installing a new front wheel

[neill.dano@gmail.com]

Hey,
Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
so you may have to bear with me.

I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
end).

I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
wheel.

What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
any misalignment?

For any help, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Dan

[DougC]

neill.dano@gmail.com wrote:
> Hey,
> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
> so you may have to bear with me.
>
> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
> other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
> end).
>
> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
> wheel.
>
> What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
> them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
> any misalignment?
>
> For any help, I would greatly appreciate it.
>
> Thanks,
> Dan
>

The "cap" end is a quick-release nut; the "shaft with the lever" is a
quick-release skewer.

The springs are a minor convenience--they are there to hold the
quick-release axle assembly (skewer and nut) centered when it's loose,to
make it easier to put back into the fork dropouts.

The bike will work normally without one or both of them. If you want
both, they cost about two cents at any bike shop.
~

[Leo Lichtman]

<neill.dano@gmail.com> wrote: (clip)What are these coils for? Are they
necessary or can I go without
> them? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The only purpose of those springs is to hold a gap open on both sides, so
the wheel is easy to insert in the fork. When the eccentric lever is
positioned to tighten the wheel in the fork, those springs are completely
compressed, and they do nothing. If you hardly ever remove the front wheel,
then it hardly matters. If you take the front wheel off every time you load
the bike inside your car (for example,) you could borrow a spring from the
back, and replace it next time you visit your LBS.

[A Muzi]

neill.dano@gmail.com wrote:
> Hey,
> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
> so you may have to bear with me.
>
> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
> other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
> end).
>
> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
> wheel.
>
> What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
> them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
> any misalignment?

A common question, second only to "Your mechanic stole my valve cap!"

In team supported racing, the spiral or volute shaped springs keep the
ends of the quick release skewer centered so the mechanic may throw the
wheel in briskly without looking then close the lever and push the rider
back on the road. We mere mortals throw them away on our own bikes. If
you like them, ask the shop for another or run your skewer without them.
There is no functional difference but a half a second potential savings
during a wheel change. They are easily misplaced and of little value.

If you do use them, note the pointy end faces in. Backward springs can
foul the skewer's function. On some bikes with thin frame ends and
longish axles, there's no room for the springs at all.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Nate Knutson]

On Aug 14, 6:15 pm, neill.d...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hey,
> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
> so you may have to bear with me.
>
> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
> other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
> end).
>
> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
> wheel.
>
> What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
> them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
> any misalignment?
>
> For any help, I would greatly appreciate it.
>
> Thanks,
> Dan

They are purely for convenience and do absolutely nothing when the
wheel is installed. You can use either one or none, although none is a
bit less awkward to deal with than one.

[Chalo]

Dan wrote:
>
> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
> other end).

That's called a "quick release skewer" or "QR" for short.

> Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
> end).
>
> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
> wheel.
>
> What are these coils for?

They serve to hold the QR open, away from both fork tips, when the cam
(the lever) is in the open position.

> Are they necessary or can I go without them?

They are a convenience, not a necessity. They don't have any effect
on the safe functioning of the QR.

> Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
> any misalignment?

No, that would be a nuisance, with one side being held open and the
other side being held closed. Use both springs or none.

I advise you to take note of the proper way to tighten a quick
release. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you NOT try to tighten it like a
bolt, using the lever like a wrench. Instead, flip the lever to its
"open" position, and tighten the nut by hand until the lever begins to
tighten when it's sticking straight out, parallel to the skewer. Then
use force to fold the lever down to the "closed" position.

Here's an article on the topic:

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/HowTo/UseAQuickRelease.htm

Good luck, and ride safe!

Chalo

[Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman]

neill.dano@gmail.com wrote:
> Hey,
> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
> so you may have to bear with me....

Start here to learn the technical terms:
<http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html>.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition"

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

[neill.dano@gmail.com]

On Aug 14, 9:15 pm, neill.d...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hey,
> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
> so you may have to bear with me.
>
> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
> other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
> end).
>
> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
> wheel.
>
> What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
> them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
> any misalignment?
>
> For any help, I would greatly appreciate it.
>
> Thanks,
> Dan

Hey,
Thanks for the information everyone! I'm installing this morning.

