General Category > The Knowledge

Skewers: cam vs hex

(1/5) > >>

Sergeant Pluck:
Just looking at different QR skewers. I note that there are these new fangled hex key ones, which dispense with the lever and cam and you simply tighten up two nuts on the skewer. To begin with I though, hmm, might as well have solid axles then, but for hollow axles, is there any advantage over cam types? Firstly, does tightening the skewer with a small hex key provide more clamping force than a conventional QR (as the sales guff claims, for some of them), and how do you judge when they are tight enough?

Kim:
I believe it does.  Certainly more than the naff external cam type, probably more than the internal cam type, too.

Some people may find the lower absolute force required to turn an Allen key compared to operating a QR to be a significant advantage.

And of course, they require a tool (possibly an obscure one, for security types) to remove the wheel.

TimO:
I've got them on a handful of bikes for those two reasons.  On a couple of bikea, because it provides marginally better security than a QR skewer (but can be dealt with using fairly easily available tools).  On a single speed bike, because the QR skewer does have a tendency to move slightly, and I know the hex non-QR version can't easily loosen off.  I have less faith in relatively cheap QR skewers.

mark:
Nothing new about them, my Schmidt SON hub came with a hex key skewer 6 or 7 years ago. FWIW, the hex key skewer that came with my SON is a touch lighter than the titanium skewer that I bought to use on the SON. So, lighter weight, a little more security and (possibly) more clamping force.

PaulF:
I'm slowly switching over, partly because they may provide more force! Partly for the security benefit but also for less possibility of an accidental release.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page