Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

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belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by belgiangoth »

It doesn’t help that my other bike has no rear brake and has track dropouts for fixed.
I am currently struggling with holding bike up, lining up wheel for gears and disk brake. Any smart hacks? (I don’t even know whether I should be leaving it on the big or small cog! That’s how long it’s been since I used derailleur gears)
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
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hoarder
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Location: South of Newmarket, SW of Bury St. Edmunds. ǝןƃuɐ ʇuǝɹǝɟɟıp ɐ ɯoɹɟ sƃuıɥʇ ʇɐ ƃuıʞool

Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by hoarder »

I carry a long strap (similar to below) for holding up the rear frame/rack of the trike - loop it over the nearest a tree branch or horizontal post, and it can keep the rear wheel off the ground to make removal / replacement easier. At home I loop it through the upper frame of the garage door.

small strap.jpg
small strap.jpg (18.11 KiB) Viewed 3967 times


I usually have the chain mid range on the cassette when removing/replacing.
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by thirdcrank »

If you change onto the smallest sprocket, there's less to get in the way when you are removing and refitting the wheel.
Brucey
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Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by Brucey »

back in days of yoof, one would turn a bike upside down when replacing the back wheel. Today, with disc brakes, it still isn't a bad idea.


Easiest on the small sprocket and preferably not with the chain on the big ring either.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
hercule
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by hercule »

On my Fuego I find it easiest to lie it on its left side and slide it in. The new SRAM rear mechs that lock out the jockey wheel spring make a fiddly task much easier! The strap technique will also work with a bike, provided you’ve got a prop stand - just use the strap on an appropriate branch etc to hold up the rear end tilted onto the deployed stand. Either way round get the bike on the ground and open and close the QR to get the axle sitting snugly in the dropouts.
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NUKe
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Location: Suffolk

Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by NUKe »

thirdcrank wrote:If you change onto the smallest sprocket, there's less to get in the way when you are removing and refitting the wheel.

Normally I would agree with thirdcrank, but if we are talking your Streetmachine, then its similar to the Grasshopper and I find that the Mech get s in the way, I tend to put it in 5th and it seems to slide in better
NUKe
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thirdcrank
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by thirdcrank »

NUKe wrote: ... Normally I would agree with thirdcrank, but if we are talking your Streetmachine, then its similar to the Grasshopper and I find that the Mech get s in the way, I tend to put it in 5th and it seems to slide in better


My mistake. :oops: Even though my memory's not as good as it was, I don't think I'd ever have been able to associate every forum member's username with their bike. There are a few exceptions, of course: IIRC, there's somebody with a Mercian. :wink:

Anyway, apart from the insect, grasshopper to me = a young character in the Kung Fu films which were popular in an era which still seems fresh in my memory.
belgiangoth
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Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by belgiangoth »

I have been using my regular bike repair stand (on lowest setting) attached to the rear rack. It's a bit wobbly side-to-side, but if the front wheel is leaned against something it holds its position.
I'm thinking that maybe a SS hub would also provide a holding point for the bike, but would raise it quire high up.
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
nigelnightmare
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Joined: 19 Sep 2016, 10:33pm

Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by nigelnightmare »

Can't you just turn it upside down?
Edit*
*I put cloths underneath to prevent damage.
I always carry some wrapped around the tools fixed with rubber bands, stops them rattling, keeps them together & gives something to wipe hands clean afterwards.*
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Not necessarily in the HPV forum.

My raptobike would have been even worse upside-down than right way up.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
PAB855
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by PAB855 »

We carry two short lengths of offcuts of plastic downpipe on the ICE Adventure trike. One is cut with a vee end . It is of a length to support the frame cross tube near one wheel when the trike is upside down . The support bar clamped near the other wheel, supports the other end. The bar end change lever needs to be lying flat ie in top gear to clear the ground.
The other length is a bit shorter to be used to support the frame near the hinge. This sorts out the problem of trying to be at both ends at the same time eg if wanting to change gear while stationary.
The pipes are carried in a pannier.
I suppose the one longer length would do but it would mean the rear end would be higher than necessary and might result in instability.

An earlier way of carrying the longer pipe was to have it strapped across the rear of the seat, low down. I used the pipe to stash away some basic tools, puncture repair kit etc inside and lo and behold a short piece of tubular foam pipe insulation plugged each end perfectly and nothing ever escaped through the half inch holes!!! A slight irritation was that the insulation was such a good fit, it was a wee bit reluctant to be removed, but made a very secure closure.

Inspired Cycle Experiences.

Cheers
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by Tigerbiten »

I do it in three operations with my ICE Sprint FS.

Balance trike on it's left front wheel.
I find this is the easiest side to start the wheel when feeding the chain and chain tensioner around/over the sprocket.

Once it's started with the chain in the right place and the disk rotor hits the calliper body then turn it over onto the right front wheel.
I need it on this side so I can see when the disk rotor is in relation to the calliper slot and where the Rohloff dogbone reaction arm is.

And lastly once everything is in place then stand it on all three wheels before finally doing the QR up fully.
If the QR is done up before any weight is on the back wheel then the disk rotor won't be centered in the calliper due to uneven force generated by the chain.

I just have to be careful of the mirrors when it's tipped over on each wheel.
I also tend to stuff the sidepod bags with soft junk because they help to hold the backend up a little when full.

Easy .......... :D
PAB855
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by PAB855 »

Tigerbiten, I would probably manage with the trike on its side just as you describe, but our Adventure RS also has a battery on the rear rack and a hub motor on the rear wheel, making it a much heavier wheel to work with. By having the machine upside down, gravity helps. I've tried with it on its side and found it's very tricky.

Cheers
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by Tigerbiten »

No problem ........ :D

I only do it that way because I cannot balance my trike upside down.
I've extended my front derailleur post by around a foot to support the back of a streamer fairing.
While it does also make a good GPS mount, it also removes any flat surface at the front.
And at the back I've only got the hardshell seat headrest to balance it on.
If I could find a way of balancing the trike upside down that made it easier then I would probably do it that way.
I'm sure supporting the backend up and then fitting the wheel in from below is quicker.
But with only one hand/arm, I don't have that level of control over the wheel.
So over the years, I've developed that 3 step way of putting the back wheel back in simply because it's the easiest way for me.

YMMV ....... :D
nigelnightmare
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Re: Removing and refitting rear wheel on bike

Post by nigelnightmare »

This is the problem I've noticed with disc brakes, it makes refitting the wheel a lot more fiddly.

With my ICE Qnt I lift the rear, put the wheel under hooking it through the chain then lower the trike onto the wheel lining up the disc/axle and rear derailleur.
It's easier than the two wheeled recumbent because it is stable on the front wheels.
Unless you have a workstand it's almost a 2 man job.

Try laying it on it's side as "tigerbiten" does with his trike.
At least then you won't be trying to hold the bike up/steady with one hand & struggling to hold the wheel, manipulate the chain and line everything up with the other.
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