i just wondered all of a sudden: why does the front wheel release have to be on the left? other than making it look proportional with the rear, is there a practical function with that? thanks, and apologize my noobish question.

The lever on my front wheel is symmetrical. Who says it HAS to be on the left? On ther rear yes cause of the cogset.

Doesn't have to be. You can put the wheel in the other way around. Mind you, some tires have tread that goes one way, so in that case, take the skewer out of the hub and insert it from the other side.

In North America, we ride on the right side of the street. Thus, there are more likely to be plant branches on the right side of the bicycle. The quick release is placed on the left side to decrease its chances of being caught by a branch.

Actually I just made that up. There's no reason. I like to place mine on the left so it's on the same side as the rear. I have self diagnosed OCD.

Probably to match the rear one. The rear one should really be on the left side to avoid the derailleur.

Mine is on the opposite side of the rotor. So as not to slip and get a burn tattoo.

My front skewer switches sides without me paying too much attention to it. I've only noticed it when the most arrogant roadie I've ever met commented that it was on the wrong side, right after scoffing at my scratched ultegra brifters .

If the rear lever is on the right, it is pretty easy to get grease from the chain on it when removing or installing the wheel, which then ends up on your hand when you touch the lever.

When Tullio invented the quick release he figured that having the lever on the left side would keep the rider toward the side of the road when changing the wheel (so a different gear could be used, ie a cog on each side).

it's just for balance and [ease of use when the rear der is involved]


as you load up a bike, you want to add weight equally if possible

since the crank and ders are one one side, toss the lever weight on the other side

much like a spoke magnet usually goes opposite the valve.

but it doesn't really matta

Wait, does this mean that the next generation of skewers might be aero? Or am I too late for this?

If its new, I want one that will bling.

I use bolt-ons. More aero and less grams.

If the skewer is pointed forward ie; on the right hand side of the bike you run the risk of it catching on something and popping open. Yes I have seen it happen before.

Aaron

Because I am always on the left side of the bike when I want to release it. You generally don't stand on the right side of the bike to do anything because you will get lubricant from the chain or the rings scratching your skin or tearing your clothes.

I also think there is some merit to having quick releases toward the open side of the road. You will swerve to the left to avoid debris so the quick release will be on the side of the bike that is away from the hazard. The same thing with bushes, etc that are along the side of the road.

All the previous responses are either; wrong or BS.
The answer to you questions is: because that is where it belongs.

The rear derailler cable in on the right side which is in the way of a quick release lever.

1. don't point it forward
2. is there never anything on the left side?

on my MTB and geared cross bike, i run the skewers opposite: rear is left side, front is right side. that way it's out of the way of the drive mech on the rear and out of the way of the brake mech on the front.

on my road and ss cross bike, i run the skewers both on the left side. out of habit. no other reason.

I put my front quick release on the right.

Why?

Because if I have to lay my bike on the ground (which of course I try to avoid...) I don't want the rear derailleur to be in the dirt, so I lay the bike down on the left side. By putting the front quick release on the right it too is not on the ground.
(Stupid reason? You bet!)

It doesn't, it's convention, cause it matches the rear, and if you mount your directinal tire backwards.....

A 16 year old zombie thread gets resurrected by a newbie that posted twice 11 years ago. Crazy.

At this point, the proper response is "What's a quick release?"

It’s almost Halloween so time for more zombie resurrection threads?

Both ways will work on the front.

Some levers aren’t symmetrical (so they’d be backwards on the right).

(Putting it in the right is a suggestion you don’t know what you are doing.)

Because if it's on the right you probably have your tire backwards. I do it to disturb my OCD friend, lol.

If you place it on the right side, it is the perfect compliment to the large chain ring ‘tattoo’ on your right calve. They just go together.

You just quoted a post from 2008.