Quick release levers on steel frames
 

I had a first ride on my steel frame today, and at one point when I had to set off from a stand still and put pressure on the right pedal, the chain tension managed to pull the right side of the rear wheel half way out of the campy dropouts, so the wheel wasn't centered in the frame. I put it back and tensioned the quick release lever as I used to, but it happened again. So I tightened it a lot, and that helped.

Do steel frames need metal quick release levers? Mine has a plastic nut and I'm thinking that might be why it's slipping pretty easy on the steel surface.

There are decades of history of quick-releases on steel frames. It's well-known that there is a correct way to tighten them. Here is one good set of instructions:

How To Use Bicycle Quick Releases

Multi-speed or fixed gear?

+1 to the "leave a mark on your hand" guide. If it does not leave a mark, its too loose.

There are two different types of QR, internal cam and external cam. A vintage Campy QR is the internal type, you can't see the cam itself. A lot of aftermarket QRs are external cam along with the newest Campy ones, you can see the cam. External cams don't seem to have the same clamping force as internal cams and shouldn't be used on horizontal dropouts. Go with a vintage internal cam.

Also, use the middle of the palm of your hand to close the lever. Immediately after closing, look at your palm. If you can't see an imprint of the lever, you need to open it, tighten the nut a little more and try again. Keep trying until you see the imprint.

The "plastic nut" just a plastic cover over a metal nut. The key to a quick release skewers success on a steel frame is it must be made of steel. Both the nut and cam need to be made of steel, not aluminum to get enough bite into the dropouts. After that, clamping force is next of importance.

If the dropouts (DOs) aren't parallel because the frame was bent or because someone widened the rear to accommodate a wider hub or simply because it wasn't well-made, then a QR skewer can have trouble holding. Take it by a decent shop and have them check it. Or just tighten a bolt onto each side and make sure it points at the other.

Are you sure your axle is not protruding slightly through the dropout? I tightened one several times one day, then finally realized that was the problem on my right rear. It's gotta be inside the dropout a little.

Good point. Just a bit of clarification...

The axle doesn't really have to protrude past the edge of the DO, just go far enough into the DO so as not to slip up or down. If it protrudes past the outer edge of the DO at all it might stick out so far that the skewer clamps onto the axle instead of the DO. This means the bearing cones aren't positioned correctly so that the axle is too far to one side. When one side doesn't go in far enough the other side might stick out too far.

One cause of this could be that someone removed both cones from the axle when cleaning the bearings, and didn't quite get them in the same place when putting them back on. If you ever loosen both cones, measure the distance from the locknut outer edge to the axle end so you can get them back on in the same place.

Another likely cause is switching a wheel between bikes which require a RD claw vs. having an integrated hanger on the DO. Curiously, this is rarely discussed here in C&V.

Forged DOs with an integrated hanger are thicker than stamped DOs without a hanger. Stamped DOs have to be thinner because the axle has to go through the claw which isn't used on forged DOs. But that extra thickness is all on the right side. So the axle has to be positioned further to the right (or the bearing cones must be positioned further to the left on the axle) for a claw used with stamped DOs. Unless the axle is quite short a wheel will work on one or the other but not both unless you reposition the bearing cones as required.

Yes, set the wheel in the frame and remove the quick release. Look for the axle passing beyond the dropout face(s). A number of times I have seen this, most often with Campagnolo gran sport dropouts, (they are thinner) or the Vertical ones which are also thinner. If this is the case the quick release will be not providing the proper force.

Thanks for all the replies. I do think I probably was a bit sloppy with the tension, coming from a fixed dropout position of the rear wheel. The tip with the axle protruding was a good one. I just checked and it is not protruding. The edge is about 1 mm inside on both sides.

I will also keep a look out for a genuine steel skewer. It also looks better on an older frame ;-)

Went on a short ride today, but the problem is very persistent. Especially when starting in the small ring. I also suspect that the chainline in that gear is pulling at an angle, and the momentum very easily pulls the right side out of the dropout. I'm running a Hollowtech II Shimano bottom bracket with a 9-speed compact Tiagra Chainset and a 10-speed cassette in the back. So when in the small ring and the bottom part of the cassette, the chainline is pretty angled. I definately need to try a pair steel skewers.

Ideally, the axle shouldn't protrude past the dropout; Shimano QRs, however, have 3mm recesses on both sides to ensure clamping even if the axle protrudes a little.

I'd be shocked, shocked I tell you, if the skewers you have aren't steel. Anything else just wouldn't be strong enough to work. Well, they could be titanium, or some elaborate high-tech alloy of manganese and unobtanium, or a neutrino/positron composite.

I had this problem once too. The fix for me was to clean the inside face of the dropouts and the outside of the axle REALLY well and then to use as much closing force on the skewer as I could muster. Never slipped again after that.

My wheels are Campagnolo Zondas and the skewers are stated as "cold-forged aluminium". I think I have found a spare skewer which is pretty heavy and feels like steel. I will try that tomorrow.

Yes, the Zonda quick releases are the modern, exposed-cam type intended for use with vertical dropouts. Replace them with e.g. aftermarket Shimano enclosed-cam quick releases and you should be good.

This has happened to me more than once. I was a bit sloppy when I first learned how to service hubs. Although, I do have some QRs that can tolerate a little bit of axle sticking out past the dropout, as they are cupped a bit to accommodate that.

I had the same issue once on an older steel frame bike. When I looked closely at the nut on the quick-release, I noticed that the "teeth" on the surface of it were worn down and not gripping well. I replaced the skewers with a new pair with a stronger "bite," and the problem was solved.

I will be the guy to warn of over tightening a skewer. I snapped my rear one on a ride once. Luckily, it was right after a small crash and I was checking things out on the bike. If I had been moving, things wouldn't have been pretty. The skewer needs to have been designed for the forces you are applying to it.

This sounds more like it! Between the axle end and the QR is a conical spring - it needs a few millimeters gap to keep from being crushed.

As you say, the springs are conical, so they compress very thin.

I am intrigued by the styling of the exposed cam quick releases, but for functionality I like the tried and true C&V era Campagnolo units.

I checked it out today on a Shimano QR, the springs measure 1mm fully compressed, so if the axle protrudes 1mm the QR would still clamp.