Jan Heine wrote:
"... To put the "axle breaking problem" into perspective, I raced on Campagnolo Record hubs for 10 years, with 126 mm rear spacing, and I don't recall any axle failure during 70,000 miles. On the other hand, my commuting bike broke Record rear axles every 6 months. It seems that the torque from starting at traffic lights did them in. It appears that some products are strong enough for racing, but not for commuting."
That sounds much like the difference between Road Racing and Track Sprinting torque. Another reason why Track axles are solid. Also, why urban bike messengers can make good track cyclists (just my experience, from those I have known). In fact, Nelson Vails (Olympic Silver medal in 1982) would be a good example of this "cross-training".
Could also be simply that hopping into, out of, and around pot holes on rough city streets adds unusual stress on a typical commuter bike [ NO, I'm not referring to Jan on this issue]. A friend of mine had actually broken two solid axles on his commuting bike within a year, so even those are not bulletproof. His broken axles were both poor quality. I rebuilt his wheel and replaced his axle with a good quality Wheelsmith chro-moly replacement and he's had no further problems after 3 years of riding the same routes - and still with the all grace of a charging Rhino.
On a related issue, I have never personally broken any axle. But, I have seen many broken hollow axles. These are almost always accompanied by a broken, light alloy, modern q-r skewer. I have never seen a broken axle presented along with an undamaged traditional steel skewer. I suspect the weak spindles may have fractured first, and then the unsupported axles followed - but I have no way to confirm this.
It is also difficult to determine if a bent or mis-aligned dropout may have been the cause OF or was simply caused BY an axle failure. Whenever I see a broken rear axle, of any kind, I always check the rear dropouts, and I would put my money on these being twisted or unparallel - at least in the aftermath.
Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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