I was taught to line up the skewer lever with either the fork blade in front ( one o'clock) or the seat stay in the rear (11 o'clock) so you can hook your finger tips over the fork blade or seat stay whilst closing the lever. Makes it easier to torque down the levers a bit harder, especially in the rear. Often needed for us big mashers with slippery chrome or clear coated rear drop out faces, to keep the rear wheel from twisting. And of course we don't have to worry about snagging brush. But I suppose it is a bit less aero.
Reminds me of the fellow who crashed because he was trying to reposition the little ring on the nut end of a Campy Record skewer because "it was sticking out and creating drag". Not a thing to do while in motion.
Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ.
>From: wheelman@nac.net
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: [CR]Funny but serious question about skewers
>Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 12:03:13 -0400 (EDT)
>
>This bugs me, I don't know why but it does. I see several hundred classic
>bikes monthly. Either in person, photos, ebay and all. Now I am a MTB
>convert (Thanks Steve) and you would never think of placing your skewer
>handle position in any location other than pointing horizontally backwards
>at 9 to 10 O'clock. This is to avoid catching it on branches and the such
>during a ride. I like that look and it carries over to my road bikes. I
>look at other road bikes and everyone has their own style. Some care about
>the position and make them even. Others seem not to care at all and it
>looks it. Still others seem to have a pattern they follow such at 1
>O'clock for the front and 11 O'clock for the rear. Is there any convention
>for this that has been established. Looks pretty crummy to have a nice
>classic bike with skewers all over the place. And not I am not OCD.
>
>Ray Homiski
>Elizabeth, NJ
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