Slow Service?

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merseymouth
Posts: 2519
Joined: 23 Jan 2011, 11:16am

Slow Service?

Post by merseymouth »

Morning all :D , Just tuned it to watch "La Course", starting at Brest.
Without even getting out of the neutralized section, with a scary exposed bridge crossing, at least two of the competitors had puncture issues. Stuff happens, but what I did notice was the length of time that it took to swap wheels?
In recent years "Lawyer's Lips", them cursed recessed elements of front fork construction did slow change times down, the need to slacken further the Quick Release Skewers being the issue, then came the disc brake bikes with through axles. So the thing has to be fully removed.
Today I saw that it was both ends that cause slower changes! Through axles at both ends?
On my disc braked machine I don't have to remove the rotors to change the wheels 8) , them bikes is slow! MM
Last edited by merseymouth on 26 Jun 2021, 10:44am, edited 1 time in total.
freeflow
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Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 1:54pm

Re: Slow Service?

Post by freeflow »

This is the big myth of wheel changes during racing. It's not the time to physically change the wheel that counts, it's the time taken to get the replacement wheel to the rider. In the first 20 seconds the rider should have dismounted and removed the affected wheel.
merseymouth
Posts: 2519
Joined: 23 Jan 2011, 11:16am

Re: Slow Service?

Post by merseymouth »

Hi Freeflow, The difference between flicking open a QR skewer and the time taken to unscrew these through axles is quite evident!
Rather comparable with the difference between the use of a knock on/off spinner on a Jaguar D type car and the lightening quick air-gun process in F1. Not imagined in the least. MM
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Slow Service?

Post by Jdsk »

Please could someone explain this. Have the racers started using through axles? And is it mandatory?

Thanks

Jonathan
freeflow
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Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 1:54pm

Re: Slow Service?

Post by freeflow »

Hi merseymouth, the point being that if it takes more than half a minute for the spare wheel to arrive the time it takes to remove a QR Vs bolt though is irrelevant.
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TrevA
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Location: Nottingham

Re: Slow Service?

Post by TrevA »

Jdsk wrote: 26 Jun 2021, 11:48am Please could someone explain this. Have the racers started using through axles? And is it mandatory?

Thanks

Jonathan
Not mandatory but most teams now use disc brakes, which means through axles. A notable exception is Ineos, who are still on rim brakes. The disc brake/through axle thing is probably why most riders now change bikes rather than change wheels.
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Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Slow Service?

Post by Jdsk »

Thank you

Jonathan
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cycleruk
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Joined: 17 Jan 2009, 9:30pm
Location: Lancashire

Re: Slow Service?

Post by cycleruk »

I think that the bike mechanics use an electric "screwdriver" to undo through axle bolts so it's only a couple of seconds to remove the bolt. Whereas QR's could be done by the rider and wheel out ready for the new replacement.
You'll never know if you don't try it.
Maillot Rouge
Posts: 175
Joined: 12 Nov 2020, 9:24pm

Re: Slow Service?

Post by Maillot Rouge »

QR thru-axles.
I have them on my road bike.They take no more time to undo than a standard QR.
Lining the replacement wheel up takes a few more seconds but nothing significant.
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Hellhound
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Joined: 19 May 2021, 7:39am

Re: Slow Service?

Post by Hellhound »

cycleruk wrote: 1 Jul 2021, 5:03pm I think that the bike mechanics use an electric "screwdriver" to undo through axle bolts so it's only a couple of seconds to remove the bolt. Whereas QR's could be done by the rider and wheel out ready for the new replacement.
I haven't seen any of the wheel change footage but surely the Pro teams who are using TA wheels will use the lever/QR type?I had these on my mountain bikes for about 15 years and my last two road bikes also have them.The rider can just undo the QRTA ready for the Team mechanic just as easily as an old style QR!
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