Dan

[RonSonic]

On Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:26:54 -0500, A Muzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

>neill.dano@gmail.com wrote:
>> Hey,
>> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
>> so you may have to bear with me.
>>
>> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
>> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
>> other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
>> end).
>>
>> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
>> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
>> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
>> wheel.
>>
>> What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
>> them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
>> any misalignment?
>
>A common question, second only to "Your mechanic stole my valve cap!"

Wait'll he retires and sells 'em all for a fortune.

Ron

[G.T.]

"A Muzi" <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote in message
news:13c4p2csrdsko88@corp.supernews.com...
> neill.dano@gmail.com wrote:
>> Hey,
>> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
>> so you may have to bear with me.
>>
>> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
>> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
>> other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
>> end).
>>
>> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
>> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
>> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
>> wheel.
>>
>> What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
>> them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
>> any misalignment?
>
> A common question, second only to "Your mechanic stole my valve cap!"
>
> In team supported racing, the spiral or volute shaped springs keep the
> ends of the quick release skewer centered so the mechanic may throw the
> wheel in briskly without looking then close the lever and push the rider
> back on the road. We mere mortals throw them away on our own bikes.

Hmmm, as a mere mortal I go to great lengths not to lose the springs.
They're convenient even when one is not in a hurry. With the springs in
place I can fling my wheel across the garage landing in the fork tips.
Can't do that without the springs.

Greg
--
Ticketmaster and Ticketweb suck, but everyone knows that:
http://ticketmastersucks.org

Dethink to survive - Mclusky

[Marian]

On Aug 15, 10:26 am, A Muzi <a...@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

> If you do use them, note the pointy end faces in. Backward springs can
> foul the skewer's function. On some bikes with thin frame ends and
> longish axles, there's no room for the springs at all.

And a very nasty thing you can pointlessly do to someone's parked
bicycle is to remove the skewers and swap the springs round the other
way then put the skewers back in place. I have absolutely -no- idea
who did it or why but a year and a half ago when I was at the
Vietnamese Consulate in Guangzhou to get a visa I left my loaded
touring bike in the lobby of the office building the consulate was
in. When I came back and got ready to leave my wheels were grinding
and skidding and all kinds of funny. Turned out to be that one spring
per QR had been reversed.

-M

[rick b]

>
> I advise you to take note of the proper way to tighten a quick
> release. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you NOT try to tighten it like a
> bolt, using the lever like a wrench. Instead, flip the lever to its
> "open" position, and tighten the nut by hand until the lever begins to
> tighten when it's sticking straight out, parallel to the skewer. Then
> use force to fold the lever down to the "closed" position.
>
> Here's an article on the topic:
>
> http://www.bicyclinglife.com/HowTo/UseAQuickRelease.htm
>
> Good luck, and ride safe!
>
> Chalo

That article doesn't address how to use the quick release if the forks
have lawyer lips...which many if not most new bikes have these days.
In order to get enough clearance to remove QR and axle, I HAVE to
loosen up the knurled nut to get more space....and similarly when
mounting the wheel I need to tighten the knurled nut.

[A Muzi]

>> neill.dano@gmail.com wrote:
>>> Let me say I don't know any technical terms for the parts of bicycle,
>>> so you may have to bear with me.
>>> I just got a new front wheel for my 1994 Gary Fisher Zebrano hybrid.
>>> I was given back the "cap" end and the shaft with the lever on it (the
>>> other end). Also there was one spring coil (with a big end and small
>>> end).
>>> I notice on my back wheel that there is a spring on both ends of the
>>> shaft and the bike frame (fork?) actually touches the coil and not the
>>> shaft itself. I am guessing one of the springs got lost on the front
>>> wheel.
>>> What are these coils for? Are they necessary or can I go without
>>> them? Can I use just one of them on the front wheel and not suffer
>>> any misalignment?

> "A Muzi" <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote
>> A common question, second only to "Your mechanic stole my valve cap!"
>> In team supported racing, the spiral or volute shaped springs keep the
>> ends of the quick release skewer centered so the mechanic may throw the
>> wheel in briskly without looking then close the lever and push the rider
>> back on the road. We mere mortals throw them away on our own bikes.

