Thru-Axels. You’ve got to love ‘em and hate ‘em. They bring increased stiffness and safety with the cost of snail paced wheel changes after a pesky puncture. Well with the ENVE Speed Release ENVE and Mavic may have a solution for you.
Disc brakes have been a part of road cycling now for the last couple of years and we are beginning to even see them arrive in the pro Peloton. More average riders see a huge advantage in their efficiency and the confidence it gives you to brake later and harder. However, there has not been much of a significant advancement in their practicality or usability in the pro Peloton which might be why they aren’t the default weapon of choice yet. However, things might be about to change… Introducing the ENVE Speed Release Road Disc Fork featuring Mavic’s Speed Release technology.
The “Speed Release” technology means the thru axle can be removed much quicker and wheel changes are less complicated. This is because the axle doesn’t need to be removed fully so removing the wheel is effectively as simple a regular quick release skewer.The time for a wheel change is often essential in a Pro Race and can be the difference between winning and losing. Another advantage of the system is that it provides consistent torque along the thru-axle so disc brake spacing remains the same. Also because the stepped thru-axle has a retention sleeve, the axle can remain in the hub so you are less likely to lose parts on the side of a road race.
The fork itself now has clearance for up to 32c tyres to ensure that no gravel road or dirt track is left untouched by even your finest roadie build. The forks are equipped with internal cable routing and a clean one piece construction from drop-out to steerer, it’s available in two rake options of 43 and 50 mm, plus it is compatible with both 140 mm and 160 mm disc rotors. This flexibility and adaptiveness will no doubt prove popular among independent frame builders who often use ENVE forks. For your average consumer though, it seems more of a luxury than a necessity.
Adding up all of these advantages makes the practicality and feasibility of disc brakes on road bikes significantly better than ever before. This could offer equally fast wheel changes like for regular rim brakes so you can be sure to see plenty more close ups of whirring rotors on your TV screens in the ProTour seasons to come.
For more information head to enve.com
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Words: Photos: ENVE
