best QR skewers?

After a period of trimming down have somehow left self with an unrideable bike on account of no skewers. Have an old beater with some Hope QR skewers on it that could be appropriated – but. I remember not enjoying using them, the cam action was just weird, and they had those uncomfortable knobs on the end of the levers.

Which makes me ask, is there any compelling reason not to default to Deore QRs? They are a pleasure to use ie smooth and firmly locked without hassle, have internal cam, and come in matt black or silver.

I don’t work for Shimano but am struggling to find better? What says you?

Deore XT skewers are the best I have ever used. Wouldn’t use anything different.

The wheel didn’t fall out when I used hopes. Is there any reason to over think this. If the choice is use the skewers or not ride you would have to be fairly picky to choose not riding.

Shimano. Hardly ‘bling’ but do the job as well as or better than any others.

Sorry wasn’t clear – the choice is to ride with Hopes until I replace them ;-). Wondered if anything beats Deore?

Might seem like a lot of thought for what is to many a relatively innocuous part, yet with a small car I remove and replace bike wheels a lot.

Agree with XT, very hard to beat. I do have a Superstar 9mm front on a bike and whilst the cam action isn’t as nice I do think it helps stiffen up the front.

Shimano are the best QRs, fact.

XTR M970. Never bettered.

Shimano if you actually need a QR. Halo Hex if you don’t.

There’s no practical/mechanical advantage of xt/xtr over deore. Just a name.

Nothing beats shimano skewers. Hope are just not comfy and have much more friction to achieve the same tightness as shimanos.

Not tied to QRs, will use anything that is secure, lightish and smooth/reassuring to use. Have looked at H Hex, certainly much cheaper than Deore QRs but think is more of faff and quite a few concerns about shearing going by reviews :-/ ?

Shop around, even second hand, you can get a decent deal on XT or the non-steel deores.

Shimano, pick which ones you want based on price and weight, they all have the same mechanism.

Ha, Jamie – cheers, funny have had trigger finger on those exact ones for a few days now. Identical to the ones I just let go.

*edit: Ok job done. Today’s news: This week’s pizza money blown on boring bike part. Chuffed with result – my body is a temple and wheels are secured – thnks folks 🙂

Shimano if you actually need a QR. Halo Hex if you don’t.

+1

I like Shimano
I also like Salsa Flip-offs.

The Salsas look nicer 🙂

A vote for the XTR M970s here too.

Shimano.

Also actually quite like the Crank Brothers split ones, have them on a couple of sets of wheels and they work well.

Hope are great and lovely colours.Shimano ok but not Hope.

Another vote for Shimano if you are interested in getting them done up tight and reliability. Something else if you are more interested in weight and looks at the expense of function.

Deores are fine, and unless you are building a weight-weenie xc race machine, then no need for xt/xtr etc.

XTR because cheap secondhand and the best by miles.

Shimano QR skewers are by far the best ones I have used. Deore or XT both work great just depends on your budget.

Hope are great and lovely colours.Shimano ok but not Hope.

Too much science for my brain!

Shimano or DT RWS.

Shimano for near perfect functionality. Mt Zoom for lightweight bling!

Got a DT RWS on the back of mine. Easier to use and feels a lot more solid than the usual QR ones. Maybe not as quick to use but no different to the bolt-thru I have up front.

I’ll join the choir. I have Extralite and KCNC on my nice bikes, but Shimano on the tandem because they’re actually the best.

Shimanos are brilliant and great value for money! I had Deores on my old Commencal and had no issues at all!

Agreed. Rather use a tatty old Shimano skewer than a brand new Hope one.

DT RWS. Way easier to use and solid locking feel that doesn’t appear to come undone in the way a cam skewer does.

Plus you have a through bolt style option if you can run your hub through-axle you can get the thicker axle bolt version. Still screws into a cap same as a thin skewer but just looks more sturdy. Whether it really makes a difference I don’t know.

DT RWS. Way easier to use

Cheers – must check them out, is a new one on this old pup. Really, way easier to use? I never thought about (cam) QRs being anything but simple, so these must be a no-brainer?

You know I read that the offset internal cam lever QR was developed by Campagnolo, and happarently only Shimano make anything like the original today. About time something better came along, maybe DT RWS is it? Will look up some reviews.

I will say the only time I’ve not had success was with a pair of hope as mentioned, and a superstar front QR that would never tighten sufficiently to remedy the wheel moving over to the left fork leg every time applied disc brake. This was remedied by one of those old steel Shimanos 😉

I like the way you can get the RWS perfect everytime, right tension and lever in the right spot so nothing can catch but still easy to move for easy removal.

have replaced all qr for RWS (inc a to bolt thru as so easy on ProII’s), just left with alfine bmx nuts on the back of 2 bikes.

another for XTR

I liked RWS but my front road skewer didn’t survive a crash as the mechanism failed. For front wheels they are superior for overcoming lawyer lips. XT and Dura Ace skewers for me now. With some light bling Ti on the race bike.

If you’ve alrady got Hope, I wouldn’t change but yeah Shimano are just better.

I use Halo hex skewers though- light, cheap, colour coordinated as I’m a tart, secure. Only downside is if you regularily take wheels out when there’s not tools handy, which I don’t.

Another vote for Shimano if you are interested in getting them done up tight and reliability. Something else if you are more interested in weight and looks at the expense of function.

+1

+1 for shimano, used deore ones for ages and they’re great, but got a set of XT for £20 recently and they are even better, just the feel when you close them is one of real quality

enclosed cam is just better full stop, very few people seem to want to make them so you don’t have much options other than shimano really

my XT skewers replaced some exposed cam ones that came with a wheelset that could not close tight enough to hold the wheel properly no matter how hard I did them up, downright dangerous, the XT ones could clamp perfectly with a fraction of the effort, they really are that good

My rear Hope would come loose. XT now and no such problems.

Salsa flip offs. Look & feel nice Stop wheels from falling off. Never given it any more thought than that.