By increasing the width of the hub flanges you can improve the bracing angles of the spokes in the wheelbuild. Thread pitch -- Thru-axle threads are measured in millimeters between each thread. It also reduces twisting forces on suspension forks that can lead to rotor misalignment and broken axles. Quick release skewers are cheap, easy to replace, and make removing and installing wheels faster. Join us for our latest ride videos, tech tips, and upcoming product releases. A thru-axle adapter lets you attach the thru-axle forks on your bike to a bike rack. 
Thread length This is the length of the threaded area on the axle. A cam thru-axle lever, like those used on Shimanos E-THRU and SRAMs Maxle hubs, still screws in like a standard axle.
- Download our handy Thru-Axle Fitment Guide here - to quickly check your thru axle measurements: Is a gravel bike a road bike or a mountain bike? The difference is disc brake rotor placement and flange width, where the spokes attach to the hub.
Super Boost was a rear standard that was wider still at 157mm.
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In summary, Boost brings these advantages: The increased stiffness results in more effective and more precise bike handling. While it brought significant increases in stiffness and strength, its life span was short, as Boost spacing quickly replaced it as the go to standard.
What do you need to know to choose between thru-axle vs quick release skewers on your next bike? For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. More. There are thru-axles with levers, but they dont work like a skewer.
However, unfortunately this ease of use also makes them extremely vulnerable to theft -, See how Hexlox can help you secure almost any part on your bike.
For the rest of us, it makes wheels stronger and stiffer, but its not as monumental as say, the invention of the electric lightbulb.
The use of the 15mm x 110mm Boost forks will be most common on the new Plus bikes entering the marketplace.
The conical standard is also called X-12 cone.. In the past, all bicycle wheels attached to U-shaped dropouts on the forks and frame. Hexlox protects your saddle, wheels and more from theft.
What's the worst that could happen here? The wider spacing allowed for improved dishing and symmetry on the wheels which now had to accommodate these wide range cassettes. Aero Road, MTB, E-Bike, Fat Bikes*, Trailers*and even Trainers*. Screw-on axles require a wrench or hex key to remove and install the axle. The nuts on axle washers, axle bolts and quick release skewers have a toothed or textured surface. Oftentimes the brake caliper has enough lateral adjustment range to get away without the spacer, but in case it doesnt, the 2mm spacer gets you to spec. Ultimately you can build a stronger, stiffer, and ultimately more efficient wheel. Originally used with quick releases, thru axles would become the norm in the late 2000s.
Folding the lever takes up the remaining slack.
One advantage of the now wider axle standard is glaringly obvious: given the wider hub flange, and the stronger spoke-bracing angle, the stiffness and stability of the wheel is massively enhanced. Some thru-axles have quick release levers. On average, a thru-axle bike weighs around 100 grams more than a quick release bike. Both offered a marked improvement in bike handling and stability. If the front axle lever points forward, it could be pulled open by branches and other obstacles, and if it folds over the fork, it wont close all the way.
When in doubt, contact the fork manufacturer or your shop.
I am a person who buys bicycle things. The most common front thru axle OLD dimensions are 100 mm, 110 mm, and 150 mm for front axles and 130mm, 135mm, 142mm, 148mm, and 197mm for rear axles. We can help. However, other bikes in these companys lineups use SRAMs Maxle Stealth.
Since production numbers are low, there isnt much demand for aftermarket parts that work with these systems. There is no universal kit that lets you convert any bike to use thru-axles, or switch between axle sizes. When debating between thru-axle vs quick release skewers, most long distance riders will go with skewers.
Thru-axles dont use springs.
In the bike industry's never-ending quest to make nothing compatible with anything else, there are now two types of 20mm through axle systems: 20x110mm and 20x110mm Boost. Just flip the lever, and you can slide the wheel out of the bike.
Quick release skewers clamp down on traditional dropouts. Thru-axles are better for disc brakes, theyre stronger, they increase the rigidity of the frame and forks, and theyre safer overall. Most axles now have this information printed on them. The skewer does not attach to the frame or fork -- ie.
The brake rotor sits 3mm outboard of where it did before, as does the rear cassette. Some manufacturers use a splined axle end with a matching handle. The thinnest thru-axle has a diameter of 10 mm, so its clearly beefier than a skewer. On average, a thru-axle weighs about 20 grams more than a quick release of similar quality.
