question about quick release?

[momof4greatkids]

It's also easy for the pickup coil mounted on the fork to get moved a bit when you take the wheel on and off. If it's loose enough to move by hand, just twist it back so it's 1/4 inch or so from the magnet.

"little sleeve on the brake cable"? Not sure what you're talking about. The barrel adjuster on side-pull brakes can rotate when the brake is in the loose position. Or are you talking about V-pull brakes, that have an accordion thing between the two calipers? That's mostly cosmetic

the brakes are v-pull, and underneath that little accordian thing is a short plastic sleeve that encases a small sectinon of the actual brake cable. It's gotten a little shredded and exposed some of the bare cable.

I'll take another look-see at the pickup coil on the fork, that might be what's gotten moved. Thanks for the advice!

Colleen

[Dianyla]

I've always turned the nut, not the quick release lever. This ensures that the lever will always fold into the frame at the exact angle where I want it to go. With a little practice I know just how tight or loose the nut should feel in order to produce the right level of tension when I close the lever.

What has always worked for me is this procedure:

1. Insert the wheel into the dropouts. You might have to loosen the axle nut a few more turns in order to have enough room on each side of the wheel to put the frame on.

2. Make sure the axle is set into the deepest part of the U shape in the dropouts on both sides. Don't rely on visual cues from the brakes, which often look asymmetrical while pulled open. Don't assume that the weight of the bike on the wheel against the ground will line it up correctly. The axle placement inside the U is all that matters. (If things aren't lined up right afterwards, adjust them to fit the properly positioned wheel and/or check to make sure you wheel isn't out of true.)

3. Rotate the quick release lever into the desired position. I usually like to align it so that it will lie parallel next to the frame when folded.

4. Push the lever end of the axle flush against the dropout. There will be a little extra axle showing on the nut side.

5. Rotate the nut clockwise with one hand while holding the lever with the other (usually I do this with the frame between my legs, leaning over the front handlebars).

6. Stop tightening the nut as soon as it the inner surface of the nut is making full contact with the fork dropout.

7. Fold the lever shut, which is at least 90 degrees perpendicular to the axle. This is another reason why it helps to align it with the frame, since you can grip your fingers around the frame as you squeeze it closed. It should be tight enough that you need to use multiple fingers and some leverage with your thumb to pry it open. If you feel like you're going to dislocate your thumb or bruise your hand pushing it closed, it's probably too tight. If you can just pop it open with 1-2 fingers and no leverage, it's too loose. If it's too tight or too loose, pop the lever and turn the nut a quarter turn in the necessary direction and try closing it again.

8. Check speed sensor - it's easy to bump the fork-mounted speed sensor while removing/reinstalling the wheel or transporting the bike. The sensor should be very close to the magnet, but not so close that the magnet bangs or clicks against it as the wheel rotates. The width of a coin (quarter) is usually adequate to get a good signal.

9. Remember to tighten/close/reattach the brakes!!