Bicycle Mechanics - dropouts, quick release and axles, assistance please

Hi, I just bought some hubs with quick release and I was wondering how far into the drop out is the axle supposed to go? I assume if the axle is to long the quick release won't work, but what is to short??

The axle ends should stick out no more than the thickness of the dropouts for the quick release to work properly.

The nut should be threaded tight enough so that when you close the lever, it leaves an impression on your hand. That's the basic rule of thumb. You should feel some resistance. If you can't close the lever all the way, however, then it's too tight, and you should back it off.

This link could be helpful for you. (http://www.bicyclinglife.com/HowTo/UseAQuickRelease.htm)

According to Sheldon (pbuh), you don't need any of the axle in the dropouts.

thanks for the responses. so my question is (still) how much of the axle needs to be in the front/rear drop out?

Do you mean how far the wheels should be inserted into the drop outs? For the front, you should just be able to drop the wheel in all the way, right?

From what I've heard about the back wheel, for indexed shifting at least, optimum shifting is achieved when the rear axle is vertically aligned over the derailleur pivot point, but there are definitely more qualified opinions out there than mine. This is what I've been following for my 10 speed cassette road bike. I'm not sure how that carries over to other types of bikes.

Let me go take a picture

You didn't like my answer?

I assume you mean how much of the axle end should engage the drop outs.
Typically, a QR axle is 11 MM longer than the drop out spacing, so 5.5MM would be standard.
You want the axle "just under" flush, or else it won't be well secured by the QR.
As long as you have a "bit" of axle protrusion to locate the wheel, you are good.

yes, how much axle should engage in the drop out. See the pix, is this to short, if so, can I get a longer axle? these are ultegras and sorry for the lame pix
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/cohophysh/IMG_0531_3.jpg
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee203/cohophysh/IMG_0534_3.jpg

you can see that the axle only engages 1/2 of the drop out

looks fine

some dropouts are thicker, some thinner...

thanks, I feel better now

thanks for the responses. so my question is (still) how much of the axle needs to be in the front/rear drop out?

Seat the axle as far into the dropout as you can get it. Don't worry if it doesn't seat all the way to the back of the dropouts. Just make sure that the wheel is straight to the frame.

cohophysh, you didn't answer my question. I did answer you. You don't need any axle in the dropouts.

Half of the axle is fine. Both my bikes are like that.

SweetLou,
of course I liked your answer:)

According to Sheldon (pbuh), you don't need any of the axle in the dropouts.

When did he say that?

When did he say that?

He had a fixed gear with a QR hub and a vertical dropout, with the axle ground flush to the lock nut there was enough room to tension the chain by moving the QR skewer back in the dropout.

Of course there needs to be "axle" in the dropouts, if you didn't the hub would slide right on through. What you meant to say (which makes Sheldon look like a fool) was that there doesn't need to be any "axle" STICKING OUT of the dropouts, looking like its a bolt on. Sheldon or some other reputable source I once read said any less than 2.5mm in the dropout is too little, and should roughly be 5. And no more than 1 sticking out past the dropouts (some skewers allow for some stick outed ness :) )

Criminy, lets put this thread to rest; Sheldon Brown did say:



I used a more drastic solution: on my Bianchi Osprey. I cut the rear axle short so that it didsn't protrude past the surfaces of the locknuts. Thus, only the quick-release skewer went through the dropouts. Since the skewer is quite a bit thinner than the actual axle, this gives me considerably more adjustment room.

If the skewer is properly tightened, the axle is held in place by the friction of the locknuts being pressed against the inside of the dropouts. If this were not the case, horizontal dropouts would not be usable, since the forward pull on the chain creates a larger force against the axle than supporting the rider's weight does. Just to be on the safe side, I carried a spare skewer along with my spare tube.

I rode that setup for a couple of years with no problems, but later got a deal on a Bianchi B.a.S.S. purpose-built singlespeed frame that fits me better, is notably lighter and has horizontal track-type fork ends, so I'm no longer using that setup.

Personally, I'd want something in the dropout, even if it's like a half mm--if only to make sure it's seated square (that's one advantage to vertical dropouts anyway).

Of course there needs to be "axle" in the dropouts, if you didn't the hub would slide right on through.

+1