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removing rear wheel from bike

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Australia and New Zealand
Published
6 August 2004
Last activity
11 August 2004
Original author
Ben
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30
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  1. Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my next
    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far from
    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben

  2. I lay it upside down, being very careful to lay it down as smooth as
    possible so I don't rub the seat or handlebars (the front light takes some
    of the abuse away from the handlebar thankfully). I haven't escaped the
    grease problem either. I only cycle to work and for rec so I have time to
    change a flat so I use as little surface area on my fingers as possible when
    touching the chain, I don't get too many flats so the grease has never been
    a big problem.

    Be interesting to hear how others do it.

    "Ben" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my


    next

    Quoted message said:

    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far


    from

    Quoted message said:

    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben

  3. & remember always pump the valve at 12 o'clock not 6 o'clock as I see so
    many people doing , no wonder so many presta valves get snapped. Also it
    helps to support your leading elbow against the top of your thigh to steady
    your pumping style.
    Steve @ IDEAL

    "atacca" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I lay it upside down, being very careful to lay it down as smooth as
    possible so I don't rub the seat or handlebars (the front light takes some
    of the abuse away from the handlebar thankfully). I haven't escaped the
    grease problem either. I only cycle to work and for rec so I have time to
    change a flat so I use as little surface area on my fingers as possible


    when

    Quoted message said:

    touching the chain, I don't get too many flats so the grease has never


    been

    Quoted message said:

    a big problem.

    Be interesting to hear how others do it.

    "Ben" <[email hidden]> wrote in message


    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands


    in

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my


    next

    Quoted message said:

    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far


    from

    Quoted message said:

    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben

  4. Haven't heard that one. Could you expand on that please. What is "12
    o'clock"? What I do is place the wheel against the ground so the bottom of
    the pump is on the ground so I can lean my body into it and know that the
    valve will not move, plus have the added benefit of using my body weight,
    not arm strength.

    "Steve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    & remember always pump the valve at 12 o'clock not 6 o'clock as I see so
    many people doing , no wonder so many presta valves get snapped. Also it
    helps to support your leading elbow against the top of your thigh to


    steady

    Quoted message said:

    your pumping style.
    Steve @ IDEAL

    "atacca" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I lay it upside down, being very careful to lay it down as smooth as
    possible so I don't rub the seat or handlebars (the front light takes


    some

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    of the abuse away from the handlebar thankfully). I haven't escaped the
    grease problem either. I only cycle to work and for rec so I have time


    to

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    change a flat so I use as little surface area on my fingers as possible


    when

    Quoted message said:

    touching the chain, I don't get too many flats so the grease has never


    been

    Quoted message said:

    a big problem.

    Be interesting to hear how others do it.

    "Ben" <[email hidden]> wrote in message


    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands


    in

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill


    I

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred


    my

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    next

    Quoted message said:

    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am


    far

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    from

    Quoted message said:

    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben

  5. "atacca" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]

    Quoted message said:

    Haven't heard that one. Could you expand on that please. What is "12
    o'clock"? What I do is place the wheel against the ground so the
    bottom of the pump is on the ground so I can lean my body into it and
    know that the valve will not move, plus have the added benefit of
    using my body weight, not arm strength.

    Please don't top-post.

    Bottom vs. top posting and quotation style on Usenet
    http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/usenet/brox.html

    Why is Bottom-posting better than Top-posting
    http://www.caliburn.nl/topposting.html

    http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/gey_stv0.htm

    http://www.fscked.co.uk/writing/top-posting-cuss.html

    --

    A: Top-posters.
    Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

  6. You mean bottom post (6 o'clock) pumping is better than top post (12
    o'clock) pumping! 🙂
    Steve @ IDEAL

    "DRS" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    "atacca" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]

    Quoted message said:

    Haven't heard that one. Could you expand on that please. What is "12
    o'clock"? What I do is place the wheel against the ground so the
    bottom of the pump is on the ground so I can lean my body into it and
    know that the valve will not move, plus have the added benefit of
    using my body weight, not arm strength.

    Please don't top-post.

    Bottom vs. top posting and quotation style on Usenet
    http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/usenet/brox.html

    Why is Bottom-posting better than Top-posting
    http://www.caliburn.nl/topposting.html

    http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/gey_stv0.htm

    http://www.fscked.co.uk/writing/top-posting-cuss.html

    --

    A: Top-posters.
    Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

  7. Ben said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my next
    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far from
    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben


    before taking wheel out, put chain onto smallest cog (which is what I assume you meant by smallest gear). Once repaired, etc pt wheel in and get in between brake arms and hen pull back into/onto chain and then rear dropout/s. bit of a knack to it, but once you've nailed it, it all makes sense. Still dont understand how those neutral Mavic wheel guys in the TdF do it in 5secs tho...

  8. Quoted message said:

    Please don't top-post.

