Most everyone who rides a bike should be familiar with the quick release skewer as it’s used on most bikes. It is great if you have to change a flat on the road as it limits the number of tools you have to carry. It is also great if you need to remove a front tire to throw it in your car. It is definitely one of bikes greatest inventions.
Who invented the quick release skewer?
Gentullio Campagnolo invented the quick release skewer in 1927. At the time a race bike had only two gears, one on each side of the wheel. When a rider came to a great climb, they would get off the bike and have to remove the tire to flip it to the other side for the climbing gear. Tullio invented the quick release to greatly speed up this process. So instead of slowly removing the wingnuts, he could quickly remove and flip the tire. A brilliant invention and one that has lasted for almost 100 years now.
Tullio is also the founder of Campagnolo component company as you might have guessed.
