Lessons learned

[Mr. Bloom]

Closer look--OOooooh, quick release on the brake was up!

gave them the bike with the wheel on, but not tightened

In July, I went two weeks with the brake quick release open.

Three weeks ago, I'm riding up a 10% grade on rough pavement. As I'm huffing and puffing, I look down to see that my front quick release is so loose that it's unscrewing as I watch it! I never tightened it enough...and didn't figure this out until I'm 18 miles into a 30 mile ride

[SlowButSteady]

Mine was halfway closed on my first triathlon. In South Carolina. In August.

I wondered why it was so hard to pedal, but after the first nine or ten miles, it got easier.

[Pedal Wench]

Probably goes without saying, but I make it a point to always tighten everything as if I were going for a ride, even when I might not. What I mean is, sometimes I'll take my bike out the car and think I'll just loosely tighten the QR, knowing it's just gonna come off next time I load it in the car. But, I've gotten in the habit of making sure it's really tight, just in case I change my mind and ride straight out from the house. Keeps me honest, you know?

Edit: I do this with other things. I had put on a new seatpost, but was just checking for fit and didn't have time to adjust it to the right length. I didn't want to tighten it until I knew how high I wanted it. I made sure I left it so obviously out of alignment (completely sideways) so I wouldn't forget that it wasn't tight before I took it out for a spin.

[smilingcat]

just be careful not to over tighten the QR. You can snap the skewer... I saw a woman once in a shop complaining her QR was not tightening and holding the wheel. Skewer was snapped. Its amazing she didn't lose the QR pieces or drop the wheel.

smilingcat