Cleaning a Folder

Perhaps this is redundant and I should already know how to do this...but I do not on this type of bike. I can clean chain and rear wheel on my other bikes, no problem.

How do you clean the chain and rear wheel where the rear cassttee is? My folder (Dahon Speed D7) does not have quick release features on the front or rear wheel.

I know I need to get these wheels converted over because it would make my life so much easier. Right now that is more $$$ but it will happen sometime, just do not know when.

Thankyou in advance.

Red Rock

You get the apropriate wrench to remove the wheels. Usually 14 or 15 mm. Is this an internally-geared 7-speed, ie no rear derailleur? If so, then getting the chain tension correct when re-installing the rear wheel is important. If you're unsure how to do this correctly, ask your LBS to show you.

DebW- yes, there is a rear derailleur. According to hte LBS, they said it was reverse from the "normal" ones. It has the V-brakes, fenders, and rear rack all to deal with on the back wheel.

Any helpful hints on rear wheel removal? I went to Bicycle Tutor website and watched this guy do it and he made it look SO easy to remove and put back the rear wheel after cleaning. I did it once and my DH and I had a hard time putting it back. We had to turn the bike upside down to get the wheel into the dropouts.

How do you balance putting the chain on the small cassette and putting enough pressure/force on the wheel to get it into the rear dropouts? (This is a more general question here but it pertains to the whole cleaning procedure.)

Thankyou,
Red Rock

The "reversed" derailleur means that if you disconnected the gear cable, the derailleur's spring would move it to the inside position, onto the largest rear cog. Before starting to remove the wheel, you put the deraulleur on the smallest cog and disconnect the V-brake where the noodle end fits against the brake arm. The rear rack and fenders shouldn't make the job technically more difficult, just harder to see what you're doing.

To get the wheel back in, you might have to pull back the derailleur or swivvel the jockey wheels to get the cassette past it. Then just line up the chain on the small cog. If you're doing this on the ground, hold the wheel straight and guide the bike down onto it - the weight of the bike will be enough to seat the wheel. If the bike is in a stand, put your thigh under the wheel from behind keep it from falling while you line up the hub with the dropouts. Make sure the axle is fully seated in the dropout as far as it will go, then hold it here with your thigh while tightening the nuts. You'll have to hold the rim centered between the chainstays with one hand while tightening the nuts. Tighten a bit on one side, then the other, back and forth until both nuts are tight. Sometimes the wheel tends to move out of place as you rotate the nuts, so keep an eye on the rim position.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Red Rock

DebW- yes, there is a rear derailleur. According to hte LBS, they said it was reverse from the "normal" ones. It has the V-brakes, fenders, and rear rack all to deal with on the back wheel.

Any helpful hints on rear wheel removal? I went to Bicycle Tutor website and watched this guy do it and he made it look SO easy to remove and put back the rear wheel after cleaning. I did it once and my DH and I had a hard time putting it back. We had to turn the bike upside down to get the wheel into the dropouts.

How do you balance putting the chain on the small cassette and putting enough pressure/force on the wheel to get it into the rear dropouts? (This is a more general question here but it pertains to the whole cleaning procedure.)

Thankyou,
Red Rock

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