Bearhawker

My new bike is the only one I've ever had with TA.

The TAs have handles that pull out from inside the TAs so they look clean with no protruding handles while not requiring any tools to remove/install.

Can't say I have a preference as these are the only ones I've ever had and haven't even used them yet. lol

One weird thing is that my forks have a "blind hole" on the drive side - from the drive side there is no visible axle component.

Koyote

You seem to have missed the entire point of the thread, which is contained in its title: "Lever vs allen bolt thru axles."

urbanknight

Sounds like the TA still provided the bigger weight savings.

Iride01 

I thought I'd miss the old quick release skewer's we had before thru-axles. My last new bike came with just a plain thru-axle that you have to use a allen key. Prior to purchasing it I thought for certain I wanted to get one of the thru-axles with the lever. However 3 years later I just simply have not ever been inconvenienced by not having QR's or a thru-axle with a lever. It's too quick and easy to to get the hex key from my bike bag under the seat or out of the tool box drawer when in the shop(garage).

And aesthetically the looks are more pleasing without the lever.

Eric F 

I want to find a different solution for the lever TAs on my gravel bike. On the opposite end of the lever, there is a knob for adjusting the clamping tension. It works great, and I like having the lever for efficient removal and reinstallation. However, the internal mechanical parts rattle, and it's annoying.

On this bike, I would prefer to stick with a lever on the front. Maybe at both ends. Recommendations?

Koyote

These are dead simple, and very fast. Just choose your size(s). https://www.dtswiss.com/en/component...-rws/rws/15-mm

t2p

Originally Posted by Eric F
Recommendations?

DT RWS thru axle ?

more an option than recommendation - because I have not used the RWS axle for thru axles ... (I have used the DT RWS skewers however)

Camilo

You're probably correct about user error - as I wrote, both weak QRs (possibly external vs. internal cam) and users applying insufficient force on the QR. However, I have a very experienced friend who rides an older QR/disc fat tire bike, and he had issues with his wheel loosening up. So I think it's also a design issue to a certain extent. I do feel that from what I've read about the physics of the force wanting to eject the QR axle under disc braking, the slanted design that is on our bikes is better engineering, without any difference in materials or cost. I'm a fan of thru axles for discs though and bought the QR bikes I described simply because that's what was offered at the lowest price point of the source I wanted to use by at least a couple hundred dollars. They work fine.

xroadcharlie

I bought my first new bike since 1987 5 years ago. My first one with QR axles and seat post. My first thought was that makes too easy to steal the wheels (especially the front) and the seat. Since I don't take off my seat or adjust it often the dealer installed a bolt clamp.

Once I understood how to tighten these QR axles I'm quite content with them. And I do lock the bike and front wheel sometimes. But i do wonder how strong they are. 5 mm isn't much steel .

Eric F 

QR skewers are strong enough to have been ridden and raced on for decades, under loads and conditions that most riders never experience. As long as they are used properly, there is not reason to expect an issue.

Camilo

QR skewers don't support the weight of the bike/rider. Axles do that. The QR just holds the tight to the dropouts. Very little stress.

urbanknight

That's pretty much how I feel. It just wasn't enough of an issue to go out and buy new ones.

And that's the one thins making me consider replacing the lever ones instead, although I can't tell exactly what size I need (I know I have 12x100 and 12x142, but they seem to vary in overall length and thread length). I could probably just measure mine, but that would require, you know, effort.

njkayaker

Just to be clear, the QR skewers (not axels) aren't supporting your weight or the stress of bumps (etc). They just need to be strong enough to keep the wheel in the dropouts.

xroadcharlie

I thought the QR skewers where under a lot of stress. I never paid much attention to them, But just Googled them for a more detailed look. I understand more about them now and feel more comfortable with them. Thanks.

Also most the stress on the axle is on the outside, So with a sufficient wall thickness little strength is lost if we bore a small hole in the center for the skewer.

mschwett 

there are brains, and then there are ... brains.

biker128pedal

I have to admit I have two for my Domane. I screwed up the threads on the the rear thru-axle the first week. The axle still worked but I could feel the messed up threads. I panicked and bought a new thru-axle from Trek which came with a handle/lever.

I just noticed I don't see the icon to insert emojis in the computer browser like on the phone browser.

t2p

The RAP (Robert Axle Project) site has an easy to follow process to determine a particular bike’s thru axle - length, thread / pitch etc

of course - always a good idea to pull the axle and determine if the specs are printed on the axle

(gotta be diligent - some bikes use different thread / pitch on front and rear ... i.e. 1.5 thread on front, 1.0 thread on rear)

Troul 

Clean looks good imo. I would like to have a TA, seat post hardware, stem cap bolt, & stem bracket bolts to use the same size allen key.
that's asking too much.

PeteHski

They are different sized threads and therefore different fastening torque. A 4 mm Allen key for a TA is too small and would risk rounding off at the correct torque.

Troul 

I get the availability of why, but it would require an engineer to hybrid hardware thread designs to match a single head key size.
it wouldn't "round" out if the depth was far enough for the key to go into the head for the aforementioned hardware. Also, the torque values are not thar extreme in the grand scheme of things.

drlogik 

I have LAD's ("Leverage Application Devices") on my Surly Disc Trucker. I like them because I can do an easy quick-check on tightness before each ride.



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mattcalifornia

Put me in the "doesn't matter" category.

unterhausen

All the TA bikes I have with QR-style cams are really awkward to actuate. There is always some trick required to unthread them. I fail to fully understand why making it more difficult makes it safer, I think the opposite is true. It seems like on production bike TA's with a hex head are winning. I always carry a multi-tool in the same bag as the tube, so it's no big deal. And with tubeless, flats are a lot less frequent.

PeteHski

Being a mechanical engineer myself I wouldn’t be up for designing a TA torqued up by a 4 mm Allen key, just to match the stem and seatpost fasteners. There’s a reason why they are 6 or 8 mm hex. How often do you remove your wheels and bars at the same time anyway?

Troul 

it's for the simp tool stowed in the tool bag or to an event.
make it all 6mm then, it doesn't matter as long as they're accepting the same key head.