[Closed] Thru axles on CX bikes - worth it?

No experience but they are sold as being stiffer.
Does that matter in this case? Hmmm
My disc brakes 700c wheels bikes with drop bars are all QR and staying that way.
When there is one standard I'll swap. Until then I see no need.

Must admit to being adverse to pulling an axle out as is one more thing to keep clean or leave behind.
What I would like to see is a bigger but lighter form of QR, maybe with shaped ends that sit firmly into the dropouts but have a version of the normal Qr to lock them in place.+

No need at all imo.

qr's on my cx stylee drop bar hybrid but definitely will go thru axle to replace - had a couple of occasions when heard the "ting ting" of pad hitting rotor and found the wheel had moved - presumably under braking forces and I'm not an aggressive rider or a heavyweight - I do up the qr's much tighter now than I've ever done before on any bike and have just bought some DT swiss ratchet qr's - was planning to sell frame before everyone goes thru axle but managed to dent a chain stay so will be keeping it 🙁

I'm just about to take the plunge on my tourer. QRs and disks are a compromise. Granted, I carry more weight and break harder on tarmac than a cx bike, but I'm bored of my wheel moving in the dropout. I use sensible, functional shimano QRs, but still no good.
I can't see any reason why not to.

It would'nt be a deal breaker for me (looks at new Canyon cx with full ultegra discs for £1.3k)

I've not had a problem with my Arkrose and it's QR. Never had a problem with my Mk1 Soul and it's QR either!

I get that it may be stiffer, but as said above, it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. If you buy something with a QR now and standards do settle down, a replacement fork a few years down the line shouldn't be that expensive.

Until they change the headset standard again. (See Mk1 Soul, above.... 🙄 👿 )

9mm through on the front and 10mm thru on the back with a standard frame.
The DT RWS do up a fair bit tighter than normal XT QRs.

How on earth do you move a hub in the dropouts?
Never.
Must admit have never used external cam QRs which look like a hiding to nothing.

It'll happen. When the CX market matures and growth slows, the bike companies will introduce it more widely to inject done growth in the market, just like they did with 27.5 wheels. No one wanted them or was asking for them, but we got them anyway to drive growth in a slow market.

I still use QRs on almost all of my bikes without any real issues but I'd go with through axle on the front through choice in future. Since I don't race, the marginally slower wheel removal is not an issue and the belt/braces aspect of through axles is a positive for me. I'm not really bothered about the stiffness aspect - I know it's there but the difference is marginal IME.

To the OP, I wouldn't worry too much about it - QRs will be around for some time yet. If you're going to spend any significant money on wheels though, I'd get ones that can convert to QR/through axle/etc like Hope, etc.

They'll wait a bit & then create a new CX standard, something like 12.5mm axles with 103mm front and 141mm rear spacing.

fourbanger - Member
I'm just about to take the plunge on my tourer. QRs and disks are a compromise. Granted, I carry more weight and break harder on tarmac than a cx bike, but I'm bored of my wheel moving in the dropout. I use sensible, functional shimano QRs, but still no good.

Something else is up, I've never had this, having toured and otherwise on many disc braked bikes.

Something else is up, I've never had this, having toured and otherwise on many disc braked bikes.

Noooooope. Just compromised design as the bike evolves.

To be fair, the drop out does seem very hard. Anyway, it makes a marginally narrower hub and the ales will offer some crush protection, both advantageous on a bike with couplers.

Noooooope. Just compromised design as the bike evolves.

it's not a given that they will implement thru axles, because racers can do a quicker wheel change with a QR compared to removing an then rethreading the axle

the TdF mechanics were consulted on thru axles and this was the reason they gave for preferring QR as it wasn't a 3rd thing to hold when doing a fast wheel change - and racers at the business end of a CX race have spare wheels so the same applies

It's a very good point about having adaptable hubs. I realise I have a pair so I'll use these

I swopped the qr's that came on my CDF30 for the DT RWS ones in same diameter - understandably doesn't feel any different but nice to know it's more secure

thru axles on [s]cx bikes[/s] any rigid frame or fork- worth it?

Nope. Mostly pointless. In fact, I'd say apart from a 20mm up front on longer travel forks (>120mm) and a 12mm rear on DH bikes they're generally a bit pointless.

However, they are an inevitability so you may as well get them.

Just a point but CX racers (at least any remotely serious ones) don't change wheels - they swap bikes if they have a problem - so QR or thru axle is irrelevant.

So why are thru-axles, and any greater stiffness you can get from a tighter connection, of no point on a cx with its less substantial forks, but are of point on a mtb?

The forks may be less substantial but since they are a steerer and two legs with minimal joins, or in some cases no joins at all, not a steerer, crown, uppers and lowers bolted together and they are also much shorter so have less leverage they are inherently stiff.