This security pack contains stainless steel locking skewers, a seatpost lock and top cap lock designed to prevent the light fingered from whipping your wheels, seat post and increasingly, valuable forks and stem. The system works on a similar principle as household door locks with a unique combination, operable only with the supplied key which doubles as a useful bottle opener.
Once you've read the instructions fitting is fairly easy – don't forget to go online to register the key (essential should you need a replacement. Skewers accommodate frame ends from 120-135mm wide, but it pays to give them a couple of trial runs, ensuring roadside wheel removals are a smooth process.
Remove the original Q/R, put a slither of grease on the pinhead skewer and insert so the logo is visible on the bike’s right side. Slip the washer and threaded nut in place and set finger tight. Pinhead suggests between .5 and 1.5 complete turns with the key-but avoid over-tightening. Check purchase by lifting the wheel(s) and giving them a firm tug. Fitting and adjusting the Ahead stem cap and seat post bolts requires more concentration but the process is identical.
Removal is surprisingly hassle free and certainly no more involved than other skewers. Unlike Hex bolt designs, it is hard to see how a casual thief would gain leverage on the domed surface and a hardened pro would probably to look for easier pickings. However locking skewers no substitute for anchoring your steed to immobile street furniture with a hefty lock.
The whole kit shouldn't add any extra weight either, quoted weights for the constituent
parts are:
Seat lock - 34g
rear skewer - 37g
front skewer - 31g
top cap - 17g
key - 34g
Pinhead also claim that the skewers are amongst the most aerodynamic available...
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Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)