DT Swiss RWS 9mm skewer + Hope Pro 2 front hub

So... this 9mm axle is the bomb!

I scored a Ti RWS skewer today for the rear of a bike, and thought about trying to find a front RWS skewer.

After doing some research, and talking to freekengo, i learned there was a 9mm axle you could use instead of a 4?mm standard skewer. Basically, all the benefits of a through bolt, sturdy like a through axle, and easy to take off like a standard quick release. COOL!

I also learned that Hope does not make a 9mm endcap for the pro 2 hub. A simple search on MTBR yielded that you can drill out a QR pro 2 end to 9mm! AWESOME!

So.... brewmaster and I rock down to the path, got me a 9mm x 100mm DT RWS skewer, and a spare pair of QR hub ends for a hope pro 2 hub.

Fast forward 2 hours, 2 beers, and a drill press in rockinthecasbah's garage.

The RWS System rocks!
The 9mm Is BURLY and way stiff side to side!. It fits standard 9mm front dropouts and supports the whole assembly on a big bolt.

Very cool!

I can post pics of the setup if anyone wants

Over-and-out!
Aaron

 

Good purchase, Been using one on my Foe's FXR rear for over a year now, it replaced a Hope skewer. I can really feel a rear wheel stiffness improvement.

 

some pics.....

sorry if sucky quality. 2mp cam phone.

 

My bike came with 9mm QR for the front and 10mm QR for the rear. When I saw that I was like thats odd as I had never see it but then I thought thats got to be better then regular QR.

Edit Guess what they do make the 9mm front conversions kits
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=7209

 

Man... i guess i shoulda looked harder! LOL

 

Yeah Hopes site don't show it but I found the site to be pretty bad.

 

That conversion kit is actually for the standard 5mm QR. A true 9mm thru-bolt conversion from Hope does not exist at this time.

Same p/n# HUB419 with picture @ http://www.bti-usa.com/public/item/HT5840.

 

Yeah but once again its says 9mm.:lol:

 

thanks for the review chewi. maybe I should try this before giving up on the fox fork on the front of my trail bike. I really want some extra stiffness, but I'm also looking at some coin to put a pike on the bike.

Anyone know if there's an easy conversion for bontrager hubs? I've got Race Lite TLR's on there right now

 

Chewy, I was wondering what you were going to do with the Ti skewer. Glad to hear that you got the 9mm for the front to stiffen it up. I switched mine over to it and have been pretty happy with the results so far.

Bryguy, the race light wheel set has DT hubs. So in theory, you should be able to order the proper end cap adapter to make the conversion pretty pain less.

 

Bry guy,

do it. The axle new is 50 bucks, and a pair of endcaps cost me 30.
STEEP if you plan on going to a TA fork soon.... but my 29er is sticking with QR dropouts and my new fork is also quick release

 

Sell those rims and buy my DT Swiss E540 rims the hubs that came with then have 9mm/10mm axles.

 

why should I sell a perfectly good set of wheels when I can convert them eh?

I'm just wondering if this will give me as great of a stiffness increase as I'd like. I love my fox fork on the front, but coming back to it after using my 66 (read stiff as hell), the stiffness is just lacking. Any reports from the dirt on how it's performing chewi? especially if it's gnarly, rocky, crazy dirt?

I was thinking about getting a pike and just doing 20mm, but that's expensive (new fork, new front wheel, new brake adapter, etc). even if I sell the old fork, I'm still out a fair amount of money.

 

i did plenty of rock gardens and such today.

The reba fork is flimsy in a front to back manner... but it greatly increased the side to side and 'loose wheel' feel.

Kinda makes a noticeable difference.

 

well, it seems that there's no easy way of converting my hub to a 9mm RWS. it's an onyx hub and doesn't support the DT conversion.

I was looking at it today though. If I could get the current axle out, and find someone to make me a spacer, I could probably do it. I really needa buy a lathe/mill so I can start making silly parts to ghetto rig my bikes :lol:

edit: just looked at the dt swiss service manual, and this would actually work. If I could find somebody with a lathe to make a part for me, I could run a thru-bolt RWS on my onyx hub. I wouldn't even need new axle cups. Anyone got a lathe sitting around?

 

i did this same mod to my hope pro 2s and the stiffness was really noticeable but now i bought new lowers for my fox rlc'with the 15mm thru

 

oh this is freakin' cool! anyone know if you can convert a shimano XT hub to 9mm?

 

Brett,

How noticeable are we talking for the increase in stiffness? I can't get new lowers that are 15 or 20mm for my forks, so the 9mm option would be the best I could do for this Clyde.

 

i'm almost 100% possitive you can't. but i have done a solid axle with nuts (bmx style)

 

IMO the stiffness was significant on my fox float 32, i noticed going through really sandy stuff at speed the front didn't wallow and i wasn't fighting the bars the wheel just stayed straight.
but the stiffness factor will be different on different forks.
do this test. stand in front of your bike and hold the front wheel in between your knees(tight) now try and turn the bars in both direction this is a good way to check for the flex in the lowers.