How much tension when clamping down quick release lever?

When you are using your palm to push the lever back into place to lock the clamps, you should start to feel resistance when the lever arm is perpendicular to the wheel.

If you feel resistance before this 90 degree angle, it means it is too tight.

If you feel resistance after, it is too loose.

Hold the lever perpindicular to the fork/frame and do the nut up finger tight, then clamp. Should be enough.🙂

Depends also on the skewer. External cam ones need you to press hard enough to make you curse for a second or two, while internal cam versions are tightened as the other respondents have suggested.

The way I was taught was that it is not tight enough unless it leaves an imprint on your palm. Now I don't know if this is as tight as artemidorus had suggested as I just cannot find in myself to curse when I am getting ready to ride:p !

I also didn't know that there was a difference in the external and internal cam. After having taken several of each apart, I cannot really see how there would be a difference. Artemidorus, I am one of you biggest fans as your advice is usually spot on. Am I missing something here?

kdelong said:

The way I was taught was that it is not tight enough unless it leaves an imprint on your palm. Now I don't know if this is as tight as artemidorus had suggested as I just cannot find in myself to curse when I am getting ready to ride:p !

I also didn't know that there was a difference in the external and internal cam. After having taken several of each apart, I cannot really see how there would be a difference. Artemidorus, I am one of you biggest fans as your advice is usually spot on. Am I missing something here?

The only real difference is that some external cams use a plastic/nylon bushing, which can undergo creep over time, loosening a bit. Outside of that, good QR's are good QR's, whether they're external or internal cam skewers.

kdelong said:

The way I was taught was that it is not tight enough unless it leaves an imprint on your palm. Now I don't know if this is as tight as artemidorus had suggested as I just cannot find in myself to curse when I am getting ready to ride:p !

I also didn't know that there was a difference in the external and internal cam. After having taken several of each apart, I cannot really see how there would be a difference. Artemidorus, I am one of you biggest fans as your advice is usually spot on. Am I missing something here?

I'm going from n=2, I must confess! Our children's trailer came with a dreadful external cam skewer - to tighten it enough to prevent my back wheel shifting in the dropouts, I had to press hard enough to leave a huge dent in my palm and this would reliably make me utter words that the children shouldn't hear. Last trip, I broke the skewer shaft as I was undoing it, which suggests that I had been abusing it. I think the trouble might have been soft alloy nuts at either end trying to bite a steel frame. (The usual skewer for that wheel is internal cam and, I think, entirely steel.) The DT Swiss/ Magura external cam skewer on my MTB is a little better, although it's on a front wheel and is engaging alloy dropouts, so perhaps its job is less demanding.
I've just been given a pair of Ti external cam skewers as a freebie with some wheels I bought, so I'll soon increase n to 4. If they surprise me, I'll post again.

kdelong said:

The way I was taught was that it is not tight enough unless it leaves an imprint on your palm.

+1

The problem is, no one ever told me HOW LONG that imprint was supposed to last! 30 seconds, or two-and-a-half weeks? Makes a big difference! 🙂

Bob Ross said:

+1

The problem is, no one ever told me HOW LONG that imprint was supposed to last! 30 seconds, or two-and-a-half weeks? Makes a big difference! 🙂

I hope it is only 30 seconds, otherwise I've been riding with my wheels too loose for the past 40 years:eek: !

The lever should start resisting when it's halfway closed. This is the ideal pressure, not the minimum. You can destroy cones by going too tight because the skewer compresses the axle a bit and increases pressure on the cones and bearings.

Of course, this depends on cone adjustment. When the skewer is tight the axle should have just a bit of drag from the ball bearings.