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I have a 2013 Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Hydro. The bike has disc brakes. The bike was built with quick release skewers on Mavic Aksium wheels. I have just read that Pinarello actually recommends 9mm through bolt axles on the front wheel and 10mm through bolt axles on the rear wheel. Evidently TBAs are better at keeping the disc rotors in alignment. I have certainly experienced problems with rotor alignment repeatedly on the front wheel after long steep descents.

Can I just replace the existing QR skewers with TBAs on the existing wheels? Can anyone recommend a source to buy these TBAs?

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  • This seems way odd. If you were to use a micrometer and measure the width of the axle and the width of the slot in the fork / drop what do you see? The difference is slop. If it were me and I wanted a precise fit think like a machinist. Add a narrow aluminum shim around the axle.
    – zipzit
    Commented Apr 9, 2016 at 14:01
  • Best shim = aluminum cut from can of coke or Pepsi cut with tin snips.
    – zipzit
    Commented Apr 9, 2016 at 14:04
  • I think that would be a huge PITA to fit and keep in place. On one of my bikes where I have a similar problem I have mitigated it somewhat by filing down a penny washer/mudguard washer to fit tightly into the lawyer lips, and drilled the hole out for 5mm to match the QR anxle. It's not ideal, but it helps. I expect the QR axle will eventually snap, however. Fortunately I now have access to an oxy torch again, so at home point I will put a bronze bead around the slot and file that down to a snug fit. Unfortunately the OP can't do that on their carbon/aluminium dropout.
    – Móż
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 8:12
  • Although, that said, I can't think of a batter approach so it's probably worth trying. I'd be tempted to use a steel can rather than aluminium, to match the axle, because it's a harder material. Aluminium is more likely to end up stuck in the threads making the bearings non-servicable (as in, they will work, but you won't be able to remove the locknut/cone to service the bearings)
    – Móż
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 8:15
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    TBA use a completely different dropout and hub to traditional QR's. You can get QR TBA, but that does not appear to be what you are asking about. Can you clarify what dropout you have (at they slots or holes) and hub.
    – mattnz
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 20:27

2 Answers 2

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Hubs that can retrofit to take through bolts are fairly uncommon, and some Googling confirms that your wheels are QR only. Through bolts are an idea that never really took off, and now probably never will with through axles becoming much more common.

Through bolts create a stiffer structure and may mitigate the problem you're having in some situations, but if what's actually happening has more to do with the axle squirming in the slot, I'm dubious about their ability to really fix that. In other words, they help a lot with rub that occurs due to flexing, but I don't believe they add clamping force above and beyond what a good QR can do.

Another important piece of this may be that the stock Aksium skewers are very basic external cam ones that, for the benefit of being light and cheap, are somewhat clamping force impaired compared to good internal cam skewers such as Shimano. Internal cam skewers apply much more clamping force, and it can make all the difference with problems like you're having.

Making sure the tab/post facing on the frame and fork is good is also important, although I'd really hope a Pinarello to come pretty much perfect in that regard.

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You can definitely do the swap, and any axle that's the right diameter and length will do. If you match the QR axles you have you should be able to move the cones and locknuts over with no problems. You will be much better off if you have a cone spanner to set things up properly.

With a bike that nice I would be tempted to pay a bike shop to do it, just so that if they stuff anything up it's their problem to fix it. I'd also look for some nicer axles than the usual steel TBA ones that most shops will have in stock for $20 or less.

But it depends what your priorities are. For $20 a pair of axles online, another $20 or less for a pair of cone spanners, and an hour or so of your time, it's definitely something I would do at home.

I did a quick online search for "10mm solid rear axle bike" and got a bunch of hits, including a hollow titanium one for $25 compared to $15 for a solid steel one. Similarly "9mm bike solid front axle", but I suggest first making sure you do actually need a 9mm axle not a 10mm one.

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    The OP has Aksiums. Even if a solid axle was the same thing as a through bolt, which it isn't, you wouldn't just be able to drop generic ones in.
    – Nathan Knutson
    Commented Dec 11, 2016 at 6:30

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