This new Boost spacing would quickly become the new standard and force 142/100 into obsolescence within a couple years. It also fixes the quick release skewers wheel separation problem. Introducing the Hexlox Ultimate Guide to Thru-Axles - updated for 2021 - with everything you need to know about choosing and using thru-axles on your bicycle. Tax included and shipping calculated at checkout, I Agree with the Terms & Conditions [View Terms]. If you are a big, strong, aggressive rider who is constantly destroying your 29 all-mountain wheels, then Boost is great news for you. Hexlox - Anti Theft for Saddles, Wheels and More. More, Change, it has been noted, does not occur in a vacuum.
Nuts on the axle clamp down on the dropouts and the hub, keeping the wheel in place. This way, you position the lever so it folds down where you want it. These adapters only work with a few frames. One week after confirming her form at the Pan-American Cyclocross Championship, held on the relative home turf of Midland, Ontario, Maghalie Rochette pulled the Canadian championship jersey onto her torso. How do you get the correct axle tightness and get the handle in a safe location?
If you have mountain bike forks that already support thru-axles, there may be kits available to switch the cups to fit different axle sizes. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. new development in bike tech - but like with almost anything bike related it comes with a bewildering level of different choices and standards.
There are also attachment systems like the QR-15 that use a captive nut that fits into the dropout in several orientations. And, if you want to save yourself some scrolling, the short message here is: Yes! 197 mm is the most common fat size axle, but there are many options to fit a variety of dropouts.
Several manufacturers have tried to answer that question with their own unique axle designs.
Thru-axles are significantly thicker than quick release skewers and are almost always hollow. Increasing axle length allows more space for drivetrain components and stronger wheels. Most fixed gear and single speed bikes have rear track dropouts with the opening at the end of the frame, while cruisers and old multi-speed bikes have the openings pointed toward the crank. When that happens, theres nothing to keep the wheel from separating from the bike.
On these bikes, you should only use adapters that clamp over your bikes front axle.
Although both hubs measure 110mm wide, the boost version features hub flanges that have been moved out 5mm to each side, which also pushes the disc mount closer to the fork.
Thru-axles add strength to the bottom of forks, improving torsional rigidity. The Hexlox Universal Thru-axle is precision engineered in Germany and - as the cherry on top - is Hexlox-Ready. Suspension pivots can be placed wider apart and therefore stiffer. Most mid to high-range mountain bikes use Boost axles, while most new downhill bikes use Super Boost axles. You can install a thru-axle compatible fork on any bike, and pair it with a thru-axle front wheel. These standards use longer axles than previous designs to address common problems with mountain bikes. A fixed thru-axle lever gives the rider the leverage they need to tighten and loosen the axle by hand. By increasing the width from 100mm to 110mm, the wheel can be built stronger and closer to true symmetry by pushing the disc side flange outwards.
You can even run Torque Tube Control SL wheels on most current Rockshox forks. No more measuring! One of the most recent changes to come along in mountain biking is the shift to Boost hub spacing.
If you dont like the position of your thru-axle handle, check the lever end and nut. This piece will help you figure out if the wheels were selling will work with your bike.
You can see this difference in the photo we have to the left. The original front hub spacing. In order to reclaim this, the Boost standard was introduced. Nothing to see here. The lever should fold in next to the fork arm, chainstay or seatstay. There are some mountain bike frames that are designed to be upgradable to thru-axles using a kit. Due to their shorter availability and endless range of sizes, you will probably have to order replacement thru-axles. A misaligned back wheel places the cogs at an angle, which makes shifting harsh and unpredictable. We offer. Thats because thru-axles act as a structural components. The axle must be removed from the chainstays and wheel before the wheel can be removed from the bike. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled.
When the rear spacing grew from 135mm to 142mm a few years ago, they were just widened and as a rider it wasnt an issue to upgrade your wheels to the new standard with a conversion kit. However the most noticeable difference in wheel strength comes from the flanges being further apart. Quick release skewers -They are significantly thinner than thru-axles, with a 5mm shaft and a small spring at each end. Selecting the correct size thru axle for your bike is as you can imagine, unfortunately, rather complicated.
Our thru-axle will automatically adjust to your bike's measurements - for a perfect fit. And finally, Boost improves clearance on the forks and the rear. They always have one threaded end that secures the axle into the frame and/or fork.
