Gravel / Gravé / Gnarmac / Groad / ATB

Because riding things you can purchase in any LBS is not for the gravel gourmet.

2015-2018 era frame set (takes 700x40 juuust), cdf, arkose, kinesis, vitus maaaaybe, sort (not a ribble), they may have a 1st gen 2nd hand tiawan boutique gravel frame they got cheap or on trade

maybe stock finishing kit acetoned and a modern flared bar

nice finishing tape

shimano 105 for groad or sram rival/apex if they're more "gravel"

WTB/Maxxis/Continental black tyres, maybe a wtb tanwall if they had it come with the bike

might have stock alexisrims, might have bought a nice set of wheels used, possibly some hunts they bought off some aforementioned lockdown project sale for less than some novatechkinlinlbs

some form of rack and basket bag combo if they're chilled out flannel rider, restrap frame bag with lfgss discount used if they're more groad

have either trp spyres or the bad first gen 105 hydros and leak everywhere, or rival brakes which feel spongy, they'll say "discbrake agnostic" but they just want some that work

may have an upgraded fork, to either carbon or an old surly fork "for the lugs and mounts"

Btwin stem bag. Handlebar bag that costs twenty pounds.

Expensive bar or frame bags for 60km round Kent.

What if I am using them to hide the mess of my Di2 cables?

de rigueur

takes 700x40

What is this, a road bike thread?

Sounds like a touring bike

Sounds like my bike.

Thanks for my bike description. I think..

Can anyone point me at any thru axles with removable levers which aren't 50 quid each?

What about Allen key ones?

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/skewers-thru-axle/?brand=brand%5Fx

Wiggle may have more stock too

loads on aliexpress, whats the width and thread pitch do you need

Why would anyone want that? I have removable levers, removed straight away, but still I have to carry one to remove my wheels, plus a multitool.
Always terrified I'll misplace the stupid thing, and the leverage you get is none.

Front:
120mm overall length.
13mm thread length.
M12 x 1.5mm thread pitch.

Rear:
132mm overall length.
15mm thread length.
M12 x 1.5mm thread pitch

@Netakure - it's to slow down anyone who wants to nick my wheels mostly. Although there's an argument that thru-axles do that anyway. Oh, and I always carry a multitool so it's not like I'd panic if I lost a lever.

No. Wait. It's for aero gainz obv

I use the Brand-X allen key thru' axles from CRC on my mountain bikes. Quality is pretty good and they have allen key slots in both ends which can help.

Thanks for the suggestions all. Also found a company in the US that does levers which has hex/torx bits you can attach so it's also a multitool and they have ones that are bottle openers, spoke keys, valve core removers etc. Obviously they're a bit more spendy

I've done 900km with thu axles now and really I don't love them.

They're not 'stiff'.
They're slow to use and catch easily.
Threads can get gritty easily.
Removing and replacing the rear wheel can be a bit tricky (maybe just me - help me do better!).
Getting sufficient clamping force is for sure more effort.

Like threaded BBs, I eagerly await the second coming of QR.

QR sent me.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KMdsSuXGniU&t=926s

QR cranks are coming just to spite you and your naysaying.

I bought these for the Tripster to replace their 'QR' style ones

https://www.westbrookcycles.co.uk/kinesis-uk-switch-lever-thru-axle-p349445/s667643

I realised half way through an audax that my TA lever was on the other bike and so was the collection of allen keys that included the 6mm. Thankfully no issues but I bought another 6mm allen key that now lives on the bike.

Threads can get gritty easily.

Do you undo them and drop them into the mud? I’m pretty lazy with maintenance and there’s a lot of wheels on/off as I usually ride the bike at lunch at work. Can’t say that other than an occasional wipe clean I’ve had any problem with these or the maxle on my MTB

I’m fine with thru axles and have both lever types and hex types but I tell ya, the one that gets my goat is on the cursed Exploro because the rear one threads directly into the mech hanger which isn’t otherwise connected to the stays at all. So when you take it out to remove the rear wheel, the whole derailleur drops away which is supposed to be a good thing?! for removing and replacing the rear wheel but is a solution to a problem that didn’t exist and actually makes refitting the wheel a right fucking pain with the chain still under tension. So you use the mech cage lock to give you some slack but now your hands are caked in chain oil and road shite as well as mud from the wheel and you have to hold it at the perfect angle while threading the axle back in so as not to cross thread it. Fucking useless.