Tire changing/Wheel removal

[OakLeaf]

Did you let the air out of the tire? A lot of rear triangles don't have enough clearance to get the wheel out when the tire is pressurized.

[Catrin]

Did you let the air out of the tire? A lot of rear triangles don't have enough clearance to get the wheel out when the tire is pressurized.

Really? I didn't know this & didn't think about it, thanks. I just wanted some practice on taking the rear wheel on and off. I've seen it done often enough, but didn't want my first time to be on the side of the road with a flat...

[tulip]

Sometimes you have to sharply strike the wheel to get it to come out of the dropouts. Putting the wheel back on will take some paying attention to aligning it so that it is centered. Keep at it. You'll get there. And GOOD FOR YOU for learning how to do change flats!

[Catrin]

Sometimes you have to sharply strike the wheel to get it to come out of the dropouts. Putting the wheel back on will take some paying attention to aligning it so that it is centered. Keep at it. You'll get there. And GOOD FOR YOU for learning how to do change flats!

I will work more with this tonight or tomorrow. The guys at my LBS today explained that this isn't an uncommon problem for the rear wheel - and my fitter told me that most flat tires are on the rear

I have yet to have a flat tire, but given my general preferred style of riding when it happens I will be 30 miles from my apartment or car, no cell phone reception or no one that I can call, and it will be raining. I figure that I need to practice NOW

I am very pleased at how easy a process it actually was to change my tube last night - the tires on my LHT are much easier to work with than the tires that were on my Trek, for sure. Now I just need to practice getting that rear wheel on and off - though I suspect that will be easier on the custom bike as it will be much lighter.

[Pedal Wench]

I always tell my customers to practice at home instead of learning this, like you say, 30 miles from home, in the rain.

I find it much easier to remove the rear tire if I have the bike upside down. It's a bad habit that I always do it this way, but it's easier than laying the bike down with the crank on the ground. Less balancing and I can use one hand on the rear derailleur and the other to lift the wheel out.

[Catrin]

I always tell my customers to practice at home instead of learning this, like you say, 30 miles from home, in the rain.

I find it much easier to remove the rear tire if I have the bike upside down. It's a bad habit that I always do it this way, but it's easier than laying the bike down with the crank on the ground. Less balancing and I can use one hand on the rear derailleur and the other to lift the wheel out.

I had it upside down, and did as you suggest here - one hand on RD and other trying to lift the wheel out but it wouldn't budge. I also think there might be some grit in the rear brake from my ride last weekend so I do need to get that wheel off so I can investigate better.

Would it help to put my foot on the saddle or can I harm the rails that way? Selle Italia saddle if it matters - I do not know what the rails are made of.

[lph]

Hmmm. as long as you don't stomp on the saddle, I'm pretty sure the rails will take your weight just fine. But I'm surprised you're needing that much force. Unless there's corrosion or rust or something in between a short yank should loosen most wheels (well, most wheels you just lift out, it's just the chain and derailleur gizmos that add sideways drag). I know you said you've loosened the QR, but it sounds to me like it's keeping the wheel snug. Just check once more, that you're absolutely sure it's open and loose, the same way as on the front wheel. Loosen/open the brakes (you'll see the brake pads moving away from the rim to give it clearance). Let air out of the tire and squeeze the tire with your fingers (you should see that the rim and tire will then easily be able to pass the brake pads).

Have the chain on the smallest cog, and try pulling the derailleur back and forth with your hand (a bit greasy), see if you can actually pull the chain off the cog. The drag from the chain wrapped around the cog should be the only thing keeping the wheel a little "stuck". Give the wheel a little wiggle back and forth while you're doing this, and you should feel that it just sits loosely in the dropouts and can be lifted out once you maneuver the chain off the last cog.

The problem with removing rear wheels is sort of that are a lot of small sticking points that need a little wiggling almost at the same time, but there shouldn't be any real force involved.

Pardon the sermon