# Carbon Ti titanium skewers,yay or nay ?



## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

Yes,it’s that time of the year again (birthday incoming) and wife told me “ ok what bike-ish present you need this year ? “ . So,I do like the idea of finally having those skewers but the more I’m aging the more i’m becoming OCD about safety,that’s why I trust my brick like heavy Fulcrums QRs. Still,those Carbon Ti are sweet,been drooling at them for a while. Front one will go trough open/close quite often for bike loading.


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## jeflemaire (Apr 4, 2018)

I've been using them for a few months and I don't have anything bad to say about them. They're so small they're a bit fiddly compared to sturdy skewers like Shimanos but that's expected. The rear one developed an annoying creak that was easily cured with grease. And the clamping force seems adequate enough. Now, are they worth the price? Probably not, but you can say this about many bike- related things 

Sent from my LIFETAB_P970X using Tapatalk


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

They have an external cam...bad. The skewer is Ti...bad. The lever is tiny...bad. Ever wonder why wheel companies like Zipp, Enve, and Bontrager don't supply super light skewers w/ their wheels? Waste your wife's money on something that won't possibly kill you if it fails.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

Spend your wife's money on a date night out at a restaurant. You'll get more joy that way and less frustration.


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## Devastazione (Dec 8, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> They have an external cam...bad. The skewer is Ti...bad. The lever is tiny...bad. Ever wonder why wheel companies like Zipp, Enve, and Bontrager don't supply super light skewers w/ their wheels? Waste your wife's money on something that won't possibly kill you if it fails.



M'kay,looks like she's gonna be massive facepalm over that Assos jersey price then..


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

How many grams do you think you will save with these skewers? Do you really think they will make you go any faster?

I agree with Kiwi. Peace at home is priceless.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

cxwrench said:


> They have an external cam...bad. The skewer is Ti...bad. The lever is tiny...bad. Ever wonder why wheel companies like Zipp, Enve, and Bontrager don't supply super light skewers w/ their wheels? Waste your wife's money on something that won't possibly kill you if it fails.


Uh, yeah. That would be three strikes, and out!


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## coresare (Aug 20, 2013)

Those are fine.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

coresare said:


> Those are fine.


So we provide multiple reasons why they're not worth the money and this is your response? No personal experience?


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## coresare (Aug 20, 2013)

I haven't had personal experience with those, but I know a shop owner who uses those with no issues. For me personally I'm using Tune DC skewers. Internal cam would obviously keep the mechanism cleaner, but my Zipps and Corima wheels both came with external cam and those seem fine too.

The levers on those skewers are not small either. I have opened and closed them. They provide enough leverage. More than many other weightweenie models.

The Corima wheels shipped with titanium skewers.. don't think there is a problem using this material. Enve and Zipp make titanium skewers also..


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

People have used tubular tape and survived...definitely doesn't mean I'm gonna take my chances w/ it.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

People do lots of foolish things and usually they survive, but occasionally they don't.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

I'll second, or fifth, or whatever that skewers are a bad place to go stupid light. Titanium is brittle (there's a reason titanium spokes aren't popular, if they even make them anymore), external cams are inferior to internal cams (unfortunately the former is cheaper to manufacture and proliferates), tiny levers are hard to crank down tight. And all for what? maybe 25 grams?

I've got two bikes with horizontal drop outs and the rear wheel really has to get cranked on. I have old style Campy skewers on those bikes. Original perfection. 

Get some fancy bottle cages.


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## flatlander_48 (Nov 16, 2005)

Note that the SR-71 is 85% titanium and that design gos back to the early 60’s...


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

pmf said:


> Titanium is brittle


This is false. Ti has a high modulus of elasticity which is part of the reason it’s a great frame material.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

pmf said:


> I'll second, or fifth, or whatever that skewers are a bad place to go stupid light. Titanium is brittle (there's a reason titanium spokes aren't popular, if they even make them anymore), external cams are inferior to internal cams (unfortunately the former is cheaper to manufacture and proliferates), tiny levers are hard to crank down tight. And all for what? maybe 25 grams?
> 
> I've got two bikes with horizontal drop outs and the rear wheel really has to get cranked on. I have old style Campy skewers on those bikes. Original perfection.
> 
> Get some fancy bottle cages.


Ti is NOT brittle and that's definitely not the reason Ti spokes aren't popular...quite the opposite.


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

flatlander_48 said:


> Note that the SR-71 is 85% titanium and that design gos back to the early 60’s...


 A large amount of titanium was rejected due to contamination while building these aircraft. Material handling was also paramount in keeping materials clean and contamination free. Really doubt they put any thought into this when churning out skewers. 
Having used Zipp titanium and Williams Carbon skewers, I came full circle and use Shimano Ultegra skewers and I will take the weight penalty. Seen some unfavorable results using titanium fasteners building 777’s, weight being extremely important in that applicationand Titanium fit the bill. Securing my wheels on my bike, I will pass.


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## FeltF75rider (Feb 10, 2012)

ogre said:


> This is false. Ti has a high modulus of elasticity which is part of the reason it’s a great frame material.


