Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - QR on a SS

Just picked up a set of shimano 600 tubular wheels for a song. they're going on my ss cross bike. the question is, can i use the QR on the rear? i run my wheel all the way back in the horizontal dropouts. if the skewer won't work, can i use a bolt-on allen key style one and still keep it relativly secure, or am i going to id the wheel out of the frame when i crank it?

I've heard (not experienced) that the allen key skewers are easy to strip. I did hear it from a trustworthy source though.

Just get some old steel skewers, clamp them down, and hope for the best. If they don't grip well enough, switch the axle out for a solid one.

SS wheels don't take any more force than geared wheels with the same rider and gear ratio, QR is totally fine on them. Some people find centering a FG/SS wheel and getting the chain tension just right with a quick release to be a little fiddly, which is the only really good argument for not using them (other than stuff like theft prevention, track rules, whatev).

In most situations, a quick release will hold it as long as you clamp it down tight. However, I find that wheel position is easier to adjust using track nuts.

I'm sure someone will tell you horror stories about how your wheel will fall out or slam into your frame, which *might* be true if your legs look like tree trunks and you don't have the hand/arm strength to tighten a skewer, but I don't think it's likely.

get a tuggnut or similiar

just to clarify, i'm riding a cross frame that has dropouts like this:
http://sheldonbrown.com/images/dropf-short.gif
so my concern about pulling it totally off the bike is a little more valid than if i had track ends. good to know that it should work.

As a previous poster pointed out, there is no difference between a multispeed and a single speed in terms of the quick release holding the wheel in place.

I've been riding a converted Peugeot for upwards of 4 years now without issue.

As a previous poster pointed out, there is no difference between a multispeed and a single speed in terms of the quick release holding the wheel in place.

I've been riding a converted Peugeot for upwards of 4 years now without issue.

While that's often true, my Klein always ended the ride looking like this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v633/crushkilldestroy/bike4.jpg

And that was with a solid ass steel skewer that weighs like 30 pounds. A lot of it is the gearing. 24/12=wicked torkz.

To the OP, try it out and see what happens. If you don't feel like swapping out for a solid axle, look for one of them cheap star shaped bmx tensioners. You can make them work with horizontal dropouts, but sometimes you need to get file happy.

Edited for present/past tense confusion. Need coffee.

While that's often true, my Klein always ends the ride looking like this.

And that's with a solid ass steel skewer that weighs like 30 pounds. A lot of it is the gearing. 24/12=wicked torkz.

To the OP, try it out and see what happens. If you don't feel like swapping out for a solid axle, look for one of them cheap star shaped bmx tensioners. You can make them work with horizontal dropouts, but sometimes you need to get file happy.

Once a skewer has skipped a couple of times, the serrations on it are usually kind of thrashed. Yours is probably pretty smooth by now, a new one plus some wire brushing of the dropout might help.

Once a skewer has skipped a couple of times, the serrations on it are usually kind of thrashed. Yours is probably pretty smooth by now, a new one plus some wire brushing of the dropout might help.

It would slip, even with a brand new out of the box QR. Maybe it's just my monster frog legs.

I actually have a tuggnut on there now, so it's all moot anyways.

bward, i've run qr's on the dropouts you describe with lots of success. no slips with a good qr and a lot of tightening.

i've also used crappy qr's and been sloppy with my tightening and had the qr slip on me. usually when this happens it's only the drive side that slips. the effect is that the rear tire hits the chainstay and you come to a skidding halt. while this sucks, it's far less catastrophic than having a wheel pop out. i think the likelihood of having both sides of the qr slip such that the wheel actually pops out is acceptably low.

run the axle between the middle and rear of those dropouts to give the drive side room to slip just in case, but i think you'll be fine.

edit: oh yeah, plus one on the chain tensioner idea. even if just for peace of mind.

i have allen key bolts on my aerospokes & they do loosen after a a bit but... after installing chain tensioners.... no probs.