Wtf are torque caps...

can I run my standard hub in there?

Yes

Torque caps are just oversize hub end caps, with a larger 'cup' on the fork. The only thing you'll notice is when fitting the wheel you'll need to keep it aligned to get the axle through, it'll drop further into the fork beyond where the axle lines up.

My Marin came with Torque Cap forks and normal hub end caps.
Been like that for 5 years and a few thousand miles.

The only faff is having to line up axle with hub hole becomes a moments faff.

Ah... good to know, cheers 🍻

Will I die?!

Yes.

Riding without torque caps is unlikely to be the cause.

I ran non tc hubs in a pike on my levo for I forget how many years. Was fine.

The Torque cap system is an invention to make it mildly annoying when fitting wheels into Rockshox hubs.

Wtf are torque caps…

Torque caps are the mountain biking industry's way of saying, 'Introducing 15mm axles was a stupid idea. 20mm axles were perfectly fine but we figured if we didn't introduce a new standard people wouldn't think that trail bikes were a real thing."

It’s an EU system arguably introduced to prevent the proud British race from using more torque than their continental neighbours. Whilst the system was originally intended to more equitably divide torque amongst the European populace, torque deficient nations (yes, the French of course) turned out to be hoarding excess Nm in large torque sheds in order to manipulate market force(s).

If you have torque compatible forks and take the wheel off a lot for transport etc, its worth getting asd it helps aligning the axel

In my head they do make the fork feel more direct

** yikes just seen the price of dtswiss torque caps £30!- 3x what I got my mavic ones for! - on reflection tehyre not worth 30 quid

Obvs you can use your old wheels with your new fork. You can get inserts to stick in the torque cap cutaway to make it less fiddly (it's not that fiddly).

Like  https://www.bikester.co.uk/newmen-torque-cap-adapter-for-rockshox-M726017.html?vgid=G986255&_cid=21_1_-1_9_4314_986255__pla&campaign_detail=smart_shopping&gclid=CjwKCAjw9NeXBhAMEiwAbaY4ljNoYF_cshlLTeB-VYcsAahxGaaDEdnZ1ajd7gd0VzaImA6kg0mu0hoCH_sQAvD_BwE

Or make them for a few pennies from plastic washers, I am sure there was a link on here somewhere.

I looked for a cheap torque cap specific hub earlier in the year, seems the vast majority are only on the extreme high end hubs (hope and above). So I disregarded it as SRAM marketing bs and bought a Shimano slx just to really rub it in sram's face 😁

Is it just me that gets irrationally annoyed at companies that spec full bikes with torque cap forks but not torque cap wheels, I mean WFAF!!
Its fine, you dont need them, but it is a minor additional pain when installing the front wheel, for no good reason!
I bought the torque caps for my wheels as it just makes life that little bit better.

These are the answer
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255607421971
Easy guy to buy from too 👍

My GT came with RS forks but no torque caps on the hub.
After a few weeks of being annoyed by trying to align the wheel I asked a mate to make me a couple of shins on his 3D printer.

It makes life so much easier...

Does anyone believe they might increase fork stiffness?

Does anyone believe they might increase fork stiffness?

Don't think about it too much, but if you shortened the 110mm axle by 5mm each end, then obviously it won't flex as much, I suppose they could have created a standard around 100mm axles that might have been stiffer.

Does anyone believe they might increase fork stiffness?

Back to back on the same fork (SID ultimate) but different wheels, I’m sure the torque caps wheelset felt a bit better torsionally, yeah.

You can get torque caps which replace the end caps in your hub.

You can also get much cheaper caps that slide over you current end caps… these won’t give the same benefit, if there is any, as they are slightly shorter than the end caps they go over.

More annoying is upgrading to some fox forks without realising your cheap sram hubs can’t swap away from torque caps. The fork upgrade that then needed a hub upgrade. Thanks sram..

Just put some on my hope fortus today. No idea why I bought them really but it does make fitting them into fork less fiddly.

Does anyone believe they might increase fork stiffness?

Yes. But not as much as having a 20mm axle. And they seem to work out heavier. Progress.

I upgraded to torque caps for the sole purpose that aligning the axle was incredibly fiddly without. It was an easy and affordable upgrade, but in hindsight I should probably have just bought the adapters. It is annoying though that it seems to be another way to extract extra money from consumers. It would cost the manufacturers very little to include them with the initial purchase.

So I'm not sure if I have torque caps or end caps on my no-name OEM front hubs [on Reba fork].....
But can I work out how to get the fockers off and see the hub bearings to replace - not a kin chance.. any tips?

…but if you shortened the 110mm axle by 5mm each end, then obviously it won’t flex as much, I suppose they could have created a standard around 100mm axles that might have been stiffer.

If you can't see any obvious way of unscrewing they usually pull off. You can partially insert a maxle (7mm)wiggle it off.

I bought torque caps for my hubs to go with my Pikes, and I honestly got 400% faster*

I didn’t notice an increase in stiffness, or any other benefit for that matter.

*at putting my front wheel on.

Yes. But not as much as having a 20mm axle. And they seem to work out heavier. Progress.

Has anyone actually got any 3vidence as to which is stiffer, 20mm or 15mm with torque caps?

Has anyone actually got any 3vidence as to which is stiffer, 20mm or 15mm with torque caps?

I don't.

But if it turns out 15mm with torque caps is stiffer couldn't we just have made 20mm axles with torque caps?

I do have a fork that accepts both, and wheels that will fit. What I lack is the motivation to test.

But if it turns out 15mm with torque caps is stiffer couldn’t we just have made 20mm axles with torque caps?

Moar must be better...

I use these. Stiffness gains are pretty minimal but they stop the dropout fiddling

https://r2-bike.com/NEWMEN-TC-Adapter-for-Forks-with-Torque-Cap-Drop-Out

This is more that my planned build has an option for 20mm or 15mm with torque caps on both the hub and the fork so it makes sense to ask the question.

I prefer 20mm axles in principle however 15mm appears to be the settled standard for now

I just realised my shand has a fork that says " torque cap compatible" and the wheel fits straight in with no fiddling so presumably it has the torque caps?

What are you Intending to spec?

If it’s what I think it is, I went 20mm.

Makes your hub look like this.

What are you Intending to spec?

If it’s what I think it is, I went 20mm

I think it probably is. I've also found out that the Onyx hook flange front hub can be run in either format.

Still undecided on travel though so not sure if it's the Hero or the Edge I'll be looking at.