Thursday, May 8, 2014

OnGuard 3 Piece Locking Skewers Reviews

OnGuard 3 Piece Locking Skewers
Customer Ratings: 4 stars
List Price: $64.95
Sale Price: $49.99
Today's Bonus: 23% Off
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Great way to guard against component theftwhich is often overlooked. Without locking skewers, any thief with an allen key can walk off with your seatpost or wheels in a few minutes.

My only complaint is that they do not have the option of a headset lock. If you want to get that, my recommendation would be the "Pitlock" skewers (made in germany, more expensive).

Still, a great value and a major deterrent against theft.

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This is a very cleverly produced lock in which three pins in the key fit into downward tapered groves in the lock, and I am very pleased to have this lock on the wheels on my bike. The directions, however, caution the user to be very careful not to over tighten the lock and for good reason!! While a snug fit works well with the wheel skewers, a much tighter fit is needed with the seat so that it doesn't slide down. I kept tightening and trying the lock on the seat until it no longer fell down when riding. Unfortunately, this degree of tightness prevented it from being loosened for an additional adjustment. I had to grind the lock off to get it loose. So...., a good product, but not when used where a tight fit is needed. A better bet would be the two piece wheel set, also sold by OnGuard (OnGuard Wheel & Seat Locks 2 piece set Front & Rear Wheel QR Locks).

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Bought this product to protect a very expensive rear hub, and installed both wheel skewers, though not the seat one. Please note: I followed the installation instructions to the letter, paying special attention to the amount of torque because of the specificity of the instructions.

After a total of about 50 miles of city riding, I went up on my hoods to climb a hill and my rear wheel fell off! My left pedal jacked up my calf, and the chain and gears jacked up the paint on my chain stays, but luckily the hub seems undamaged.

Anyway...buyer beware. There seems to be a very fine line between getting enough torque to keep the wheel on the bike and getting so much that it shears the skewer off.

Honest reviews on OnGuard 3 Piece Locking Skewers

After experiencing thefts of several bicycles and stripping of bicycle parts on secured bicycles in Chicago, Boston and various suburban areas, I decided to upgrade my theft-prevention measures when I moved to the bicycle theft capital of North America NYC. Locking skewers were top on my list as I previously had a suspension fork stolen from a bicycle with the front wheel and frame secured. In other words, the front wheel quick release was disengaged to steal the fork after the headset was dissembled. Since I employed locking skewers, I have experienced no bicycle or bicycle part thefts, other than an unsecured light.

My first experience with locking skewers came in 2005 when the Kryptonite skewers were still available. They actually seemed a bit more secure than the Onguard variant but neither was ever defeated. After moving and purchasing a new bicycle in 2006, I installed the Onguard Skewers and have been very happy with their operation since. My only problem has been the rare occasion when I would drop off the bicycle at a repair shop and forget to give the repair technician the key. Most of my riding is in the city, so I have not needed to do repairs in the field. This is something to consider as one would need the key to adjust the seat or replace a flat tire.

These skewers have been used extensively in winter conditions where they were exposed to road salt and slush. There is virtually no corrosion after five years. Essentially, they have been absolutely problem free despite the harsh environmental exposure. And, of course, the wheels and seat are still on the bicycle.

Unforeseen benefits arise once the skewers are in place. One is that the front wheel alone can be secured to a rack/fence where bicycle parking space is limited. A bigger picture idea is that if the whole bike is stolen, the thief will bear the expense of cutting the skewers off and replacing them. The locking skewers reduce the return on the thief's investment.

Over the years, I have had several hard-to-believe thefts including the aforementioned suspension fork. Other interesting thefts include having expensive Campagnolo pedals and an aero seat post stripped from a road bike during a summer day in an affluent suburb. On another occasion, a mountain bike frame was collapsed due to a failed attack on a U-lock. The stories go on and on.

Basically, I would suggest to any bicycle owner that he should employ every bicycle theft prevention measure regardless of the expense. Criminals need incentives to make productive use of their time through extreme deterrents. Onguard locking skewers are one excellent and cost effective measure. Other suggestions are listed below.

Pros

Highly corrosion resistant

Aids in theft prevention

Prevents stripping of parts, including the fork

Reduces the value of the bicycle if it is stolen

Allows for securing only the wheel if space is tight

Cons

Requires key for repairs

*OTHER THEFT PREVENTION MEASURES

Fill the heads of hex head bolt with electrical solder (requires high-wattage soldering iron)

Camouflage the bike with black duct tape

Leave heavy [supplemental] chain at routine destinations work, health club

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for OnGuard 3 Piece Locking Skewers

these skewers are a good concept and work great on the front wheel. HOWEVER, if you have horizontal dropouts in your bike (seen in vintage imported road bikes) you probably WILL NOT be ABLE to get the rear skewer to work and your wheel will fall off. not only does this suck, b/c you'll be out your money, but also its a road hazard. OnGuard REALLY NEEDS to put some warning on the packaging about this issue. and yes, I installed them correctly (as did the 3 other mechanics who tried).

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