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-Yes
-Yes
-Increased rigidity of frame and forks
Essentially the thru axle replaces the quick release skewer. As with normal QR hubs the axle is hollow but hole through it is a much larger diameter. The thru axle is threaded at one end and is pushed through a hole in one dropout, through the hub and then screws in to the opposite dropout. Imagine it as a long bolt and you're not far off.
-Yes
-Increased rigidity of frame and forks
Essentially the thru axle replaces the quick release skewer. As with normal QR hubs the axle is hollow but hole through it is a much larger diameter. The thru axle is threaded at one end and is pushed through a hole in one dropout, through the hub and then screws in to the opposite dropout. Imagine it as a long bolt and you're not far off.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Most seem to be lever type.
Adam4868
Guru
My bad,was referring to mine which haven't ! Never thought of lever type.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Beaware there are various different thru axle standards. Be sure to get compatible forks and hubs when you order.
Pumpkin the robot
Guru
The road bike standard seems to have settled on 12mm through axles.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Main benefit is the wheel (and therefore the disc) goes in the exact same place every time so no disc rub
rugby bloke
Veteran
- Location
- Northamptonshire
Some useful information here. I can see that I am going to have to bring my bike in from the cold so I can accustom myself to removing and reattaching the wheel now that I have thru axles rather than QR.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Pedropete
Guru
- Location
- West Sussex, UK
It has, but there's a reasonable amount of variance in overall axle length and amount of threaded/unthreaded shaft, even between bikes supposedly using the same standard; Shimano's eThru for example. This can cause compatibility issues so check carefully when assessing whether a wheel/fork/frame/axle combo will work and ideally get a ruler/calipers on a physical sample.
Also, thru axles do not mean the wheel will centre and locate perfectly every time, especially in forks where the dropouts vary in how positively they capture and locate the axle ends. You still need to check the wheel by eye - you'll soon know if it's p!$$ed as the disc will rub.
As for the cam-lock type, I find setting the correct tension and aligning the lever where it won't get flipped open if snagged can be a right PITA. I much prefer the twist-lock type, either with the clockable lever or hex-fastening. These are far easier to use with a contrary fork as well, as per the above dropout consideration. The clockable twist-lever type also makes it easy to see if the axle is backing out if you align it with a stay/fork leg.
Wifeys bike, a 2018 Marin, came with Naild thru axle's, where the non QR end connects with a T bolt, and rotating the QR thru 90 locks the axle before tensioning with the QR itself.
Unfortunately the bike shop didn't tell me about this, and I got in an awful mess (resulting in the T bolt becoming undone ....) the first time I removed the wheels.
Once you've got the hang of it the system makes perfect sense, and is quick and easy to use. So, if you're out on the road and offer assistance to some poor soul, have a quick check before diving in and unscrewing the thru axle ;-)
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
OK, please enlighten me - old type nuts, QR as I know it, and - through axles? Me no savvy.
