There you are, all your friends are on Zwift, you finally got your fancy high dollar trainer, and you go to mount your bike – only to find your thru axle won’t fit the trainer. This isn’t always the case depending on the bike and trainer models you own. But in the case of Focus bikes equipped with the R.A.T. (Rapid Axle Technology) thru axle, there aren’t many options. Since the R.A.T. thru axle uses a rotating T-post, it isn’t as simple as just machining a new thru axle that will fit into a trainer or one that can tow a trailer.
Instead, The Robert Axle Project came up with a new end cap that bolts onto the drive side of the bike. Now they could just create a new axle with standard threads, allowing the whole set up to easily fit inside a standard trainer…
Using the same high quality/high strength CNC machined 7075 aluminum for the axle shaft and stainless steel for the ends, the new axle does away with the R.A.T. system completely. Instead you have an axle that threads into the drive side nut like a standard axle. The benefit is obviously that it will now work with trainers that clamp onto the axle nuts like those from 1up, Blackburn, Cycleops, Kinetic, Tacx, and more. There is also an axle available that will enable your R.A.T. equipped bike to tow a child trailer. The axle and the replacement R.A.T. nut sell for $64 for the trainer version or $68 for the trailer version and are available now.
The Robert Axle Project loves to problem solve and another group of bikes that needed some help in the trailer department is Surlys with MDS and Gnot Boost axles. Mostly because of the hooded dropout, trailer hitches like those from Burley or other companies won’t fit unless the wheel is slammed all the way back in the dropout.
The Robert Axle Project replacement has a large shoulder that allows the trailer hitch to clear the hooded part of the dropout, eliminating the problem. Axles are available for the 12 x 142/148 MDS/Gnot Boost dropouts for $58, but they’re also available for 12 x 177 and 12 x 197 MDS dropouts at $65.
