Cleaning your drivetrain is never fun, especially this time of year. The salt and grit that riders face, especially in the northern half of the country, will destroy chains and other moving parts, unless you keep them clean. With the move to thru-axles on disc brake bikes, there aren’t many solutions out there for cleaning your chain on the bike without needing to keep your wheel on. This potentially leads to overspray on rotors, not to mention a spinning wheel while you are trying to work. Then there is also wanting to clean your frame, and but having a chain hanging from the stays when the wheel is off. Robert Axle Project has a solution with their Drive Thru dummy axles.
Back in the olden days, before disc brakes and thru-axles began their quest for world domination, there were various dummy axles that you can clamp onto the open dropout, and provide a guide for your chain when the wheel is off. Some worked better than others, but with the rise of the closed dropouts of thru-axles, they could no longer be used.
The Drive Thru is a simple solution, comprising of a short handle, a pulley wheel, an O-ring to keep the pulley wheel on and a threaded end that screws into the dropout. It was designed by frame builder Chris McGovern of McGovern Cycles to be a simple solution that still allows you to shift the derailleur while working. It installs with one hand, and has a knurled handle for a solid grip, even if your hands are wet or greasy. It makes a great tool to have whether you are a mechanic at a cross race, or working at home.
As you spin the cranks, the chain moves on the pulley wheel on the axle. When you shift, the pulley wheel slides along the dummy axle, letting the derailleur move as if it was moving up and down the cassette.
Along with cleaning, the Drive Thru is also a great solution for use when traveling. Even though I have bike racks on my car, if I’m traveling longer distances, I still prefer to take the wheels off and put the bike in the back seat. It just makes for better fuel economy, keeps the bike clean, and reduces the chances of something happening to the bike along the way. Something like the Drive Thru will help keep the chain tensioned and not let it rest on the chainstays. It would also be a great solution for travel bags and hard cases.
The Robert Axle Project Drive Thru is available in three different thread pitches to work with most bikes out there. There is also a Mavic Speed Release model available. To figure out which one you’ll need, use their handy What Axle Do I Need page. If you are using something like Focus’ RAT axles, pick up one of their replacement axles that we reviewed in the past. At $35, it’s not terribly expensive for tool that is precision machined and built to last longer than most people will own their next three bikes.
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
Location – Lancaster, PA
Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
Dream Bike – I’ll tell you when they make it
Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
Favorite Rides – Quiet country roads of Amish Country, some of the best roads around.
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