jackb

Sitting around breezing through the forums, I occasionally come up with a question or two that I have not found an answer to. Today, reading about cracked wheels in the Road Cycling thread, I thought about my new Domane that came with through axles. What is the reason for through axles as opposed to quick release? In addition, can alloy wheels crack or is that something that happens to carbon wheels only? Thanks.

Elvo

Stiffer and safer

rumrunn6

I usually enjoy this guy's vids

5teve

They sure work better at keeping disc brake rotors positioned properly within the calipers!

fietsbob

As an Industry, Bike Biz is subject to trends , and TA is the latest trend.. *

cures people not getting the QR closed properly, and disc alignment to the caliper

is harder to get wrong..


* the prior stuff will be supported , because there are millions of bikes to repair...

This forum does focus their gaze on the higher end bikes,

those at more modest price points remain as before.






...

dabac

Metieval

of all the reason, my person reason for loving them is stiffness.

yes, alloy wheels will crack at the spoke holes.

fietsbob

It's amazing how much longer rims last, if your first specification,
Is not how light it is..
and choosing for least weight..

Igotdibs

+1

u235

I must be doing something wrong or maybe right, I never have disc alignment issues with my QR. I do what I need to do with the wheels on the stand, flipped over, on its side whatever, put the bike back on it's wheels, maybe put a little weight like my hand on the seat or bars, open the QR close it again and done. Give the wheel a spin to verify and go. If anything it is good deliberate check of the QR tightness. I do the same regardless of disc or rim brakes on the bike. It took me longer to type or someone to read this than for me to do that step. I have a thru axle bike too, I still double check it. Given a true choice I'd do thru axle instead just because eventually it will be the default. Is my experience not typical?

BlazingPedals

I've seen examples of axles which were supposedly tightened properly and yet still came out of the dropouts during hard braking with discs. I don't know how much of a problem it is in real life; I have bike with open dropouts and one with closed, although neither is the new-standard through axle. Never had one of them eject; although I *have* pulled a rear wheel out the dropouts before.

TiHabanero

Have already seen a frame get ruined from improperly installed Thruaxle. Not sure how it was done, but the threads in the frame were trashed. Personally I like them, but don't use 'em. I believe the Thruaxle is an old idea given new life.

Retro Grouch 

Here's what I know for sure:

Between 15 and 20 years ago, a friend brought me his disc brake mountain bike because it liked to eject it's front wheel when he used the brake. After fooling around with it for awhile I replaced the quick release lever with a Shimano QR that had an internal cam. That seemed to solve the problem because the friend never brought it back to me. It looks to me like the front disc brake puts more strain than I would have suspected on the dropout as the wheel tries to rotate around the disc ramp clamping point. That much I know for sure. Ejecting a front wheel can cause some pretty serious injuries. Assuming they had claims, I'm ASSUMING manufacturers converted to through axels to stop that problem.

So now how do you sell it? Roadmasters and Huffy's have through axels so that makes it look like a step backward. Nobody wants to say their last year's bikes were dangerous. "Stiffer" is a term we cyclists always respond to. All manufacturers have to say is that it's stiffer and we'll buy it.

Now think back to the days of 1 inch steer tubes. Skinny head tubes were a manufacturing problem because they required a tricky miter with the big, fat aluminum down tubes that were popular at the time. The simple solution was a fatter head tube and a fatter steer tube. Simpler miter, and cheaper to build. They told us that was stiffer too.

TakingMyTime

Truer words were never spoken!

Kovkov

Because nobody needs to flip wheels in a snowstorm for gear change anymore

52telecaster

The problem of wheels ejecting can be solved by using a rim brake, which makes it so the fork can be more supple. Couple that with a hex skewer and you have a lighter more comfortable, not to mention cheaper bike. Progress is great.

Cyclist0108

I had to re-seat my wheel in the fork as it moved slightly when I had inferior quick-release levers. I got Dura Ace internal cam ones on advice from some folks here, and it has been fine ever since.

For peace of mind, I might prefer a thru-axle on the front, but this is good enough.

The main downside of thru-axle is it is not compatible with my car roof rack.

Cyclist0108

Using similar logic, if you drove everywhere in your car, you wouldn't have to worry about your rim brakes on your bike failing in the rain or destroying your wheels when you get a bit of grit on the pads.

Metieval

cheap isn't better!

cheap might be affordable, but not better.

rgconner

Seriously, there are these things called HeliCoils that will fix that. Drill out the old threads, retap for the Helicoil, insert the Helicoil... and done! Even easier with carbon frames. Drill out the metal, glue in a new threaded insert.
They fix aluminum threads on Aircraft with these, so plenty reliable for mere cycling.

There is no real reason to use them outside of Disc Brakes, as what they really do is capture the wheel in the exact same position every time, and adding stiffness to the frame because of the directly applied torque of disc brakes at the end of "levers" of the fork and chainstays, rather than up at the sturdy parts of the fork crown and downtube area of the chainstays.

52telecaster

not following your logic. Never had trouble stopping in the rain. Snow is another story. For that disc brakes are superior. I try to avoid snow on my inferior bike.

Cyclist0108

Exactly my point: it was the same as your "logic". It is a non-sequitur.

fietsbob

My 1968 BMW motorcycle had through axles, of steel.. and Drum Brakes..

79pmooney

+1 Funny, I've been using a rope with a loop for the seat instead of a stand for decades. Yes, sometimes a rigid stand would be better. (For major force, I lean the bike against a sturdy wood work table.) What I love about my simple stand is taking the bike down to open and close the QR and get the wheel seated properly takes seconds. I love the quick on and off of my "stand" and that doing it too fast or carelessly will never damage tubes, seatposts, paint or decals. (I do have to make sure the bike has no paint to metal contact when it swings and brushes things. All thee edges of my metal bike tool table are protected with 1/2 dowels.)

Ben

52telecaster

You're very generous with your analysis. I am forever indebted.