How much differance does a 15 / 20mm through axle really make?

As per title on something like a Fox FL120 / RS Reba of same travel. I’ve only ever had QR’s and looking at new forks, it seems something I could do. Already have Hope Pro 2 front hub, so can convert that bit quickly. I do have to store the bike with the front wheel off though so very fast removal and fitting is required.

I’d do it,stiffness is improved(though how much is debatable), and it’s actually quicker to remove/re-fit a QR15 than a normal QR as the tension’s pre-set, so there’s none of the faff of re-adjusting the QR.

I think it’s noticeable stiffer. Quicker to remove too I’d say.

Just out of interest, is there a weight penalty for a QR15 or 20mm?

As above ^^

I also like the re-assurance that it’s bolted in nice and tight 😉

weight increase can be compensated for by having a poo before riding.

I recently changed from a old school QR to a 15mm bolt up and the difference can be felt at speed on compression corners. I can’t now believe how poor a standard QR is.

However I’ve had 20mm bolt up on my other bike since new, so maybe that’s the reason I became annoyed with old school ‘roadie’ QR.

It’s a standard that’s here to stay, so jump on board!
Hth
Marko

note to self…..poo before ride, not while riding.

I think Hope Hub is lighter with 20mm adapters , combined with large poo should be much lighter.

It Depends. If you take an already stiff fork, it’s not really that big a deal- a set of Pikes with a QR would still be stiff. If you take a relatively noodly fork it’s a lot more noticable. But most modern forks are pretty stiff regardless. I can tell th difference, sure, but I don’t often feel like it matters.

Don’t bother with 15mm (just some half way house) by Fox/Shimano to be different IMHO 😉

20mm is the way to go, also think about changing to oversize bars or you’re not going to get the full benefit of upgrading.

I do have to store the bike with the front wheel off though so very fast removal and fitting is required.

Why, does someone time you?

Err yes, me. Is that a problem for you? I want to do it quickly so that I can get riding ASAP and get it put away again after with minimum phaffing.

So, yes it’s stiffer, unless they’re already stiff forks, I need to go for 20mm anyway and I need different handlebars….

Perfect thanks. 😆

So 15mm is seen generally as a good idea then. Cheers for input.

I have a 25mm hub on one of mine and the steering is awesome!

As to removing/fitting, unless you’re racing, it really doesn’t matter.

I am – first time in 12 years in 3 weeks. Didnt even think of that as a good reason but you’re right it is. Does 25mm make you more gnarr? 😉

5mm is the difference between “ooh” and “aaaaaaaaaah!”.

😆

strange but true,

didnt notice much of a difference putting qr15s on my FS but when i swapped them over to my hardtail whilst its QR 9s wheir in for a service the difference was VERY noticable.

suppose it depends on the bike as well. 😕

I have a Boardman FS with 20mm Maxle

I have a Scandal with 9mm QR

I am far too rubbish to tell a difference.

Conclusion: Emperors new clothes (unless you’re Steve Peat)

transapp – Member

So 15mm is seen generally as a good idea then. Cheers for input.

15mm’s generally seen as a moronic idea. But we’re stuck with it now.

I disagree with the emperors new clothes metaphor. The pikes and lyriks that I have on my bikes track noticably better than the qr forks I’ve had before.

Andyhilton – Member

I disagree with the emperors new clothes metaphor. The pikes and lyriks that I have on my bikes track noticably better than the qr forks I’ve had before.

But then, they’re both big stiff chassis… Chassi? Chassises? Anyway, they’re that. You can’t get a Pike or Lyrik with a QR but if you could I bet it’d still track better than some bolt-through forks.

I’d love to get a QR, 15mm and 20mm Sektor together and do blind pepsi taste challenges. Ideally with tapered and standard steerers too. I think it’s the first time you can get all the “standards” on the same chassis, it’d be interesting to see the result. I’d particularily like to get a bunch of MBR journalists to do it

MBR journalists can smell a Specialized a mile off – if the fork is on a Specialized, it’ll be amazing all of a sudden.

I’ve had the training courses with Rock Shox. While they offer all options, they like to point out that the 20mm Maxle is much stiffer – they’ve done tests to prove that the 15mm does not offer a massive difference over a 9mm QR.

My bikes still have QRs but if I had the money, I would definitely change to a 20mm preferably. Some of our demo bikes have them, and it does feel better.

