Originally Posted by
joejack951
So long as it doesn't deform, the same preload that was there at the start will still be there after the load is removed. Having used a pair of titanium skewers for years on my hardest ridden bike, I find it extremely implausible that the titanium shaft is the issue here (and as the OP reported, it was not).
I agree that it's not plausible that titanium is the "problem." I've ridden titanium Mavic skewers for years (and tens of thousands of miles) and never had a problem on a road bike. The difference between those Mavic skewers and these ENVE skewers was internal vs. external cam design. And I have to say . . . although both types of skewers work fine when used properly, I get a little more sense of security from the "over center" effect you get from an internal cam skewer. With internal cam designs, that final "clunk" as the lever closes gives me confidence that the skewer will stay set. The cam has a notch that keeps things closed. With external cam designs, you don't get that. It seems more of a stiction closure to me. Is the difference in confidence purely psychological? Maybe. Maybe not. But it's real.