G.T. wrote:
> Hmmm, as a mere mortal I go to great lengths not to lose the springs.
> They're convenient even when one is not in a hurry. With the springs in
> place I can fling my wheel across the garage landing in the fork tips.
> Can't do that without the springs.

I see a YouTube video in your future.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Leo Lichtman]

"Marian" wrote: (clip) When I came back and got ready to leave my wheels
were grinding and skidding and all kinds of funny. Turned out to be that
one spring per QR had been reversed.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Someone had taken your wheels off and put them back improperly. Reversing a
spring could not make that happen.

[Marian]

Leo Lichtman wrote:
> "Marian" wrote: (clip) When I came back and got ready to leave my wheels
> were grinding and skidding and all kinds of funny. Turned out to be that
> one spring per QR had been reversed.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Someone had taken your wheels off and put them back improperly. Reversing a
> spring could not make that happen.

I first took the front wheel off (easier) to try to find out what was
the cause of my sudden new problem and after fidgeting discovered that
one spring had been reversed. I put it back in place, and put the
wheel back on. Front wheel then spun right.

Taking the back wheel off I discovered the same problem and put it
back on with the spring in the right direction and all was fine.

Perhaps my description of the way in which the wheels were acting
funny is insufficient (it was almost two years ago) but I very clearly
remember that one spring on each wheel was reversed and the incident
had a lot to do with my increased level of bike parking paranoia.

-M

[Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman]

rick b??? wrote:
>
>> I advise you to take note of the proper way to tighten a quick
>> release. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you NOT try to tighten it like a
>> bolt, using the lever like a wrench. Instead, flip the lever to its
>> "open" position, and tighten the nut by hand until the lever begins to
>> tighten when it's sticking straight out, parallel to the skewer. Then
>> use force to fold the lever down to the "closed" position.
>>
>> Here's an article on the topic:
>>
>> http://www.bicyclinglife.com/HowTo/UseAQuickRelease.htm
>>
>> Good luck, and ride safe!
>>
>> Chalo
>
> That article doesn't address how to use the quick release if the forks
> have lawyer lips...which many if not most new bikes have these days.
> In order to get enough clearance to remove QR and axle, I HAVE to
> loosen up the knurled nut to get more space....and similarly when
> mounting the wheel I need to tighten the knurled nut.

I have not had that problem since "Lawyer Lips" met Mr. Dremel Tool
Grinding Wheel.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

[Clive George]

"Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman" <sunsetss0003@invailid.com> wrote in message
news:46c3ae5e$0$21011$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .

> I have not had that problem since "Lawyer Lips" met Mr. Dremel Tool
> Grinding Wheel.

Dremel? Wuss!

cheers,
clive

[A Muzi]

> "Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman" <sunsetss0003@invailid.com> wrote:
>> I have not had that problem since "Lawyer Lips" met Mr. Dremel Tool
>> Grinding Wheel.

Clive George wrote:
> Dremel? Wuss!

I hear you, Clive:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/FIRE.JPG
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

[Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman]

A Muzi wrote:
>> "Tom "Johnny Sunset" Sherman" <sunsetss0003@invailid.com> wrote:
>>> I have not had that problem since "Lawyer Lips" met Mr. Dremel Tool
>>> Grinding Wheel.
>
> Clive George wrote:
>> Dremel? Wuss!
>
> I hear you, Clive:
> http://www.yellowjersey.org/FIRE.JPG

Where's the side shields?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

[Leo Lichtman]

"Marian" wrote: I first took the front wheel off (easier) to try to find
out what was
> the cause of my sudden new problem and after fidgeting discovered that
> one spring had been reversed. I put it back in place, and put the
> wheel back on. Front wheel then spun right.
>
> Taking the back wheel off I discovered the same problem and put it
> back on with the spring in the right direction and all was fine. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am not suggesting that you are mis-reporting the position of the springs.
I AM suggesting that that was not the cause of the problem. I am sure that
we have alol had the experience of installing a wheel and finding that the
axle is not fully seated in the dropouts, so that the tire rubs on the fork
or frame, or the rin is not centered between the brake pads.

I am suggesting that when you removed and replaced each wheel, you
eliminated the misalignment without knowing it. You focused your attention
on the springs because that is what you saw.