Washed and proofed my Altura Reflex with Nikwax wash and tx direct - it now doesn't breathe at all. A shame as it was utterly brilliant before.
My Hope front skewer came loose AGAIN - never happened with my much cheaper Shimanos. Surely this could result in a major crash?!
Any "cures" for either of the above?!
Do the skewer up tighter.
Throw the skewer in the bin and buy a shimano one, hope ones are shite
call hope speak to them they are ace
01282 851200
Never happened to any skewers of mine hope or otherwise
PP - I do it up very, very tightly every time.
Hope have suggested I either lube the brass bush (!) or send it back. I really cannot be ar5ed though!
Years ago my Hope skewer came loose several times at the front. There was a bit of a 'to do' on here about them. Consensus was that many of us that had these problems were 'wrong' and all those that didn't have problems were 'right'...
hope skewers have always done this. shimano have the patent (or a licence) for the best design. hope do not.
I may well have to go back to Shimano then...
Mat, it's really odd. A few people have problems with them, but most don't. My Ti ones have been faultless for about 5 years now and I know a couple of others who think the same. No ryhme or reason to it it seems..... 
Hmm - that is odd. And as I mentioned, my rear one is completely fine.
Are XTR skewers a bit OTT?!
Deore skewers work as well without the cost/bling.
Braking forces are apparently to blame for front QRs loosening.
Skwwers - with a QR and a disc forces are generated that can unscrew the qr. When these forces exceed the clamping force of the qr it unscrews.
Anecdotally hopes seem to be less effective at generating clamping force than shimano. ?some of this may be related to the cam design. some to the serrations under the nut.
There are numerous other factors as well and its only when they all stack up on you the QR unscrews. However changing for a high level shimano may well stop it happening to you. Roughening the paint on the dropouts might as well
Best cure is a 20 mm axle
The jacket: was the machine you washed it in free of detergent residue before you washed your jacket? Any detergent other than soap flakes or tek-wash will block the mebrane on the jacket, hampering the dwr and stopping breathabilty. The only way to make sure there's no detergent is to scoop out any powder you can see in the detergent drawer, run a hot wash, with say a few towels (adding no detergent in this wash), then washing the garment/s you want to reproof. Yes it's a faff, and yes it works. Just did the same with a three year old Montane eVent jacket and it's good as new.
Trail Magazine's guide:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYX-eOod1F8
You should always lube your QRs it makes them smoother and easier to open/close. I use chain lube on mine and it really works.
Not had the skewer issue myself using Salsa ones but a thought just struck me, if they're unscrewing themselves, wouldn't it be worth trying therm in the other way around so those same forces would hold them tight*?
*Really depends what people belive the influencing forces are.
Scot - cheers.
I washed the jacket first with a non bio powder (gets the "big" dirt out) then Tech Wash then tx Direct. It's a bit of a faff but usually works fine. This time it hasn't. Was totally sweat covered this morning after a chilly ride.
years ago (*) i had a hope skewer, it was rubbish
(*) the design might have changed
a shimano skewer tightens then, beyond a certain tightness goes slightly loose. for a shimano skewer to loosen it must first tighten. make sense?
hope skewers do not
shimano skewers might not be "trendy", but they work!
Really? The Hope looks like an "over centre cam" to me.
*skip to the end*
Skewers = Shimano Deore/XT.
FACT.
hmm, weird, on the jacket: how old is it? I've found even my (3-ply) climbing jackets wear out quite quickly (a heavy winter season, out most weekends) through rope, harness and pack abrasion. Due to only having a light pack, I've never had that problem with the lighter waterproofs worn on bike. And they see plenty of use, biking as I do in Scotland 
I would expect a useful life of around 3-4 years, however you're talking about the jacket now not breathing - does your jacket wet-out now? that is - does water still bead on the surface, but you're getting the boil-in-the-bag effect as it's not letting your perspiration out? Maybe the ambient temperature is still high and you're rate of sweat is overcoming the jacket's abilities? What material is the Reflex?
With regards the Jacket, is the TX Direct wash in or spray on. Had problems with wash in re-proofer on Event jackets as it covers both the inside and outside, since switching to the spray on stuff I haven't experienced any more problems.
EDIT- Forgot to add I dont bother with Techwash, just use Non-Bio and an extra rinse cycle
my hope front and rear skewers always came loose, my back wheel once came off completely whilst i was riding a skinny - Binned em !
Onzadog - MemberNot had the skewer issue myself using Salsa ones but a thought just struck me, if they're unscrewing themselves, wouldn't it be worth trying therm in the other way around so those same forces would hold them tight*?
*Really depends what people belive the influencing forces are.
They would still uncrew - there is only one thread - a normal one. Either way round its the same direction to unscrew
Its precessional forces set up as the front wheel brakes over bumps.
Sme force that undoes pedal bolts ( prevented by the reverse thread on one side)
Years ago, I had no problems with my front skewer until I put on a front disk. Same wheel, same forks, same skewer, but it suddenly started to come loose. Luckily I'd left the lawyer tabs on the forks.
Same thing happened with cheap no-name skewers, shimano ones and Magura branded ones. The Magura one was best, but still came loose.
I just got into the habit of checking before every ride.
Now that's the commuting bike and I don't seem to have the problem anymore, probably due to the semislick tyres meaning I can't hammer down the hills as much.
Unless you consider the inertia of the lever under decelleration TJ.
EDIT:- Nothing like the constantly rotating pedals either.
I washed the jacket first with a non bio powder
There's your problem.
As Scotbike said, make sure machine is clear of detergent then wash again with pure soap...maybe even twice.
Then reproof...you may have to tumble dry afterwards depending on care label.
Cheers on advice all.
The jacket has basically gone from breathable and waterproof to just breathable. Very damp inside for the last two rides. I use wash in tech wash and tx direct (I have a litre of each).
I do have some "pure soap" flakes but thought non bio was okay? Maybe I'll try again.
I meant just waterproof (and NOT breathable) - doh!
Re the coat - my 2 year old Gore paclite has done the same thing as yours. I tried all the sugestions as above, clean machine, soap flakes first etc etc and even tried as a hand wash. but its not been breathable since i washed it. I also use Nik wax.
Luckily i contacted gore for advice and they now have my jacket to try and sort it themselves. So thanks Gore! 
I had an old style Hope skewer - Experienced it loosening a few times. Never had that experience with Shimano.
Was unable to reist the mountain biker magpie mentality when building up a bike recently and ordered one of the new Hope skewers mark 2 - which I understood had been "tweaked" slightly so they didn't come undone.
Result (after several months use): It's much worse than the original Hope skewers. Repeatedly comes loose.
(rear skewer BTW)
Non-bio definately not ok, but tech wash/pure soup essentially same thing.
mat - if you run the jacket through the wash on a 30 deg cycle twice with no powder of proofer, then do it again with the proofer it should be 'restored' you might want to give it a tumble dry too at the end
cheers
(edit - I think grangers works better)
My hope skewer doesn't come loose, but I have to do it up really tight - it's definitely not as good as the Shimano ones.
Eh?
If it doesn't come loose, why do you have to do it up really tight 
Have had hope skewer and never had loosing problems??
Have changed a while back to the latest xtr skewer and man they are a breeze to use and IMO look great
This topic has been closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
