[Closed] New QR/Bolt thru skewer to stiffen my rear end!

I've been led to believe that the DT Swiss RWS axle been updated to a metal mechanism recently (updated version can be seen on the DT website) and is meant to solve many of the issues associated with the original model which used a composite ratchet and handle.

I intend to use one on my new build if i can actually find one - even the local distributor (Madison) haven't heard of them. To be fair to them, after a little digging and interrogation they said they should have some in stock soon and my LBS has one on order for me.

Looks good in practice, whether any benefits will be noticed is yet to be seen. Worth a punt though.

I've been led to believe that the DT Swiss RWS axle been updated to a metal mechanism recently (updated version can be seen on the DT website) and is meant to solve many of the issues associated with the original model which used a composite ratchet and handle.

Whereabouts on the web site are these new pics? The only ones I can find look just the same as the old ones. Everyone I know who's used an RWS thing has, eventually, broken it because the teeth in the handle mechanism just aren't up to the job. I really find it quite hard to believe that DT Swiss still sells them, they're very expensive and quite fragile.

I would seriously check that the splines on the handle are metal rather than the carbon resin stuff they currently use and if they aren't, just take them back. Ime, they're 'worth a punt' in the same way that doing the Lottery is worth a punt - you might as well just set fire to some bank notes...

Sorry if that sounds doomy, I don't have anything against DT Swiss, they make very nice hubs, but the RWS just seems like a flawed design and way overpriced with it.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a positive review of them, though I guess DT Swiss themselves must use them successfully or they wouldn't still sell them, so maybe I'm just being a bit dim.

Mine (a front one) stripped the splines in just over a year of carefully using it
Its been replaced on warranty

You could try Halo Hex skewers for £9 a pair, though obviously they're not realised quite as quickly needing a 5mm allen key

Any allen key QR should do, such as Halo one mentioned above, but many shops will stock generic no-name ones for a few ££

With the hope XC hub you 'limited' to normal QR's (or any boltup 5mm QR's), so as you mention, you can't upgrade to a 10mm bolt thru QR.
Personnally I'd just get some new shimano QR's

[url= http://www.dtswiss.com/Products/Components/RWS/RWS-thru-bolt.aspx ]Here is the web link.[/url]. As mentioned in my previous post, the ratchet mechanism has been changed to something far more durable as far as I am aware. I can't verify this myself and i'm sure few can currently due to the youth of the new version.

I've heard many a bad thing about the RWS but i'm willing to give the revised version a go. With any luck it will comfortably do the job I ask of it.

The Halo one is very nice, I've used a couple, but I can't say as I noticed any difference in stiffness. I doubt there's much of a one to notice, between any 2 decent skewers.

The best QR is a Shimano QR IMO. I've got some in the garage that are about 20 years old and still work better than most new ones. And they're chrome, which is [i]awesome[/i].

Superstar do some 10mm & 9mm bolt through axles they seem fairly goood, but a little on the heavy side, the dtswiss rws ones are lighter, but mine lasted about 4 months, never bothered with warranty replacement as its clearly a flawed design and the chances striping the plastic ratchet while out in the wilds was too much of a risk. With metal teeth I may take another look at them.

With a hope xc hub though I think you are limited to a standard qr, and while I agree that shimano are the best because of the mechanism, no standard qr is going to stiffen it up.

I have two 10mm RWS skewers for my rear wheels. I've had them since 2005. Every time I go for a ride I remove the wheel so it will fit in the car.

I can see how they would strip.

One of mine has lost the top third of its splines. This was due to dirt ingress preventing the handle part engaging fully with the splines on the skewer. I've cleaned them both out once in the time I've owned them.

As long as you give the handle a little wiggle to get them to sit down onto the splines properly, they're fine, including the one with only two thirds of of its splines remaining.

The biggest issue for me is price. DT prices are always overblown, but the RWS seems to be even more ridiculous than most, when I got mine they were £30 quid each which seems like a bargain now.

They were the only Q/R 10mm axle on the market back then, otherwise I would have got something like the superstar one.

Bit of a thread jack but...are the superstar 9mm front ones any good to stiffen up a QR fork?

Don't have a SS one (similar Spesh one instead), and can't definitively say they do stiffen up the front end, but in my mind they do and was happy with the cost.

Edit: [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/tags/9mm ]Bunch of threads about 9mm bolt thru QR's[/url]

One of mine has lost the top third of its splines. This was due to dirt ingress preventing the handle part engaging fully with the splines on the skewer. I've cleaned them both out once in the time I've owned them.

Not very Peak friendly, possibly because the grit gets everywhere. I'm with you on the absurd pricing anyway, I run the Superstar one on the back of my Pace, I actually broke the lever on the first one when it jammed up, but they're cheap enough that it's no big deal and the second one's been fine. I can still use the RWS ones, just means I need to carry a monkey wrench in case I flat 😉

The SS are fine and cheaper! Just a little heavier.