Originally Posted by seagrade

Had horizontal dropouts, with adjuster screws, on my first proper racing bicycle in 1984, and probably half my bicycles since. Still, have two with them. Always tapped the dropouts and greased the screws. Always hand tightened the screw hard against the knurled adjuster nut. Never used Loctite. Never bent one or had an issue. They’re virtually impossible to damage once a wheel is fitted. Remove the wheel to transport the bicycle, or worse still freight a frame without removing the adjusters and all bets are off. Used as intended they were a simple solution of their era.

As for the commissaire failing a bicycle for a missing adjuster nut at a pre-race check, that is truly sad and pathetic. “52 exposed chainring teeth I can do nothing about, how else can I throw my weight around and bully a competitor with my pseudo-knowledge?”. To be fair most of the commissaires I saw back in the day were there for the sport and to encourage, not discourage, and had a better idea of what was important.