Comments on: Review: Velo Orange Anti-Theft Wheel Skewers

By: Max M

Max M — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:17:05 +0000

I have used the even less secure Nashbar version which just uses an allen wrench and they have worked thus far. My wife and I are bike commuters in Washington, DC and there is a lot of bike theft but it leans more to the ‘low hanging fruit’ variety. These kinds of skewers are enough to deter the casual opportunist. But vicious use of vise grips can usually be enough to get most these things off. They hold on well enough for single speed bikes but I would avoid their use on fixed as most are alloy heads and they will deform with repeated applications of stress whether from wrenching with tools or with pedal power. Most fixed wheels are bolt-on anyway.

Bottom line is they help deter theft and they are better than quick release for the majority of commuters who really don’t take their dirty wheels and seats with them into the workplace.

By: ax0n

ax0n — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:43:54 +0000

This is identical to the set I bought from Ace or True Value or something a few years ago. It was $5.99 or $6.99. Less than $10. This place apparently sells it even cheaper. The whole damn set of most security bits you’d ever want. http://is.gd/53S3Q

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:14:46 +0000

As for anti-theft seatpost clamps, one could always replace the metric bolt with a similar security fastener (hex or Torx) or use a Pitlock/Pinhead replacement.

One inexpensive trick is to epoxy a ball bearing into the hex fitting…defeats casual thieves yet is easy enough to dig out with a screwdriver if you need to adjust your saddle height.

All that being said, there’s an untapped market here for a true “off the shelf” anti-theft seatpost collar. Any manufacturers out there listening?

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:07:15 +0000

@dukie — good eye! That’s an older picture of my Astra (too rainy the past few days to get a good current photo up).

Good tip on keeping the wrench taped to the patch kit. I’m going to fish mine out of my bag and do the same thing!

By: dukiebiddle

dukiebiddle — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:32:28 +0000

Also, I have 3 of those wrenches. To keep one on hand in the case of a flat, I electrical tape them my patch kits.

By: dukiebiddle

dukiebiddle — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:16:01 +0000

Amen to FauxPorteur and Ghost Rider. I live in an urban high crime environment, and the first thing I do when I get a new bike is get rid of the q/r skewers and replace them with anti-theft skewers. I hate q/r skewers and would never go to the trouble of removing bike parts as a security strategy. I wish someone would market anti-theft seatpost clamps.

ghostbike, I love that Astra. I see the anti-theft skewers didn’t stop the drive train from being stolen. Oh noes!

By: Raiyn

Raiyn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:22:29 +0000

@ Rider (non Ghost type)
What axon is saying is that the “security” allen wrench is commonly available at local hardware stores pretty much anywhere.

By: FauxPorteur

FauxPorteur — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:36:20 +0000

@ghost rider In the 80’s only high quality racing/performance bikes had q/r and presta valved innertubes. People began to recognize this so bike companies realized they would sell more bikes by adding these, ahem, “features” to their mid/low range bikes. But as you see in other countries that have a healthy bike industry (not based on racing bikes) 15mm nuts are still pretty standard.

Yes, I implied presta valves are dumb. 99% of rims are wide enough for schraeder, so they should have schraeder. It’s a much more robust and simple system.

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:29:36 +0000

@FauxPorter: amen! QR wheels and seatpost clamps have no business on anything but racing bikes. I wonder why bike companies insist on saddling new commuter- or urban-bike buyers with this security flaw?

By: FauxPorteur

FauxPorteur — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:27:21 +0000

People often bring up the “but q/r skewers are so convenient/don’t want to have to carry a tool” argument(s). Well, to change a with a q/r wheel you’d need to have a patch-kit/tube and a pump. You might as well be carrying a small toool to remove/install your wheel while you’re at it.

While no wheel retention system is perfect I can tell you that at least 95% of the people in my shop that are buying wheels to replace stolen ones had simple q/r wheels. Same goes for those replacing saddles/seatposts. If you have a q/r seatpost clamp, your likelihood of your saddle/post getting stolen skyrockets.

q/r is for racing bikes. Death to q/r for REAL bikes!