converting a bolt-on front wheel to quick release?
 

I purchased a wheelset off a langster that has a bolt-on front hub. Is there anyway I can convert it to a quick release?

i'm going to go ahead and assume this is a joke.

i had a QR rear mtb wheel that i converted to solid axle. i don't see why you can't convert the other way around. ask the shop how much they charge because it may or may not be worth it unless you've got a really nice front wheel.

nope no joke. I just need a faster way of taking the from wheel off when I put it onto my roof rack. And I hate having to carry a wrench everywhere I go.

what if you get a flat on the rear?

hmmm... good point. Okay, if i can convert the front, I can convert the rear as well.

So the general consensus says stick with bolt-ons?

You can't use QR on a rear fixed gear hub.

does the same go for mtb bikes with vertical drops and eccentric bb's? i know it doesn't relate to this thread, just curious.

You can't use QR if it has track ends, aka horizontal dropouts. EBB with vertical drops is fine with QR.

And to the OP - no, you need to get a new hub/wheel as you cannot convert a solid axle on a track hub into a hallow axle which is 1/2 as thin.

coolio! Thanks MIN for clarifying that! Much thanks

you CAN use a quick release on the rear for a fixed gear (edit: with track ends), but you need to crank it down pretty tight. it's generally accepted to not be worth the risk (especially if you ride brakeless) but it can be made to work.

it's also likely that you can convert your axle to quick release, but it might not be worth the trouble. see this thread for more info on it. it's probably worth just finding a different front wheel, they can usually be had used for pretty cheap.

sp00ki, any word on using a nashbar/dimension axle?

Ok, but I would personally advise my friends not to. If one were insistent on using rear QR, then I would use the steel Shimano skewers since they clamp harder than most aftermarket external lever designs.

min you're wrong.

in what sense.

also, i imagine you COULD use a QR hub on the rear, but only if you use something like a surly tuggnut on both sides to keep it from slipping.

in the sense that what you said is wrong.
QR AXLE is same size and a bolt on. the QR itself is smaller, but it still goes through an AXLE the same size as a bolt on.
have you looked at a QR hub before? it's not just a skewer.

that's great and all but i'd like to see you convert a track axle into a quick release.

good call. this is what i do on my polo bike (which is ss, not fixed) and it works great.

i would definitely NOT go with some lightweight road skewers.

this is quite easy to do with loose ball hubs. with sealed bearings you could get lucky and have your hub match up dimensions with a nasbhar hub's axle (which is hollow) or there are other less ideal kludges.

On some hubs it is very easy. You change axles. On some of the sealed hubs there is just not a QR axle available.

All that being said, a QR is plenty strong to hold a fixed/SS wheel. Just use a quality QR like the steel internal cam shimano ones. There is no need to build/have anything stronger for a fixed/ss setup. You will put far more force (torque) on onto a geared drivetrain than you can onto a fixed/ss.

Edit: I guess I type slow.

soo, you're still wrong, MIN

Back in the day when I bought a Hed 3, it was quick release, with hollow axle.

I bought a whole new track axle from Hed and switched it out myself with no problem.

I think the vice versa would work. But, that's for a Hed 3, I don't know about other hubs.

hahahaha

As long as its loose ball/cup n cone,it shouldnt be to big of a problem. I dont believe stock Langster wheels are sealed cartridge bearings anyway.

+1 on MIN still being wrong. It's not a fun thing to do, but assuming you can find the parts, a hollow axle for a good internal cam quick release skewer is completely interchangeable with a solid axle.