At 11:45 AM -0700 7/30/07, Chuck Schmidt wrote:
>Jan Heine wrote:
>
>>For each wheel change, the mechanics would have to loosen the
>>"Frankenstein" nuts, then adjust the QR, then tighten the nuts.
>>Wingnuts would have been much faster!
>
>
>Nope... the "Frankenstein" nuts on the skewers work just like the
>later D-rings nuts; no tools needed Jan.
Obviously, I am missing something: I thought the Frankenstein screws on the older Campagnolo quick release nuts were used to lock the QR nut on the skewer, so the QR adjustment was retained when you took out the wheel.
The later D-ring worked as a spring, which gripped the skewer and thus held the adjustment of the QR nut.
If the Frankenstein screws were not tight on the skewer, how did they keep the QR nut adjustment in place? And what prevented the Frankenstein bolts from falling out due to road vibrations? With modern materials, I could see a nyloc insert, but in the old days, I'd suspect at least a spring, as on the derailleur adjustment screws, to put some tension on the threads that prevent accidental turning due to vibrations. Otherwise, you'd need a locknut to keep a not-so-tight screw in position.
Of course, on an old bike, rust on the threads might keep the not-so-tight screws in place, but on a brand-new one, you need something else. The "Frankenstein" screws have hex flats, indicating that Campagnolo intended them to be tightened with a wrench. If they were just turned by hand to a not-so-tight position, he probably would have provided a knurled surface.
In any case, even with a D-nut, the quick release works best if the bikes' dropouts are of standard width, otherwise, the adjustment of the QR takes longer than closing a pair of wingnuts.
Anyhow, I am genuinely interested in how the Frankenstein screws work.
Jan Heine
Editor
Bicycle Quarterly
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Seattle WA 98122
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