For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Since thru-axles have to accommodate both the dropout and the hub width, some bike manufacturers have introduced their own axle sizes to fit their frames and forks.
The goal of widening the hub flanges is to create a better bracing angle for your spokes and in turn a stronger wheel. Scott and Santa Cruz are not related in any way, they just happen to build bikes that use the same unique axle size.
Not really. Quick release skewers are 5mm thin and always have a lever that locks the skewer in place into the dropout or frame. For example, some Scott and Santa Cruz bikes use proprietary 168mm length rear axles with a 12 mm thread length and 1 mm thread pitch. Get in on Roval news, events, and exclusive offers. Electric mountain bikes may use mountain or downhill components, depending on what the manufacturer thinks is appropriate for the bikes added speed and power. Rear Boost axles are 148 mm long and 12 mm thick, while rear Super Boost thru-axles are 157mm long and 12 mm thick.
We have plenty of quality hubs from Hope, DT Swiss 240 and Chris King to meet your hand built Boost wheel needs at range of prices.Please get in touch withStrada on 01903 214956to discuss your new BOOST wheels or use thecontact formto request a quote. These use adapters that clamp onto the chain and seat stays to keep the axle from spinning.
The Hexlox UniversalThru-Axle takes the hassle out of finding the right size thru axle for your bike. Front Boost and Super Boost thru-axles are 110mm long and either 15 or 20 mm thick. Youll need to do some research to find out if theres a solution that works with your bike. Please get in touch withStrada on 01903 214956to discuss your new BOOST wheels or use thecontact formto request a quote.
The bigger wheels struggled to achieve the lateral stiffness of their smaller 26 counterparts. Between 2015 and 2017, the high-end market was a mix of 142 and Boost, and since 2017 almost all performance bikes are running Boost. These wider hub flanges mean the new 20x110mm Boost hubs have shorter end caps, and a whole different hub shell with wider flanges and a wider disc brake mount location. As experienced wheel builders we have definitely noticed significant improvements in wheel strength and stability in Boost wheelsets.
Its essentially a large bolt that screws into the fork or frame, creating a rock solid attachment point for the wheel. so you can easily adapt your wheels and enjoy their lightweight yet stout and durable performance into the future. They were also optimized to handle the new 10, 11 and eventually 12 speed 1x drivetrains that had become the norm.
Because things like rotor spacers almost always mean "weaker," we've chosen to make a specific 20x110mm Boost hub, and that's what we recommend using with 20x110mm Boost forks. Thru-axles - Thru axles always have a threaded end that screws into the frame or fork. According to stats from the manufacturers, a 29 rear wheel with a 148mm hub has the same stiffness as a 27.5 wheel with a 142mm hub. To accommodate both OLD sizes and dropout sizes, there are over 40 different thru-axle lengths on the market today. The original thru axle standard. Conclusion in short Boost is an extremely positive evolution in bike technology with many undeniable pros and seemingly a single con, that being your old kit is now obsolete!
Technically, yep. But it's going to be OK. Let's go through this and help make sense of it together.
However, its a different story with the Boost! Our Flow MK3, Arch MK3, and Arch CB7 rims can all be built up with 20x110 Boost spacing Neo hubs through our custom wheelset builder. This type of axle is sometimes called a thru-axle skewer. And, when we pull back and recall all the broken handlebars and sheared off cottered cranks of our childhoods, when we remember what a royal pain in the ass it was to adjust cantilever brake pads so they wouldnt eat our tire sidewalls, when we wince at the thought of stripped threads at the end of tiny wire quick release skewers, we realize that we are living in a really exciting and good time right now. However, most new single speed mountain bikes use thru-axle hubs for added strength. How do you get the advantages of a thru-axle with the speed of a quick release skewer? Some adjustability is built in so you can get the axle tightened down and have the handle in a safe location. Most adapters have sleeves to fit a variety of axle diameters. Eliminating the handle makes these axles lighter and more aerodynamic, while adding a minor barrier to would-be thieves.
What is an annoyance for local riding can become a logistical nightmare if youre touring and bikepacking. Meanwhile, the changes in spacing standards have left us with a few highly versatile, adaptable, capable, REALLY AWESOME wheelsets that were looking to find homes for (at up to $1,200 off). In a matter of a few years it quickly unseated 100mm as the standard for mountain bikes. Most internal gear hubs and electric motor hubs wont work with thru-axle frames.