Main reason I changed was mainly down to liking my front teeth and the security of the front wheel of bolt through over QR.

I’ve got 15mm fox’s and I love them, I would never go back to QR and I’m just about to change all my bikes to bolt through.

Like pretty much everyone I’ve never tested the same forks back to back with and without it, but I wouldn’t buy a fork now without a 20mm axle – mainly just because a QR just seems a very flimsy and insecure way of attaching the wheel to the forks, especially on a bike designed to be ridden hard.

And I would agree that removing the wheel is actually quicker, especially with the Maxle.

qrs are fine until you’ve ridden 20mm then you’re reminded of the many standards carried over from road to mtb that we can’t seem to get rid of

only purpose in qr 15 is to make shimano/fox more money

note I too am not comparing identical forks ie qr floats and 20 mm 66s

I use hex bolt skewers and a stiff fork (Magura).

I have no experience, but I think the longer the fork the more benefit you will see from bolt through. If your fork is 80-120mm it’s probably less important than if it’s 140-160mm.

i have 15mm on my hardtail, and 25mm on a fs.

riding at canncok when the chain clapper was still ridable, i rode a mates Titus FTM with fox Van 32’s with QR, and they felt awful, no stiffness at all, in comparison to the 25mm forks on my fs.

As to the difference between 25mm and 15mm, i cant tall much difference : /

i used to run a kona caldera with QR revs. thought they were great until i got a P7 with 15mm bolt thru 32 vans. i suddenly realised how much the rev fork was twisting in steep corners and how easily you could fight the front round with a bolt thru. i’m never going back to QR.

ran a rented spicy 316 in the alps in 2008 with 36s and a 20mm bolt thru. that thing railed everything!

It depends a bit on the terrain as well, you really can feel the difference on rubbly, rocky Peak stuff going downhill where a 20mm Maxle just feels more ‘together’ than a QR fork [Pike back to back with a QR Revelation]. You can choose to believe that’s the case or not, I think there’s a significant difference – in really simple terms, the front wheel tends to stay on line better and go where you point it. I’d say it’s less noticeable on smoother stuff, woodsy singletrack etc.

And clearly the overall stiffness of the fork chassis makes a difference too, as does the rest of the bike, rider weight etc. They’re all factors, but everything else being equal, on the sort of terrain which tends to knock things sideways, as an average rider, I think it’s an appreciable improvement.

That’s not saying you have to have a 20mm axle to ride that stuff. Or that all QR-equipped forks are rubbish, just that there is a difference in some scenarios. I don’t really have enough time on a 15mm axle, but I can’t really see the point, if you’re going 15mm, you may as well get a 20mm one and have a bigger number 😉

The other plus is front wheel security. I’ve seen QRs come loose several times and I’d rather have something else thanks.

I think it’s very dependent on the fork itself. My Maverick forks have always had a reputation for being a bit “twisty” (and to be frank they are) even though they have a 24mm through hub. I’d love to try a modern bolt through on my full susser.

I’m running 20mm on both geared bikes and the SS is about to become rigid.

Consequently I’m going to say that 20mm is undoubtedly the way forward.

(and if it isn’t I shall cry)

you wanna wait until on one bring out their 20mm rigid forks pimpmaster…

😉

15mm is a fair bit stiffer than QR, 20mm is very much stiffer.

The Reba RLT Ti with 20mm maxle would be my first choice for a 120mm fork.

I had the old version (used to be called “team”) and it was the best all-round fork I’ve ever ridden – perfect mix of light weight, stiffness and damping performance.

Wheel removal is quicker than QR.

think it’s very dependent on the fork itself. My Maverick forks have always had a reputation for being a bit “twisty” (and to be frank they are) even though they have a 24mm through hub. I’d love to try a modern bolt through on my full susser.

I’d love to try a DUC32 with a conventional QR, I wonder if it would actually be steerable 😉

lol, probably not 🙂

No comment on 15mm, as I went from QR to 20mm.

The stiffness in the forks was certainly noticeable – especially when under heavy braking (180mm+ rotor).

My bikes have a mix of QR and bolt-through and I can’t say I see a huge amount of difference that specifically relates to the forks. That’s possible because the bolt-through ones tend to be longer travel and chunkier anyway.

My BFe went from QR Pace RC41 fighters to bolt-through Talas and I can’t say I’d seen a big difference then either.