Carbon Fork Dropout Compatible Skewers
 

Recently I have seen some companies starting to place a warning on quick release skewer instructions that these particular skewers are not to be used with carbon forks that have exposed carbon drop outs.

I assume this means carbon forks that have no sort of metal protection on their carbon drop outs to protect the carbon from the clamping nut/skewer.

Has anyone experienced any problems with exposed carbon forks and skewers ? I have never seen a skewer specifically manufactured to 'remedy' this issue, if it is an issue at all and not companies covering their butts.

Here is a wonderful case of safety being compromised for ease of manufacturing (lower cost) and in the name of the false god of lower weight. Carbon dropouts are not only a safety hazzard but they have NO Durability for the daily average rider and the amature racer. Plan on frequent purchases of forks and have enough love of fellow man to never sell one on eBay. I think that this is truly a mistake the bike industry is making that will end up hurting people.

Well, Easton and Reynolds sell a lot of forks with carbon dropouts and I haven't heard of any systematic problems, breakages or recalls. They have been on the market for several years and if there were inherent problems we certainly would have heard of it by now.

I have two Easton EC90SLX forks, one with about 5000 miles the other with 3000, and they have been flawless. Granted that's not a lot of miles but it does show that early failure isn't a problem.

I can't imagine any CF fork producer who wouldn't make dropouts that would be usable with standard Shimano or Campy quick releases. OK, maybe some crazy weight-weenie fork.

A question for those (e.g. the guy with the Easton EC90SLX) who have CF dropouts: how do the dropout surfaces look after a large number of wheel on/wheel off cycles? I'm constantly removing my front wheel for transport, etc.

They look fine. No marks, scratches or gouges in either fork and I do remove the front wheel with some regularity as I often carry the bikes inside my car.

One bike has a Shimano hub and skewer and the other a Campy hub and skewer and there is no difference. I get the quick released pretty tight but I don't try to see how just hard I can clamp the dropouts. Then again, I didn't do that with Al or steel dropouts either.

I feel this is a case where the manufacture of the skewer is attempting to relive themselves of any possible liability.

Thanks. I thought the likes of Easton and Reynolds would do their homework before going to full carbon dropouts, but one never knows.

This is the reply I got after emailed the tech dept. at Fulcrum Italy in regards to using their skewer with a Look HSC-6 carbon fork.:

Thank you for reading the instruction manual. You must be one of the few that actually does so and it is important.
To find which quick release should be used with your Look fork, it is necessary to contact Look.
We have found that most carbon drop-outs squeeze under the pressure of the QR skewer, either failing or substantially reducing the clamping force.
Best regards,