Convert standard QR wheels to 12mm Thru Axle

[pickerd]

Hi,
I've just bought a new bike and it has thru / through axle hubs. This is great but my collection of standard / normal dropout and QR wheels don't fit the forks.
There seems to be quite a few parts available to fit though axle hubs into normal drop out forks but nothing the other way? Any ideas?

[Valbrona]

I would suggest ... impossible.

[Threevok]

You can convert to thru-axle hubs to QR (and vica versa) BUT ONLY if the hubs are convertible to start with - hubs such as Hope evo/pro hubs for example.

You CANNOT convert QR forks to thru-axle

[pickerd]

Replies so far are just as I suspected. I was sort of hoping there was a shim for the axle to take it up to 12mm.

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my D5803 using hovercraft full of eels.

[pickerd]

How about fitting bushes into the 12mm holes in the forks?

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my D5803 using hovercraft full of eels.

[Gattonero]

How about fitting bushes into the 12mm holes in the forks?

Megalomania and World Domination from my D5803 using hovercraft full of eels.

No you cannot easily do that. It will need to machine specific bushings that will not give the required strength.
With some engineering and precise machining it may work but -to my knowledge- the reason you won't find commercial adapters like this, is because there is no reason to downgrade a system that works better.

To make home-made solutions is kind of recipe for disaster.
Please don't forget that one is hardly alone on the roads, there's other people that may not want to be involved in an accident

[pickerd]

Thanks everyone - points made all taken into account.
I quickly tried to fit a non-thru axle wheel into a thru axle hub last night - axle length wrong, front too long, rear to narrow!
Idea abandoned - I'll just have to build / re-build some wheels!!!!

[Gattonero]

I've been thinking what wheels would actually be those, that are still with QR hubs.

Disk brakes outside Mtb's have been used only in the last couple of years on Road/CX/touring bikes. Given this, it has to be 29er or 27.5" wheels; and I cannot recall any modern wheel been made with QR hubs. They have to be tru-axle, unless are hanbuilt on old hubs?

[gloomyandy]

Well I have two pairs of wheels with discs and quick release hubs. I'm pretty sure there are quite a few out there.

[Threevok]

I have two sets of brand new 26" Disc wheels - both with Hope Pro 4 hubs - fitted with QR converters :

One is a set of Hope Hoops Tech XC on my single speed
The other is a custom-built wheelset - with Blue Pro 4 hubs on Mavic XC717 rims on my GT Avalanche.

the set on the Avalanche before - were Mavic Cross One - also QR and only 18 months old

26" is not dead yet

[Gattonero]

Well I have two pairs of wheels with discs and quick release hubs. I'm pretty sure there are quite a few out there.

Sure, as I do have, too.

But I'm wondering about the bike that is receiving the wheels. Being a new bike, I'll be surprised that is 26"; so the spare wheels too have to be a "modern" size which is more likely to be up the new standards.

[gloomyandy]

[quote="Gattonero"
But I'm wondering about the bike that is receiving the wheels. Being a new bike, I'll be surprised that is 26"; so the spare wheels too have to be a "modern" size which is more likely to be up the new standards.[/quote]

I'm not sure what it is you are suggesting. Are you saying that new bikes only come with thru axle setups when using disc brakes? Although a lot more bikes seem to be going that way it is certainly not the case (especially for touring style bikes), that all do. Take for instance the Genesis Croix de Fer range which come with wheels using a Shimano RS505 hub that seems to be quick release only and not dual standard. I'm pretty sure that bikes from SPA, Surly and others also still use quick release based wheels. Perhaps I've misunderstood your point?