - convention. Remember, these were NOT invented so you
could put your bike into your car more easily. A racer punctures and
needs a wheel changed in less than 10 seconds. If the mechs know where
to reach for the release lever without looking, that's a second.

Malcolm Smith said:

The convention seems to be to insert the skewers of both wheels so that
the lever is on the left and the nut on the right. Why?

Malcolm