Powder coated frame advice
 

Hello, everyone. I had a 1987 Specialized Sirrus powdercoated and when they did the job, they powdercoated the dropouts. This looks nice but has a fun problem - the rear wheel will slip forward while riding even if I crank the quick release down very tightly.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue and found a solution that doesn't require keeping Arnold Schwarzenegger around to tighten the rear quick release prior to each ride.

Thanks!

What is your theory as to why the powder coating is making the quick release skewers lose their grip? Are you using internal cam or external cam skewers? If the external type are slipping get some shimano Ultegra ones (or comparable) and they should hold much better. I can't see why you would need to somehow remove the powder coating on the dropout face.

I am thinking your bike has horizontal drop outs. I have the same issue with a late 80's Ochsner, but the drop outs were not powder coated with the rest of the frame. It is an issue with the horizontal drop outs, the wheel has a tendency to be pulled forward on the drive side due to the torque from the chain. As stated above, good internal cam skewers are needed, and you still might have to tighten them down more than you would with vertical drop outs. When I spread the rear to 130mm, I put on a set of Open Pro/Ultegra wheels with Ultegra QR's, internal cam, and the wheel does not slip as long as it is tightened enough, which is far less than the old ones. I could hardly open those after tightening them so much. I have an older set of Bontrager wheels and QR,s, not internal cam, they will slip on the Ochsner, but not on a bike with vertical drop outs.

Yes, the dropouts are horizontal, as all good 80's bikes are. I not only have problems with them slipping on the drive side, but the non-drive side too. I have to crank my quick releases down so tight they're almost impossible to remove. Sounds like I should try to get some internal cam skewers and try that.

Easy. The powder coat paint is very slippery. It's also very hard and smooth, hence the slippery. I may have to try those internal cam skewers though - the ones I have are just the ones that came with the wheels and they're almost certainly not internal cam.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...48d8e49c06.jpg


....those quick releases that look like this are not suitable for horizontal dropouts, regardless of paint, chrome, or powdercoat on them.
I don't think I ever saw a set of those until frames with vertical dropouts became more common...which was well after the 1980's.

The slippage usually happens on the drive side, that, of course, cause the non-drive side to slip also. I am guessing when the wheel slips, the front of the wheel/tire are off kilter towards the non-drive side.

I have ordered a Shimano Ultegra 6800 internal cam quick release. I'll post back when I've given it a try. Thanks for the advice everyone!

I just wish campagnolo quick release skewers weren't so expensive, because they work so well on horizontal dropouts. Fortunately, you only have to buy them once.

https://surlybikes.com/parts/hurdy_gurdy

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4bca1e78f2.png

See post #65: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...l#post12257823

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f7ef5c5331.png

This has been a cheap solution and solves the problems from using Cheap Light Weight Quick Releases...

Skewers don't seem to "bite" like they used to. I've experienced slippage and found a suggestion to lubricate the cam of the skewer. So far, it has fixed the problem on the road bike I use for commuting, a steel LeMond Tourmalet with short, semi-vertical dropouts.

For what it's worth: this (internal-cam QR skewer) has worked for me with a powder-coated horizontal-dropout frame.

Yes. Exposed cam quick releases are only reliable with vertical dropouts.

Convert the rear hub to a solid axle.