Bike Wheel Quick Release Problem

David has a problem with the quick release on his wheels, his wheel does not spin as well as it did before, it is usually caused by only one thing, we explain what it could be

Question: How do I properly operate the quick release on my front and rear wheel? My wheel does not spin as freely as it did before I removed my wheel.

Hi David,
You don’t say which kind of wheel quick release you have on your wheels, but I’m guessing that it is the standard lever style. The probable reason for your wheel not turning as well as it did is that the quick release is too tight and it is squashing the sealed bearings, so that the wheel doesn’t spin as efficiently.

First I hope you are using the quick release properly, it is a lever on a cam mechanism, not a wing nut, many new people to quick releases don’t realize this at first and just turn the lever round until it is tight, you don’t do this you lever it shut.

The quick release should be tight enough to hold the wheel in securely but not so tight as to squash the bearings. Experiment by loosening the lock nut on the other end from the quick release mechanism, just a little at a time until the wheel turns as easily as it did before, then check that the wheel is held properly, try to knock it out or try to move the rim from side to side watching the hub to see if it is moving in the frame ends, if it is it need to be a little tighter, you should get this correctly adjusted and then you wont need to mess around with it again, unless you take it out all together for cleaning and re greasing from time to time.

There are some quick release mechanisms that work by turning a large wing nut, these work well but they are fiddly and do tend squash the bearings, like what is happening to David. If you have these quick releases, they maybe light, but they do not work in the best way and if I was you I would change them for the more usual lever style, its easier to adjust and once set doesn’t need to be adjusted again as it is then correctly adjusted and you only need to flick the lever open and remove the wheel and when you put it back you just have to close the lever and it done. The quick release was first invented by a Mr. Campagnolo!