Disc Road Bikes and Thru Axles

[AlanW]

Cutting a long story short, but my new Kinesis GF Ti disc frame I collected last weekend has to be returned because "someone" forgot to fully weld one of the bottle bosses!

The current GF Ti disc frame is made to take q/r wheels front and rear and when I was thinking about buying this frame I contacted Kinesis direct and asked if there were any plans to go down the tru axle route as this tends to me the norm for disc framed bikes now (if there is such a thing??)

I was told that they had tried the frame with tru axle wheels and it didn't ride as nice as it did with q/r wheels. Therefore there were no plans to introduce tru axle wheels to this frame.

Going back to my frame and the missing weld, I have now been offered three options:

1) Return the frame and have the bottle boss welded and the frame repolished, turn around time three weeks.

2) There are no more in stock in the UK of the size I need, the next batch is not due until the end of June and I can wait and have another frame.

3) At the same time at the end of June they will be introducing thru axle forks, but NOT the frame, that will remain q/r.

So logic would suggest that I should wait till June and have a complete new frame c/w the latest thru axle forks. But what annouys me is that I asked the question prior to purchasing the frame and told there were no plans to go down the tru axle route. Yet just weeks later, hey presto.....thru axle forks?

So I wonder how long it will be before they do the frame with tru axle wheel location instead of q/r?

In truth I'm in no rush for the frame, so part of me thinks, maybe have a full refund and wait another twelve months, but that seems a bit extreme really as no time will ever be the right time.

But having a thru axle front and q/r just seems like a quick fix not a long term one, or maybe I'm looking to deep at it and I should just shut up, just buy the dam thing, ride it and no dounbt really enjoy it!!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I would cancel the sale. Any company who thinks a TA fork/bike does not ride as nice as one with QRs, must under no circumstances get the business. They don't know what they are talking about and hence, doing.

TA is much nicer. Not riding, but owning. There is no difference in feel. A TA wheel engages quickly and safely each time and is almost as good as QRs used to be before laywer's lips were introduced.

 

[S-Express]

As above - I have disc bikes with both QR and TA and cannot tell the difference in 'feel'. The only downside is the massive faff with having wheels of different standards and not being able to interchange.

 

[StuAff]

Tripster ATR v2. Kinesis. Titanium. Through axles front and back. Why they stuck with QR on the GF, pass....

 

[AlanW]

Tripster ATR v2. Kinesis. Titanium. Through axles front and back. Why they stuck with QR on the GF, pass....

This is the bit that confuses me, why haven't they carried this across to the GF Ti disc frame?? I know exactly what will happen, I will buy the frame with the q/r rear drop outs and next month they will launch the tru axle frame version.

 

[simon.r]

One thing I don't like with thru axles is that you can't orientate the lever as you want it like you can with QR's.

First world problems, eh?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

This is the bit that confuses me, why haven't they carried this across to the GF Ti disc frame?? I know exactly what will happen, I will buy the frame with the q/r rear drop outs and next month they will launch the tru axle frame version.

You are so right. That frame does not have your name on it. Un-want it.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

One thing I don't like with thru axles is that you can't orientate the lever as you want it like you can with QR's.

First world problems, eh?

My only experience with TAs is with suspension forks and Fox sorted that problem out. Is there no bias-adjuster on road bike TAs?

 

[simon.r]

My only experience with TAs is with suspension forks and Fox sorted that problem out. Is there no bias-adjuster on road bike TAs?

Not heard of that. Can you tell from this photo?

 

[simon.r]

 

[Yellow Saddle]

View attachment 348799



Not heard of that. Can you tell from this photo?

I made up the word "bias adjuster" on the fly. What I meant by that is that on the threaded end of the fork, you can turn the entire threaded insert so that you can choose where the axle's lever points when it is tight.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

View attachment 348799



Not heard of that. Can you tell from this photo?

What does the other end of that axle and the left drop-out look like?

 

[simon.r]

I made up the word "bias adjuster" on the fly. What I meant by that is that on the threaded end of the fork, you can turn the entire threaded insert so that you can choose where the axle's lever points when it is tight.

I see what you mean. I'm fairly certain the insert can't be turned, but I'll have a play in the near future. Thanks.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Here's what the threaded end in a Fox fork looks like.

By turning the toothed threaded insert to a preferred position, the axle lever on the other end settles into your favourite position each time you tighten it. If you are OCD, it saves your life each time you fit the wheel.

 

[simon.r]

What does the other end of that axle and the left drop-out look like?