Very true! It actually streatches and shears. 3T had problems with titanium fasteners as I’m sure others have as well snapping the cap head right off.


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## Notvintage (May 19, 2013)

pmf said:


> I'll second, or fifth, or whatever that skewers are a bad place to go stupid light. Titanium is brittle (there's a reason titanium spokes aren't popular, if they even make them anymore), external cams are inferior to internal cams (unfortunately the former is cheaper to manufacture and proliferates),


Nobody maufacturers “titanium” skewers anyway. It’s alloyed. I generally agree that internal cam is best and it is in almost all cases. I have several pairs of Tune U21 skewers that would make u eat crow. However, they are sickeningly expensive. Lol. Definitely not the smart place to lose weight.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> They have an external cam...bad. The skewer is Ti...bad. The lever is tiny...bad. Ever wonder why wheel companies like Zipp, Enve, and Bontrager don't supply super light skewers w/ their wheels? Waste your wife's money on something that won't possibly kill you if it fails.


Zipp used to have those flimsy small external cam skewers.
Enve used to have those flimsy Ti skewers that some people must have.
Have these 2 companies switch over to Shimano-like skewers now??


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

aclinjury said:


> Zipp used to have those flimsy small external cam skewers.
> Enve used to have those flimsy Ti skewers that some people must have.
> Have these 2 companies switch over to Shimano-like skewers now??


They're not as 'flimsy' at the ones the OP was talking about but I don't like either of the Zipp or the Enve skewers either. Shimano, Campy, Bontrager. Or never lay your bike down on the cam. Similar problem happens to the DT slow release...you crash or lay the bike down on the end of the skewer it gets damaged and you can't rotate the lever. I guess you can make external cam skewers really light and that's why so many are still made. Personally I'd sacrifice the tiny weight increase to have something less easily damaged and more durable long term.


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## djlk (Apr 7, 2019)

So I just purchased these to lighten my ride a little. I weigh 82kg and can put down 1100W or so in a sprint. 

With this in mind, I can’t recommend the skewers. They don’t have enough clamping strength to keep my wheels (Enve 5.6 SES) from flexing into my break pads when I climb. With campy or Shimano steel skewers I don’t have this problem. 

I think that if you’re under 73kg or so and don’t put down quite as many watts you should be fine. 

So, if anyone is interested in a pair (red), let me know.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

djlk said:


> So I just purchased these to lighten my ride a little. I weigh 82kg and can put down 1100W or so in a sprint.
> 
> With this in mind, I can’t recommend the skewers. They don’t have enough clamping strength to keep my wheels (Enve 5.6 SES) from flexing into my break pads when I climb. With campy or Shimano steel skewers I don’t have this problem.
> 
> ...


How many $$ did these set you back? How much weight did you save?


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

djlk said:


> So I just purchased these to lighten my ride a little. I weigh 82kg and can put down 1100W or so in a sprint.
> 
> With this in mind, I can’t recommend the skewers. *They don’t have enough clamping strength to keep my wheels (Enve 5.6 SES) from flexing into my break pads when I climb.* With campy or Shimano steel skewers I don’t have this problem.
> 
> ...


Your skewers have absolutely nothing to do w/ your rims rubbing your BRAKE pads. Nothing. Nada. Zero. It doesn't matter what you clamp your wheels into your frame with, the rim and spokes play the big role in wheel flex, hub geometry a less but still important role.
You'll never feel the weight you saved while riding. It's in the very center of the wheel and isn't rotating. Pretty much a waste of money.


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## mackgoo (Mar 2, 2004)

Lombard said:


> People do lots of foolish things and usually they survive, but occasionally they don't.


You're correct. People ride bikes every day and survive. Sadly occasionally some get hit by cars.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

cxwrench said:


> Your skewers have absolutely nothing to do w/ your rims rubbing your BRAKE pads. Nothing. Nada. Zero. It doesn't matter what you clamp your wheels into your frame with, the rim and spokes play the big role in wheel flex, hub geometry a less but still important role.
> You'll never feel the weight you saved while riding. It's in the very center of the wheel and isn't rotating. Pretty much a waste of money.


I was thinking the same. If his Ti skewers are moving so bad to the point of allowing the wheels to deflect like that, he'd see more issues like rattling at the fork dropouts and worse like the skewer nut chewing out his fork dropouts, definitely will notice many things aside from just brake pad rubbing


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

djlk said:


> They don’t have enough clamping strength to keep my wheels (Enve 5.6 SES) from flexing into my break pads when I climb. With campy or Shimano steel skewers I don’t have this problem.


The implied physical mechanism for your claim is that the hub axle is actually moving up and down in the dropout. Highly unlikely. If this were the case you would see significant wear marks on the dropout faces. I'll bet you don't.


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## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

mackgoo said:


> You're correct. People ride bikes every day and survive. Sadly occasionally some get hit by cars.


This is a stupid analogy and not worth responding to.


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## mackgoo (Mar 2, 2004)

mackgoo said:


> You're correct. People ride bikes every day and survive. Sadly occasionally some get hit by cars.


Just pointing out perspective. Many would say riding a bike on the road foolish. We all like to apply our own standards to these "foolish" exercises in rightousness.


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