Re: [CR] Why no Quick Releases on Track bikes? Hopefully not a stupid question...

(Example: Framebuilding:Norris Lockley)

Date: Tue, 8 May 2007 16:03:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: Donald Gillies <gillies@cs.ubc.ca>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] Why no Quick Releases on Track bikes? Hopefully not a stupid question...
cc: san7759142@sbcglobal.net

There are no stupid question, just stupid questioneers ...

Re: Why no QR's at the track ??

A : On a track bike you torque the rear sprocket both forward AND backwards, producing much higher stresses on the rear axle. On a QR bike, there are several ways for a QR hub / wheel to fail, e.g.:

(a) Axle too long on one side, (b) QR skewer snaps, converting into a missile / bullet, (c) Axle itself snaps, (d) Insufficient torque on QR. Nobody make QR torque wrenches, (e) Someone puts grease on the dropout faces.

With a nutted axle, the skill of hub manufacture is not really a risk. With a nutted axle, the skill of the mechanic is not really a risk. With a nutted axle, only something tantamount to sabotage (failure mode (e)) is likely to cause the hub/axle to fail.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA