How to use bike quick release lever?

Quick release (QR) levers to facilitate common tasks such as front wheel removal and seat height adjustment. When properly adjusted, quick release levers are both safe and convenient, but you must understand and apply the correct technique to adjust them properly before riding your bicycle to prevent serious injury or death from a fall. In this post, we share some useful tips of using bike quick release skewer/lever.

Quick release lever is common uses in
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  • Seat clamp
  • Front / Rear Wheel hubs
  • Handle bar (folding bike)
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Understand the quick release stucture

1 x  Adjusting nut | 2 x Springs | 1 x Thin axle with Quick Release Lever

Understand the CLOSE position and OPEN position

How to loosen the wheel?

Step 1: Pull out the lever from closed position to open position.
Step 2: Hold the quick release lever and turn the adjusting nut. (Counter clockwise direction)
Step 3: Turn the adjusting nut (counter clockwise) until the gap between the nut and fork legs has sufficient space to take out the wheel.
(note: Not necessary to turn the adjusting nut until the end)

How to fasten the wheel?

Step 1: Make sure the quick release lever is open position.
Step 2: Turn the adjusting nut clockwise until the gap between the nut and fork legs has reduced.
Step 3: Press in the quick release lever using your palm with little extra force to close position.
Step 4: If you feel pressing force is “light”. Open the lever again and repeat the step 1 and step 2.

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  • Securely clamping the wheel takes considerable force. If you can fully close the quick release lever without wrapping your fingers around the fork blad for leverage, and the lever does not leave a clear imprint in the palm of your hand, the tension is insufficient. Open the lever, turn the tension adjusting nut clockwise a quarter turn, then try again.
  • If the lever cannot be pushed all the way to a position parrallel to the fork blade, return the lever to the OPEN position. The turn the adjusting nut counterclockwise one-quearter and try tightening the lever again.
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NOTE: These steps are applicable to rear wheel and quick release seat clamp

Quick Check

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  • Ensure the wheel is fully attached to the fork dropouts/ bike frame.
  • Ensure the quick release lever in closed position and tigh.
  • Ensure the wheel does not loose after closed the lever.
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How about if your bike wheel hubs / seatpost doesnt has quick release lever?

Good news. We able to tranform your bike wheel hub (suggest: MTB wheel ‘s front hub) from non-quick release to become a quick release type. Cost estimate: RM 45.

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Click here to get a copy of Shimano quick release user manual.

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Reference sources from Shimano & CurrieTech.