I am a history nut. I live near Gettysburg and visit all the time. So today I went for my first ride in The 'Burg with my daughter. Very cool to see the field from a bike. Easier than parking or getting in and out of the car all the time. All went great and we had an awesome time. So, on the way home I had the bikes strapped up with my Bones 3. I always check my bike for anything loose before I drive off. Going down the highway I see my damn tire rolling and almost hitting a work truck. I drove back and none of the guys saw my tire. (Rear tire of course). No where to be found. I never thought this could happen. Seems the rear skewer must have vibrated loose and the tire came off. I emailed Trek since these are relatively new bikes. I doubt anything can be done but I wanted my voice heard. I always feel like I am tightening something on this bike. Has this happened to others? Ok...rant over.

You mentioned "skewer" so I'm assuming a quick release. Front wheels have lawyer lips. Don't rears?

At least you lost the wheel after you rode. Gettysburg area is nice. Did you see the bullet holes in the walls of the old buildings?

I'm thinking proving the wheel came off because of some kind of defect will be difficult if the QR skewer isnt damaged in some way.

I am not sure what's going on here, but in my experience, it is quite difficult for a rear wheel to break free of the chain and rear derailleur and the brake by itself.

Also, even if it did, the question has to be asked: Had the OP taken off the wheel anytime prior, and if so, how was the QR done up?

No.

I was thinking the same thing. Every time i have to take my rear wheel off its a pain. I don't see how it could just fall out.

The constant jarring and vibration from the road will do that over time.

On a road bike with rim brakes the calipers should have prevented the fully-inflated tires from coming out...unless the the calipers were released.

If you had a platform bike rack, this would have never happened.

I always run a security cable through the rear triangle and front wheel when I have bikes racked on the back of my vehicle. It hinders opportunistic thieves and also prevents incidents like the one described. I had a front wheel fall off a bike several years ago during transport but luckily it was recovered. Ever since, I have used some form of supplemental retention, sometimes a cable, other times just GearTie twist on ties. The ties are also useful for preventing the crank and handlebars from moving when you have multiple bikes on a rack.

Sorry to hear this. Now you have a good excuse to get a new set of custom hand-built wheels.

Holy yikes. I'm really surprised a rear wheel was able to come off that easily!!

+1 to the gear ties suggestion. I use those to keep the wheels from spinning and to further attach the bike to the rack rear the bottom (around the trunk lid of my sedan), to prevent the pedal closest to the car from banging into the car repeatedly in stop and go driving.

If I need to transport my bike, I just lay it down in the bed of my truck.

I would think using a bike for visiting battlefields would be ideal, though I suppose there are some places they won't let you take the bike, only walk.

I just got back home after driving quite a bit around the SE US, and I tell you I saw many bikes on rear racks that looked none too secure. I know I will never trust one. For a while I had a roof rack, but now the bike lives inside the vehicle. But I don't really have a need to travel with bike and tons of stuff in the car, since any place I can't ride to directly requires a plane flight. (We had a ferry for a while which was ideal for getting to the other islands with a bike, but the enviros shut it down.)

scott s.
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I've never seen a properly tightened QR loosen during transport, although I've never driven more than 16 hours without getting off and riding the bike.

I meant if it was loosened already the vibrations and bumps from the road could jar it loose from the chain and RD.

+1
Jon

Not sure how this is trek's fault.

Its really unfortunate, but as mentioned, its great that the wheel didnt fall off while riding sjnce it was set so loose in the dropouts.

Yes I did. I go there so much that I know where many of the holes are.

I know. That's the weird part.

First, the "tire" is different from the "wheel".

Now on to your problem. How do you use the quick release skewer on the rear wheel? Most people I see do it like they have to do it for the front wheel with the stupid lawyer lips. In other words, they use the quick release skewer like it is a large screw. Used this way, the skewer can vibrate loose. But, if the skewer is used like it is meant to be...as a lever on a cam mechanism...there is no likelihood the skewer can loosen due to vibration. This article sums up how to use a quick release skewer nicely.

Your rant is misplaced. Sorry to break it to you but if you have taken the wheels off the bike at any point since purchase, you are the one at fault.

Thank you for the sage advice. I am sorry to offend you. The wheel was last put on by my LBS...and yes I know to not use these as a wrench. I made sure it was tight before I left. I never said I was not at fault. Poor assumption on your part. I was just ranting and not looking for a bicycle professional bashing. I see why people leave forums now. Thank you kind sir!

I once lost a wheel off my '64 Karmann Ghia while driving down the road, going uphill. I look over and see a wheel going down the road. With the engine in the back it didn't buck forward....I looked for that wheel for hours in the ditch on the side of the road just to find that a "rock" I had walked over a few times was actually the wheel, way under all the growth.

Someone many years from now will find the remains of that wheel and wonder like hell how it got there.

I can match you snark for snark if you like. Pardon me for assuming that you might be, shall we say, a bit ignorant about bicycles considering that you didn't appear to know the difference between a "wheel" and a "tire". Also pardon me for assuming that you might not know how a quick release skewer works since it is a common problem.

I am trying to be helpful and just passing along what I see people do with their quick release skewers several times per week at my local co-op...and I only work one day a week there. You told us nothing other than that you "check my bike for anything loose before I drive off" which could mean anything.

Quick release skewers do not come loose if they have been properly tightened. You are putting more force on the wheel with pedaling...equivalent to your weight plus some leverage...than the weight of the wheel and even some bouncing on the back of a car is going to put on it.

No, you weren't "just ranting". You were blaming this on Trek which is kind of the definition of "bicycle professional" bashing.

As for leaving the Bicycle Forums, you are certainly free to do so. If, on the other hand, you develop a bit thicker hide, you might learn something along the way.

I had to lift my bike over a tree that completely crossed a paved trail. I later noticed that something didn't seem right with the way the bike handled. I stopped at a watering hole and parked my bike but had to move it out of the way for someone. For some reason I had to lift the bike and that's when I noticed the loose wheel. I was glad to get that figured out. Must have knocked the lever while trying to get my bike over the tree.