Life In The Saddle

Thru-axles on bikes help to increase rigidity, strength, and performance compared to traditional quick-release axles. Thru-axles are becoming even more common on disc brake bikes because of the need for minimal flex in the hub area—to avoid disc rub. Recently though, I experienced a disconcerting and debilitating failure of a thru-axle. On a gravel ride, I punctured; on going to remove the rear wheel from the frame I found the axle had slightly seized into the frame; then in an effort to undo it I ended up rounding off the hex-key head that is used to release/tighten the axle. On returning home, I managed to use some monkey grips to loosen off the axle; but it was certainly rendered useless for future fitment. So, I started looking for replacements... The French brand Shift-Up produces a number of custom bicycle components, including a wide selection of after-market thru-axles. When the Shift-Up axles arrived, I was impressed by the quality and strength of both the axle and the bol...