One of the worst attributes of some companies is making "standards" that don't fit anybody else's products. One particular fork company has a 15 mm through axle that uses a different size male thread than everybody else on the market. I can hypothesize that the desire to have a "proprietary" design allows them to charge customers a whopping 90 bucks to replace it if lost or damaged. So, reason #122 to own a lathe; make a custom insert to fit the more common 15 mm standard through axle.
The original female 15mm receiver that requires you to rotate the piece to find the perfect lever tightness and position. On the right is the new 15mm insert that stays in position and works with a standard 15mm through axle, allowing you to tighten down and go.
The new insert in place...it's a perfect fit.
A happy DT Swiss skewer with adjustable lever, a quarter of the price of the original and so much more functional. Common sense FTW!
MUST you have machine tools to fabricate a bicycle frame? No, you can do much with hand files, patience, and skill. However, when a level of repeatable accuracy is required, the use of machines and fixtures arguably becomes necessary. In the video below, I walk you through one part of the process of machining the Hot Rod Cranks to visually demonstrate the need to move beyond the simple tools of the trade.
cheers,
Rody
