thru axle QR disc hubs (front) -- big difference?

[wallymann]

seems intuitive...for a disc front end where fork-to-hub stiffnes seems essential to minimize disc rub, go with a beefy 9mm thru axle design.

has a certain truthiness to it.

but does it really matter in practice, say, for a gravel bike compared to a hub/QR with a non-chi-chi steel QR lever?

[Brewstocker]

I don't think it's really an issue with rigid forks.

[vqdriver]

Yeah. I was under the impression it was for squish forks. Could be wrong tho.

[oldpotatoe]

I don't think it's really an issue with rigid forks.

Plenty of rigid MTB with thru axle rears..

[bcroslin]

Seems like it makes sense for mtb but not road/ cx bikes. With that said, I recently rented a Trek mtb with a 9mm thru axle in the rear and it was nice. Makes it a little easier to seat the wheel and gives the perception of being sturdier than a QR. I wouldn't go out of my way to seek out thru axles on a cx or road bike but I also wouldn't not buy one because of it. It's easy enough to convert wheels to thru axle anyway.

[oldpotatoe]

Seems like it makes sense for mtb but not road/ cx bikes. With that said, I recently rented a Trek mtb with a 9mm thru axle in the rear and it was nice. Makes it a little easier to seat the wheel and gives the perception of being sturdier than a QR. I wouldn't go out of my way to seek out thru axles on a cx or road bike but I also wouldn't not buy one because of it. It's easy enough to convert wheels to thru axle anyway.

I agree on a MTB..for smashig around. Even on hard tails, it does add to the stiffness of the front and rear....but conversion really depends on the wheels..as to convert to thru axle..many disc, MTB-centric wheelsets can but a lot cannot either. Shimano mountain XTR/XT wheels, as an example, are QR only.