    A: Top-posters.
    Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

    Roger. Good point, questionably presented (to me only, maybe). Being new
    to newsgroups I thought top posting was replying _above_ the original
    message, not replying with the _quotes_ below your reply.

    Point taken on board and never to be repeated, thanks.

    Atacca.

  9. Ben said:

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    Spread rag/coat/whatsit on ground.
    Turn bike turtle with seat on rag/etc.
    Sping pedals to check bike in lowest gear.
    Release brakes.
    Pull now lowest jockey wheel back to reduce amount of chain in contact
    with cluster.
    Release quick release/undo nuts.
    Remove wheel, forwards/away, up and to right to clear chain.
    Repair punture and reverse steps.

    Wipe hands with rag.

    Actually, I'm a tourer and it usually starts with select nice spot for
    cuppa, move bicycle to nice spot, set up trangia to boil water, then
    repair punture {:-)

  10. "Terry Collins" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Spread rag/coat/whatsit on ground.

    Meh.. I like the 'trashed race bike' look :-)

    Quoted message said:

    Turn bike turtle with seat on rag/etc.

    Yeah, upside-down, sitting on bars and saddle.

    Quoted message said:

    Sping pedals to check bike in lowest gear.

    Why?

    Quoted message said:

    Release brakes.

    There's quick release levers on better Shimano stuff. Just
    remember to put them back to the right position! :-)

    Quoted message said:

    Pull now lowest jockey wheel back to reduce amount of chain in contact
    with cluster.

    Why?

    Quoted message said:

    Release quick release/undo nuts.

    Right..

    Quoted message said:

    Remove wheel, forwards/away, up and to right to clear chain.
    Repair punture and reverse steps.

    Wipe hands with rag.

    What's all this 'lowest gear' stuff? I can take the wheel out
    without touching the chain with my hands and with the
    chain on a middle cog.. ???

    Release brake quick release
    Flip bike upside-down
    Undo wheel quick release
    Pull wheel up (assuming normal vertical dropouts)
    Push wheel back down.. lean to side and wiggle to
    drop chain off the cassette. (It IS often quicker to just lift
    the chain with a finger at this point, but you can hardly call
    that getting very greasy!)
    Pull wheel free and fix puncture.
    Reverse for fitting, using the QR "knob" to lift the chain up.

    Oh, if you HAVE to move the chain.. use a stick or
    something to stop dirty hands?

    hippy

  11. invest in a bike stand. it makes stuff like this a ton easier.

    and for avoiding greasy hands, use a rag to grab the chain

  12. Ben said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my next
    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far from
    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben


    Carry a couple of "surgical gloves". They are cheap as chips and
    disposable. Failing that you can do it with a bit of rag but ....

    --
    Remove norubbish to reply direct

    Jack Russell

  13. quote='Jack Russell'Ben said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my next
    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far from
    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben


    Carry a couple of "surgical gloves". They are cheap as chips and
    disposable. Failing that you can do it with a bit of rag but ....

    --
    Remove norubbish to reply direct

    Jack Russell[/QUOTE]

    You stole my suggestion! Gloves are an _excellent_ device for keeping hands clean. I don't want to arrive at work with black hands after fixing a flat.

    Ok, here's another one. As you begin re-installing the wheel, rest the sprockets on the chain and you'll find that the derailer is in the way, between the axle and the dropout. Pull the derailer back a little so the cassette clears it and voila! Wheel is in.

    Ritch


  14. Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Spin (ed) pedals to check bike in lowest gear.

    Why?

    Because when you put it back, you need to spin the wheel again to check
    you've put it back centred, doesn't rub, etc.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Pull now lowest jockey wheel back to reduce amount of chain in contact
    with cluster.

    Why?

    On my bike, there is a fair bit of chain wrap around rear. This unwraps
    a bit of it. Actually makes it easier to get back in more than anything.

    Quoted message said:


    What's all this 'lowest gear' stuff? I can take the wheel out
    without touching the chain with my hands and with the
    chain on a middle cog.. ???

    That is on your bicycle. Let me guess, tight range rear cluster, with
    52-40 triple on front?

    I run 36/34 to 13/14 rear cluster with 40-26 triple. there is a bit of
    chain about.

    ....snip.....

    Quoted message said:

    Oh, if you HAVE to move the chain.. use a stick or
    something to stop dirty hands?

    It is okay, I'm a man, I don't mind a little bit of grease {:-)
    It gives me an excuse to use hand cream <VBG>

  15. Greg-O said:


    invest in a bike stand. it makes stuff like this a ton easier.

    I've got two of those at home.
    It is quicker just to flip the bike and do it.
    Especially when you are out on the road.

  16. Ben said:

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.

    If you have no grease on your chain then you can't get it on your
    hands. There will be howls of protest but try using parafin wax on
    your chain every two or three months. You clean the chain in a solvent
    (I use petrol but you can expect more howls about that) then dunk it
    in molten wax. There are other more expensive dry lubs too.