Chris King, DT Swiss, Industry Nine, Onyx and Hope offer hubs in this spacing. There will always be the concern that change is just happening for the sake of change, but its not. If you already have a Key Code, please insert it into the ORDER NOTEBox on this page.
There are still many reasons why you may prefer a quick-release skewer, just as there are several reasons you may want to consider thru-axle hubs for your next bike. Total spacing between the fork legs is still 110mm, and the axle diameter is still 20mm, so what does the "Boost" mean here?
A fat size thru-axle for MTBs has to be long enough to accommodate giant tires. Speaking of memories, if you want to take a long walk down memory lane and get some insight into the specific evolution of bicycle hubs, we recently took a, With a Maple Leaf On Her Back, Her Eyes Are Set On Europe. The axle is the anchor point for the sun gear, so its under torsional stress. This option is usually limited to high end carbon fiber road forks. Thru-axles spread to other bike categories as disc brakes were introduced. TheHexlox Universal Thru-Axle has been mercilessly test-ridden by countless riders - including downhill - so you can confidently go out there and just ride. So a traditional 20x110mm (non-Boost) hub can't be truly be converted to 20x110 Boost with just something like a simple end cap swap.Wait, can't I just add a spacer behind my rotor and convert any 20x110 hub to a 20x110mm Boost fork? This bites into the dropout to keep the wheel in place. But these precious millimetres change much more than just the width of your axles.
Bolt head -- These are either flat or conical (X-12 cone). This improves braking performance and consistency. These are washers with small tabs that slide into the fork or around the chainstay to keep the wheel from falling off if the axle is loose. Quick release skewers add a cam to this system, so the axle nuts can be tightened down loosely by hand, then clamped onto the dropouts using the cam lever.
The first road bikes to adapt thru-axles use 15 mm mountain bike axles before switching to 12 mm axles to save weight. Other adapters clamp over your bikes axle. Hexlox can also secure any Hex Bolt holding other items than Bike Parts. OLD is the distance between the inside faces of the dropouts, also called fork spacing or frame spacing. Hubs are still sold in a few standard sizes, but dropout thickness varies from bike to bike. We offer Boost Conversion Kits so you can easily adapt your wheels and enjoy their lightweight yet stout and durable performance into the future. Then in the late 2000s as riders and frame manufacturers began pushing the limits of their bikes, thru axles were introduced. Just flip the lever, and you can slide the wheel out of the bike. There are a few unique solutions around this problem, but you arent likely to see them unless you have a high end thru-axle for road bikes built for racing.
When it comes to thru-axle vs skewers, your best option depends on how your bike is equipped, and how you use it. A thru-axle places the wheel in the same spot every time, and it spreads load forces from the brakes across the wheel.
If you're in the market for a DH fork or especially a wheelset, take the extra time to determine which 20x110mm front hub your fork requires.
As for Roval Torque Tube front hubs (these were sold to be used with RockShox RS-1 inverted forks), since the spacing is 110mm, you MIGHT be able to run them on your Boost fork.
It has been said that a boosted 29 wheel can achieve the same stiffness as a non-boosted 27.5. The wider rear hub offers you a bigger choice when it comes to chainrings.
The market these days is too competitive to experiment around with trends and proprietary technology just for the sake of being different. But you lose the advantage of the wider flanges and stronger wheel, and you probably pick up a few disadvantages, too. weight-weenies. Optimally short chainstays allow your weight to be positioned closer to the rear axle which means the bike will generally feel far more nimble, be easier to manual and climb more confidently. However, unfortunately this ease of use also makes them extremely vulnerable to theft - See how Hexlox can help you secure almost any part on your bike. Drivetrain manufacturers had also begun to move towards 2x and 1x drivetrains.
Thru-axles are supremely solid and strong, and is becoming the new standard, even for weight-sensitive road riders aka.
The most common axle diameters on mountain bikes are 15mm in the front and 12 mm in the rear. When debating between thru-axle vs quick release skewers, most long distance riders will go with skewers. Boost spacing allows for wider hub flange spacing, which correlates to better spoke bracing angle and dish when building wheels (this makes the wheels stronger).
As a result they encouraged the adoption of yet another new standard. It also moves the chain line outward, keeping the chain from rubbing against wide tires. The worst thing that could happen is that you accidentally buy a new 20x110mm Boost wheel and then realize there's no way to make it fit your standard 20x110mm (non-Boost) fork.