Quick release vs. Allen bolt: stripped my skewer on a trail in Vermont

I was out on a rocky section near Stowe last weekend and my rear quick release skewer got jammed. Instead of being able to tighten it on the spot, the cam mechanism just spun loose because the nut was stripped. I ended up having to hike 2 miles to a gas station to borrow an Allen wrench and bodge it with a bolt from a lawn chair. The debate is: do you guys trust quick release for trail riding or should I switch to thru-axles or Allen bolts for a more secure setup? Has anyone else had a quick release fail at a bad time?

2 comments

2 Comments

max47229d ago

Vermont trails are rough but that sounds more like a worn cam than a quick release problem.

parker_patel8429d ago

Flip it around on you man. A quick release that's maintained right will NEVER let you down on the trail, they've been the standard for DECADES for a reason. Your problem was clearly a worn cam or a loose nut that needed a drop of thread locker, not a design flaw. Thru-axles are heavy and overkill for anything short of a downhill park, plus you can't adjust them on the fly if your axle shifts in a crash. You just need to check your gear before you ride, a stripped skewer is a maintenance fail not a quick release fail.