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EB15: Tune reinvents road thru axle, makes lots more stuff better & lighter

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Pick one thing that would slow adoption of disc brake in the pro peloton and it would likely be the molasses-like process of unthreading a thru axle. Manitou and Focus have their twist-and-pull systems, Naild has a new twist-and-lock system, but Tune’s new QC system might be the fastest of them all.

The new Tune QC Schnellsteck Spanner thru axle system uses a simple push button release to trim removal time to a fraction of a second. Flip through to see how it works…

To release it, you flip the lever open on the non drive side and then push the red button on drive side. The quick release lever is only there to pull everything right so there’s no wheel wobble. The button is what compresses the angled tabs on the skewer, which lets it slide out of the catch on the dropout. You really need to do both to remove the wheel, so even if the lever gets knocked loose, the wheel isn’t coming out accidentally.

Fork and frame must be made for it, and Haibike has exclusive use for the first year, after which other brands can license it. You’ll find it on the Haibike Affair 8.80 Disc brake road bike.

Weight is just 42g for the front axle, so it’s one of the lighter systems out, too.

Next gen carbon Schwarzbrenner rims go from 20.5mm wide to a massive 28mm wide. But weight dropped 15g, and they getting stiffer and more aero. Available in clincher and tubular, they come in 60 and 38mm depths and use their basalt brake surface. Clinchers are tubeless ready.

They’ll come in at a claimed 1,330g for the 38 wheelset with MIG 70/170 hubs and CX Ray spokes.

The Krummes is their first setback seatpost and will come in three lengths (270/350/420mm) with weights at 112g,  122g and 137g. Prices range from €289 to €309. Diameter of 27.2 only for now.

The Energieträger is an alloy-over-elastomer battery holder for Di2 internal batteries to go into the seatpost. Simply squeeze the battery into the elastomer ring, slide it into the post, then tighten two small screws to expand the elastomer and lock it into place.

Retail is just €19.90. Two sizes fit posts with internal diameter from 24.6-27.9mm and 28-30mm.

Rechstrüger and Linkstrüger bottle cages are only 2g heavier than their standard cages at 21g, but offer right or left side loading of the bottle for smaller frames. Retail is €50.50.

The new Re4mer (reformer) saddle comes in at just 79g, but can be used for road and mountain biking.

Edges are formed with an inward bend, so there are no sharp edges. A closed nose makes it comfortable to grab with your hand to lift the bike over a log, barrier, etc. in the middle is an Alcantara non-slip patch, and there’s a slight tail kick.

Price is €289, 90kg rider weight limit.

Tune.de

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DailyNEWstandards
DailyNEWstandards
8 years ago

“the molasses-like process of unthreading a thru axle”
Gimme a break.

Castor/Pollux
Castor/Pollux
8 years ago

Here is a video which explains how quick release works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qm3WS0AqfU

Might be a good idea to embed it to the main article.

Luiggi
Luiggi
8 years ago

So, Tune has essentially brought Sr Suntour’s MTB QR to the road bikes…

gatorskin
gatorskin
8 years ago

If I was concerned about weight and speed, I’ll take the race-oriented italian companies like extralite, pmp, carbon-ti or aribike anytime. Lightweight-race. Tune seems to be lightweight-lifestyle.
The QR I had did not securely close because a design fault.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

The best thing about QR is they are universal. I realize people are trying to make money off a patent, but the frame specific nature of many of these TA’s is annoying to say the least. And yes, I have no idea how Campagnolo protected what was their original, frame specific design years ago…the irony is not lost.

gd
gd
8 years ago

It’s called Rechsträger and Linksträger. ;D

rexated
rexated
8 years ago

Not sure I’d want to sit on something that looks like it’s labelled as a reAmer: i.e. a tool for widening or finishing holes. Otherwise, looks good!

PTymn Wolfe
PTymn Wolfe
8 years ago

“Makes lots more stuff” & “molasses-like process of unthreading a thru axle” — Thank you! Keep it up this is hilarious!

Fjork
Fjork
8 years ago

If it really takes you that long to unthread a thru-axle, you should probably be having your LBS change flats for you. Can we cool it on the proprietary S****Storm already?

boom
boom
8 years ago

haha, there is so much hate in these comments. There are lots of things that don’t make sense for discs to enter the pro peloton, but the slow thru-axles are indeed a problem. Just because it’s not a problem on your slow Sunday group rides doesn’t mean that it isn’t a problem elsewhere.

JG
JG
8 years ago

As a serious question, what are the real world advantages of thru axles on a road bike? I have 2 hydraulic disc road/gravel/cross bikes, both with QR, and have not found any instability under any riding braking conditions (including some ripping mountain gran fondos). Could someone who has used both QR and TA on a road or cross bike explain the advantage?

gerg
gerg
8 years ago

@JG, one advantage is the wheel sits in exactly the place every time which is convenient for disc brakes.

Eric Hansen
Eric Hansen
8 years ago

JHTFC. I thought I was going to post a simple comment on the axle system. Instead i’m going to have to comment on comments first.

@JG – Personally, I have had every disc brake combined with a non-TA i’ve ever ridden loosen itself at some point. That includes wheels secured with DTS’ RWS system. In a QR or RWS system, the retention is dependent on clamping, which is subject to failure through vibrations. Take a look at some promo videos for the Nord lock washer system. They’ve got all manner of locking nuts spinning right off under vibration. The reaction force to applying any front brake is OUT of the fork. That’s not a fail safe condition. GOOD thru axles divide retention and clamping into two devices. The wheel is retained by the pawls, but clamped by the QR in this case. If it fails, you get a wheel that knocks around until you stop, but won’t come out.

@DailyNEWStandards – I feel you on BR’s verbiage, but unthreading a TA is monumentally slow compared to the speeds pro tour techs can swap wheels.

@Luiggi – My first thought, too. Something to consider if you’ve not used SR Suntour’s Q-Loc; the pawls hang up all the way through the wheel. It isn’t actually fast.

@rexated – like the X-Bone, the re4mer is pronounced reamer now, and there’s nothing the manufacturer can do about it.

So ANYWAY. The Q-Loc is very finicky about keeping those pawls retracted, and it has a mechanism to do that. The pawls drag along the inside of the axle, and you’ve got to basically slide hammer the axle out of the wheel. Suck. This axle doesn’t have any provision to keep the pawls retracted. Good luck! Secondly, the pawls don’t look like they’re going to handle mushrooming from people setting the QR too tightly very well. Once they mushroom, GL getting the axle out without cutting it.

All in all, the axle looks like a good prototype. I’d like to use it a bit.

John
John
8 years ago

The single best way to ensure a new TA standard is *not* adopted is to have an exclusive with a small bike manufacturer. Oh, and bonus points for the proprietary design that requires brand-specific fork/frame. This product is DOA.

craigsj
craigsj
8 years ago

You know what would be great? A thru axle that didn’t have any dangly bits to snag and that didn’t enable toolless removal of the wheel for easy theft. You know…the kind of product that everyone NOT racing should prefer. QR is an abomination, let’s not try to hard to make thru axle just like it. Cycling should not be held hostage by a handful of elite riders.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

Eric – good points. One has to wonder why the caliper positioning and/or fork slots have maintained a design in which the reaction force pulls the QR out the drop-outs. Momentum of the status quo?
TA seems better overall, but the bike industry seems to have done itself little favor with the existing QR design. Like a jump, then look.

Steve
Steve
8 years ago

I think all that needs to be standard are the hub shell width and axle diameter. With this it doesn’t really matter how the TA is held place. Case in point I have an old Manitou 20 mm TA fork and a newer Rockshox 20 mm TA fork. The manitou has 2 bolts on each side and a center screw in, where as the RS has a Maxle. But I can move wheels between the two forks, and both are considered 20 mm TA standard. Thus as long as the forks and frames I have come with their respective TAs that’s cool. You can’t swap TAs between different systems, but you can still swap wheels.

Ventruck
Ventruck
8 years ago

Only Tune product I have is their Wassertrager 2.0. Cool cage.

Love the new saddle but that’s gonna be a while before I pick it up. As it is I’m still trying to justify getting the AC14 skewers before they’re out.

riley martin
riley martin
8 years ago

Side loading bottle cages are without a doubt, one of the most simple and brilliant, modifications……especially if they have a good entry level price point, look badass, and then have a carbon offering…..

Dave
Dave
8 years ago

“One has to wonder why the caliper positioning and/or fork slots have maintained a design in which the reaction force pulls the QR out the drop-outs. Momentum of the status quo?”

The proper way to mount the disc brake caliper is in FRONT of the fork leg so the reaction force tends to drive the axle INTO the dropout, not out of it. This is the way motorcycle calipers are mounted.

Apparently the first bicycle discs were off-road obstructions so they protected it behind the fork leg. Bad from a safety standpoint but it has never been changed. A repositioning of the caliper would make the entire qr/TA argument moot.

Bog
Bog
8 years ago

@Dave, are your handlebars behind you when you’re riding a motorcycle? Disc calipers are rarely, if not ever, mounted on the front of the fork. And motos use thru axles.

Ol' Shel'
Ol' Shel'
8 years ago

What’s the advantage of a thru-axle on a road bike?

You feel compelled to spend money on new equipment, that’s the advantage… to the industry.

Now, if that axle isn’t clamped by the fork legs, there’s no advantage, structurally.

A thru-axle that simply side-loads the hub has no real advantage in stiffness vs a conventional hub with oversized axle flanges. The axle has to be clamped rigidly to the fork for it to provide big structural gains.

Tim
Tim
8 years ago

I don’t understand the hate for QR’s. They have served us well enough for many decades, and continue to be at least adequate for around 90% of hobby riders. Clearly TA’s have advantages and will one day completely displace QR’s on serious bikes, but I don’t see how a QR is an “abomination” for anything but heavy and/ or aggressive riders doing DH, freeride, slalom, etc., or perhaps a few road riders using discs and descending long, steep roads. I’ve never seen a QR vibrate open; it’s never happened to me or anyone I know.

Gavin Howell
Gavin Howell
8 years ago

QR’s and discs in the MTB world continued to work great for years. Only because the more extreme end of MTB wanted more strength, that though axis was required. XC MTB and QR work fine togther so the road is going to be a walk in the park. The hardest bit of fitting any disc wheel is getting the disc though the pads. Adding a taper to the bottom of the pads helps with this issue.

JG
JG
8 years ago

Eric, thanks for the response. I have about 5k miles on my SRAM Force Hydro Rs, and 1300 miles on my Shimano Hydraulic Road brakes, both QR, and haven’t ever experienced loosening. I do notice that the DT Swiss Ratchet system seems to feel more “solid”, in my subjective evaluation. Is there a certain type of riding that seems to precipitate the loosening?

John

Giant-cfr
Giant-cfr
8 years ago

For those who are not able to make a difference between a letter A and a number 4, the designer from tune made a video….

whatch this:

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