Benefits of thru axles?

thebatfink

I'm in the market for shocks and see either 9QR or 15mm thru. What are the benefits? I can get a conversion kit for my american classics so I guess I could go either way (right now they are 9mm QR).

Will it fix the my annoying problem with the caliper being out from the rotor ever so slightly everytime I take the wheel on and off?!?

Thanks!

photonic69

If your disk rubs every time you take off and replace wheel it probably means that the axle is slightly bent. This happened to mine. Scribe some marks on one of the flats of the bearing cone so that this lines up with the drop outs so every time you put wheel in it will be in same position. Set calipers at this position and it should solve that issue. Well it worked for me but as they say YMMV.

The Rookie

I presume you mean you want forks?

In itself it can't be guaranteed to fix your disc issue, especially until you know the root cause, though it's probably less likely to happen with a 15mm through axle.

rockmonkeysc

The main reason for a bolt through axle is to add stiffness which will improve tracking making it easier to hold a line on rougher trails.
Personally I wouldn't ever go back to a QR fork.

supersonic

But given that a 15mm fork, such as a Fox, is only 15% torsionally stiffer than QR, and the whole set up about the same amount heavier...If you want the most from it, go 20mm.

thebatfink

Well I was kind of hoping it wouldn't make all that much different. Converting the hubs just adds additional cost and not sure if they do a 20mm conversion. I was lucky to get the wheels at a good price from a friend at work who donated his old racing wheels when he moved to a 29er, I don't fancy shelling out for new hubs just yet - plus I've just cleaned them up, added new decals to the rims and changed all the bearings for new SKF's

But regarding the rotor position. I find if I change the tightness of the QR even only very slightly, it adjusts the rotor position. Is that typical or am I being to conservative when doing up the QR and not making it tight enough?

Thanks

Chunkers1980

I'd double check the cones.

cooldad

The rotors are bolted to the hub, so the QR can't effect them.
What will be happening is the frame is flexing slightly and taking the calliper with it.

Always adjust the brakes with the QR done up.

stubs

I have some 29er SIDs with 15mm Maxle light and they are pretty bendy but I do like the 15mm because it easy to use almost as fast as QR to undo and they protect the forks if the bike is rattling around in the back of the car with the wheel out. I would hate to ride a lightweight 29er with QR I reckon it would be like having forks made of wet spaghetti.

CitizenLee

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The main reason for a bolt through axle is to add stiffness which will improve tracking making it easier to hold a line on rougher trails.
Personally I wouldn't ever go back to a QR fork.

Totally agree. It definitely makes a difference, and I'd never go back to QR... front or rear.