    Depending on how much riding you do you may even have to change the
    chain more often but chains are cheap enough. Personally I change my
    chain every year but have never got near 1/16" over a foot stretch.

    Regards
    Bruce

    www.bcl.id.au

  17. Ben said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my next
    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far from
    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben


    Don't listen to those other clowns 😉 This is how REAL 😉 race mechanics change a rear wheel

    Flip open the brake QR. Stand on the NDS (non drive side). Face the rear wheel. Lift the rear of the bike one (left) handed with the DS seatstay. Bend over so the seat is in your abdomen. Got it?

    Undo the QR lever with your free hand. Swap your free hand to the drive side. Twist derailleur parallelogram backwards. Give the bike a good shake. If the wheel is installed correctly, it should drop out, hence the term "dropouts" for where the wheel goes in. If not, undo the QR nut a few turns and give the wheel a good wallop on the tyre at 12 to 2 o'clock. Still no good? We're into workshop territory now. Undo the QR all the way and take it out. Pull the seatstays apart with your mighty biceps. Still no good? Get a friend to do all the above wheel manipulation while you pull the seatstays apart with your mighty biceps. If no good, swap spots. If still no good, smash bike with large hammer, until frustration is righteously assuaged.

    If any of the above, short of the righteous anger, works, check the clearance in the dropout slots - should be +- 11mm. File or bend the slot apart (gently! snappage can occur!) to fit the wheel axle ends - slide the wheel in and out a few times to check.

    Some bikes' derailleur hangers are designed to frustrate easy wheel removal. Not much you can do about this. Buy a new frame? What a handy excuse . . .

    M "The devil lies in the frame design detail"H

  18. "Ben" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my next
    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far from
    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben

    Here it is...
    Don't bother changing gears mate, just remember the one you were in when you stopped.
    Turn the bike on it's reverse (this is simply to make it easier to work on).
    Undo the quick release and pull the wheel out.
    Replace tube/fix puncture(as if#2!).
    Replace wheel and ride away happy.

    If you ride a MTB you may also have to free the brakes.

    I don't see how you can get greasy doing the above chore, we all do it at some stage.

    G.

  19. Quoted message said:

    Terry Collins

    Quoted message said:

    hippy
    What's all this 'lowest gear' stuff? I can take the wheel out
    without touching the chain with my hands and with the
    chain on a middle cog.. ???

    That is on your bicycle. Let me guess, tight range rear cluster, with
    52-40 triple on front?

    Something like that, yeah..

    Quoted message said:

    I run 36/34 to 13/14 rear cluster with 40-26 triple. there is a bit of
    chain about.

    Ahh.. ok, that makes more sense.

    Hey, if you have two work stands and don't use them.. I know
    where you can send them 🙂

    hippy

  20. "Ben" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Ok I admit, most people here will think I am a jerk for asking this
    question, but I need advice.

    On my road bike, I got a flat tyre the other day ( Rear )
    Ok, I got the wheel of, put it in the smallest gear, no problem.
    But could I get the wheel back on ??? NO way, after I covered my hands in
    grease, and made a mess of my new bike, I tried over 10 times, untill I
    finally got it back on.
    It was very frustrating to say the least.

    Guys, please tell me any secrets in making this job easy, as I dred my


    next

    Quoted message said:

    rear flat tyre.

    Do you lay the bike on the ground, upside down ???

    I know once you get the knack, its like pumping up a tyre, but I am far


    from

    Quoted message said:

    getting the knack.
    Please advise me on how its done the esay way.

    A bery big thankyou,
    Ben


    I have never, ever turned the bike upside down......seems silly as I am sure
    that it must be harder to pull the wheel out than to drop it out......here
    is my tried and true technique.....

    I keep bike upright and stand on off-drive side. Shift to 2nd smallest cog
    (I got in this habit after having a bike with a lug on the drive side seat
    stay that I could put the chain over so that it stayed in place for
    replacement of the wheel), release brakes, release QR skewer, lean over back
    wheel and pivot derallieur to the rear......wheel generally drops out at
    this point (may need a slight tap on the top with palm sometimes). Grab
    wheel and shimmy it outside the loop of the chain, lay bike on LHS so chain
    is off the ground.

    I then replace the tube, pump it up whilst still off the bike and then pick
    up the bike and pretty well reverse the process. I always apply downwards
    pressure on the seat before tightening the QR skewer to make sure that the
    wheel is seated properly in the dropouts. I also grab and release the rear
    brakes a couple of times and then check that they are clearing the rim (ie.
    the wheel is in straight).

    At no stage in the process do I touch the chain!!!! I only touch the
    deraillieur which is usually fairly clean but I do carry a small rag in my
    seat bag (about 15 cm x 15cm) that stops tools from rattling and is great to
    use to grab the deraillieur.

    Ride On,

    Gags

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