Just curious on this one. Any reason to remove the tabs other than fast wheel changes? I agree they can be a little bit of a pain (I have to re-set the QR skewer on my car roof rack every time the bike goes in and out). I’ve never come close to having a QR come loose on me while riding, but I feel safer knowing they’re there.
I had a wheel come off before. Sucked. I always check the qr before i get on a bike.
When they are aluminum, I take a file to them. I despise those things and two of my bikes have them; one is a C-dale with aluminum ones that are huge and part of the fork; the other is a wolf TT fork that requires you to wind the QR like 10 times. They are just stupid.
Chad
I had my LBS remove mine (they did it off the record). It’s a pain when I load/unload the bike from the car, and it’s an image thing (I’ve raced bikes for years and never needed lawyer tabs, previously they were only on the cheap bikes sold to non-racers who might not know how to work a QR).
Oh, and that gram saved could make all the difference in a sprint!
Should also reduce the frontal area of the bike = more aero, yes?
I hate 'em…but they saved me once. I always check them before a race and the front came loose somehow in the shuffle of T1 and saved me during the bike leg until I noticed the reason the front wheel was wobbling. I’ll keep mine, its really not that big a deal.
I also had the same thing happen to me with the rear. Checked before the race, and during the race I lost the ability to shift into the small ring in the rear. When I got to T2 and picked up the bike to rack, the rear wheel fell out of the dropouts.
Shit happens.
I take mine off, have for years, never had a QR come loose. Carbon ones can be filed down too, just don’t use a rough file. I’m primarily a MTB/Road racer and the fast wheel changes are a priority. Pretty much the only reason I do it is because it annoys the crap out of me to have to unwind and reset a QR on bikes that still have them.
I’m guessing this is not you’re planned application, but just in case you or someone else reading this were/was considering it: DO NOT file the tabs off forks on bikes with disc brakes. The braking force can pivot the axle out of the drop out and then bad things (like puppies and kittens dying) can happen.
I thought with disc brakes the only sure thing is to not have a quick release and to use a through axle design. Otherwise it’s always going to work the quick release loose.
We’ve been racing discs with QRs for years - I’ve never had one come loose. If you happen to install the wheel with the QR too loose, you can tell when you hit the brake, but I’ve never had one come loose.
That being said, I’ll still never file the tabs of my MTB fork; just scares me too much. I can’t think of anyone I ride/race with that does.
I dunno; my local wrench, who is old enough to teach Jesus a thing or two, did it for me. He said I didn’t need them.
First thing to leave my fork, every fork. Why make changing a wheel a pain in the ass? I love the days before them.
What’s a lawyer tab?
The first thing I do for every new bike I get is to grind the lawyer lips off. Quick releases don’t come loose, they get installed improperly.
What’s a lawyer tab?
X2
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What’s a lawyer tab?
X2
It’s the washer type thing with a little “hook” on it that keeps the wheel from falling off (and you doing a faceplant and then suing the manufacturer) if your quick release loosens or comes undone. “Lawyer Lipps” are the lips on the bottom of the fork where the skewer recesses into that serves the same basic purpose.
What’s a lawyer tab?
X2
It’s the washer type thing with a little “hook” on it that keeps the wheel from falling off (and you doing a faceplant and then suing the manufacturer) if your quick release loosens or comes undone. “Lawyer Lipps” are the lips on the bottom of the fork where the skewer recesses into that serves the same basic purpose.
In other words, a worthless piece of crap until the shit hits the fan and then you’re glad you’ve got a really good one.
Never seen it. Matter of fact, I have seen more novice folks screw it up and actually clamp the QR onto the tab…then when weight is on the bike the QR slips off and it is loose. When a wheel and QR is properly adjusted the first time it never needs to be adjusted again…with the tabs, it has to adjust time after time after time.
Actually, my comment was a reference to the term “lawyer” rather than the actual functionality.
Probably time to hit the sack.
What’s a lawyer tab?
X2
This will clear all your doubts.
http://www.yellowsaddle.co.za/Lawyers%20Lips.html
Sergio
They’re called lawyer’s tabs because bike manufacturers want to limit the risk of being sued for negligence if a wheel falls off because a dumb ass user didn’t read the manual or use enough common sense to do the quick release up tight enough. Basically “lawyers” required the tabs there as a risk mitigation exercise.