Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum: QR skewer advice

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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
QR skewer advice

brother bonk

Feb 25, 05 16:24

Post #1 of 6 (160 views)

QR skewer advice	Can't Post

I recently picked up some Zipp 500 wheels - older model but VERY nice for me. They didn't come with skewers. Apparently, Zipp only sells Ti skewers and they are $50. Ouch. But only $45 on ebay. Such a deal. Any recommendations on Ti vs other, generic vs Zipp, etc.? I have always used whatever I had available in the garage bin.

Wants2rideFast

Feb 25, 05 16:47

Post #2 of 6 (149 views)

Re: QR skewer advice [brother bonk] [In reply to]	Can't Post

brother bonk,

Generic Performance skewers $14.95 a set. They will last forever. Can catch on sale sometimes for $9.95 a set. Spend what you save on something else. A skewer is a skewer.

By the way, have you ever stripped a Ti skewer? How far can you ride on it after its stripped?

I'll stick with the standard skewers. Frankly, I've never seen the winner of a race who was interviewed say that the second place finisher would have won if it hadn't been for the Ti skewers. I've seen plenty of DNFs, though, because of equipment failure.

Ben Cline

Better to aspire to Greatness and fail, than to not challenge one's self at all, and succeed.

zipp

Feb 26, 05 7:17

Post #3 of 6 (110 views)

Re: QR skewer advice [brother bonk] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I have a tendency to pull ti skewers clean out of the drop outs. This has happened alot on my Zipp 2001 dropouts. When I went to a standard non-titanium skewer the problem went away. I use Salsa skewers, they work really well as the lever is shaped to be closed really hard.
Paul
---------------------------------------------------------
http://casasedona.com

stevezelinger

Feb 26, 05 7:29

Post #4 of 6 (104 views)

Re: QR skewer advice [getting-old] [In reply to]	Can't Post

1. I have a pair of the zipp ti skewers...probably not worth the money but I figured, if you're gonna spend all that money on wheels, might as well have skewers that say zipp on them to match. but if i had to do it again, i'd buy a box of power bars and the cheap ones

2. You mention the salsa's are nice because you can "close them hard"--I'm sure there is a difference of opinion on this, but i've always been told NEVER to close the quick-release too hard...it shoudl be snug enough that your palm turns white when you push on it, but it shouldn't be so tight that you can't get it off easily--if you crank down the QR skewer so hard you risk frame damage, etc.

"ah-hem...the time is yours."

zipp

Feb 26, 05 7:56

Post #5 of 6 (96 views)

Re: QR skewer advice [stevezelinger] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I was also taught years ago to do the same thing. You are right, tight enough that it leaves a lite mark on the palm of your hand. BUT....I've had many Zipp frames and always have had the problem of pulling the drive side of the wheel loose. The skewer turns cock-eyed in the dropouts and the forward part of the wheel/tire slams against the left stay and you come to a full sideways skid really fast!! It sucks. Luckly I'm good enough at bike handling that I've managed to keep the bike upright, and not crashing. Since I changed to the Salsa skewers and lock them down pretty tightly, I've avoided the problem all together.
Paul
---------------------------------------------------------
http://casasedona.com

Slowman

Feb 26, 05 8:29

Post #6 of 6 (89 views)

Re: QR skewer advice [getting-old] [In reply to]	Can't Post

"I have a tendency to pull ti skewers clean out of the drop outs."

titanium = ductile, elastic.
steel = stiff, much less elastic

both are great frame materials. only one is a good skewer material. ti skewers are a bad idea. unless you are riding a bike with either vertical dropouts or rear entry horizontals WITH adjustment screws. if there is ANY way your skewers can move forward on the drive side as you stomp on the pedals, they certainly will if they're made out of ti.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman