Attaching rear wheel

Roger Zoul said:

Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was able to
get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as proven to be
problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to my LBS...I took it
there with the wheel on there as best I could get it and the owner, who pointed out she's been
doing this for over 20 years, just bends down, loosens the quick-release lever, and quickly gets
the wheel back on correctly -- while I watched. Now, on the second occasion and I still can't do
it. Damn!

What happens when you try this, with the front wheel for instance? Your bicycle may have retention
ridges that prevent the wheel from dropping out in the event of an open quick release (QR). This
means that although you can manually remove the wheel, the QR must be unscrewed before the wheel
becomes free. There is an elastic stop nut on the opposite end of the QR skewer from the hand lever.
Hole this while rotating the handle to unscrew it. When putting the wheel back in, this process must
be reversed. However, it is a trial and error iterative process to find how far to tighten it so
that the lever closes securely. As you advance the skewer retaining nut, repeatedly try closing the
lever until it closes with a moderate push and give an over-center feel.

Quoted message said:

I'm thinking of paying a LBS employee to spend an hour training me on attaching this wheel. Not
being able to get the wheel back on is killing my ability to ride and enjoy the bike. The LBS
does have a bicycle maintenance course on the last Friday of every month, but I don't want to
wait that long.

I suspect you are afraid to ask because you should have asked that before you left the shop with the
new bicycle. Besides, engaging the chain of the rear wheel is another problem that is a sort of
balancing act. It works best when standing next to the upright bicycle, holding the rear of the
frame in the left hand while the wheel is engaged with the right hand. You do not have to touch the
chain when done correctly. This is also something the bicycle shop can demonstrate.

Quoted message said:

Any ideas? Has anyone else had this problem or is it just me?

Go to the bicycle shop and ASK!

Quoted message said:

BTW, I did post a question about this on the rec.bicycles.tech ng and got lots of good
suggestions, but I haven't been able to implement any of them.

Why?

Quoted message said:

I'm usually not so clueless!

You are trying hard to convince me otherwise.

Jobst Brandt [email hidden]

[email hidden] wrote:
:: Roger Zoul writes:
::
::: Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was able to
::: get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as proven to be
::: problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to my LBS...I took it
::: there with the wheel on there as best I could get it and the owner, who pointed out she's been
::: doing this for over 20 years, just bends down, loosens the quick-release lever, and quickly gets
::: the wheel back on correctly -- while I watched. Now, on the second occasion and I still can't do
::: it. Damn!
::
:: What happens when you try this, with the front wheel for instance? Your bicycle may have
:: retention ridges that prevent the wheel from dropping out in the event of an open quick release
:: (QR). This means that although you can manually remove the wheel, the QR must be unscrewed
:: before the wheel becomes free. There is an elastic stop nut on the opposite end of the QR skewer
:: from the hand lever. Hole this while rotating the handle to unscrew it. When putting the wheel
:: back in, this process must be reversed. However, it is a trial and error iterative process to
:: find how far to tighten it so that the lever closes securely. As you advance the skewer
:: retaining nut, repeatedly try closing the lever until it closes with a moderate push and give an
:: over-center feel.

Actually, I can work the QR fine. The problem is getting the wheel axle to go completely and fully
into the frame dropouts. I can and have theh wheel on the bike right now, but just not fully inside
the dropouts.

So the question could be asked: does it need to be fully in. It was when I got it, and after the LBS
owner did so.

::
::: I'm thinking of paying a LBS employee to spend an hour training me on attaching this wheel. Not
::: being able to get the wheel back on is killing my ability to ride and enjoy the bike. The LBS
::: does have a bicycle maintenance course on the last Friday of every month, but I don't want to
::: wait that long.
::
:: I suspect you are afraid to ask because you should have asked that before you left the shop with
:: the new bicycle.

You mean ask how to attach the wheel? I did ask and was shown (not on the rear wheel,
however). However, that didn't help. I think the front wheel should be easy....I may go
practice that one to see.

Besides, engaging the
:: chain of the rear wheel is another problem that is a sort of balancing act. It works best when
:: standing next to the upright bicycle, holding the rear of the frame in the left hand while the
:: wheel is engaged with the right hand. You do not have to touch the chain when done correctly.
:: This is also something the bicycle shop can demonstrate.

Yes, I need to see this done. I'm using a latex glove to keep chain grease off my hands.
::
::: Any ideas? Has anyone else had this problem or is it just me?
::
:: Go to the bicycle shop and ASK!

Getting ready to do so.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] wrote:
:: Roger Zoul writes:
::
::: Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was able
::: to get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as proven to
::: be problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to my LBS...I
::: took it there with the wheel on there as best I could get it and the owner, who pointed out
::: she's been doing this for over 20 years, just bends down, loosens the quick-release lever, and
::: quickly gets the wheel back on correctly -- while I watched. Now, on the second occasion and I
::: still can't do it. Damn!
::
:: What happens when you try this, with the front wheel for instance? Your bicycle may have
:: retention ridges that prevent the wheel from dropping out in the event of an open quick release
:: (QR). This means that although you can manually remove the wheel, the QR must be unscrewed
:: before the wheel becomes free. There is an elastic stop nut on the opposite end of the QR
:: skewer from the hand lever. Hole this while rotating the handle to unscrew it. When putting the
:: wheel back in, this process must be reversed. However, it is a trial and error iterative
:: process to find how far to tighten it so that the lever closes securely. As you advance the
:: skewer retaining nut, repeatedly try closing the lever until it closes with a moderate push and
:: give an over-center feel.

Actually, I can work the QR fine. The problem is getting the wheel axle to go completely and fully
into the frame dropouts. I can and have theh wheel on the bike right now, but just not fully
inside the dropouts.

So the question could be asked: does it need to be fully in. It was when I got it, and after the
LBS owner did so.

Not absolutely necessary as long as it's tight enough not to slip when you stand on the pedals, but
it's easier to get it centered properly by fully bottoming it in the dropouts than it is by wiggling
it while you tighten the QR. It does take a bit of a push to get it to bottom out in the dropouts
because you're working against the spring tension in the derailleur. Mske sure you have the rear
derailleur shifted to the highest (smallest) gear before you remove or try to reinstall the wheel.

...

Quoted message said:

Besides, engaging the
:: chain of the rear wheel is another problem that is a sort of balancing act. It works best when
:: standing next to the upright bicycle, holding the rear of the frame in the left hand while the
:: wheel is engaged with the right hand. You do not have to touch the chain when done correctly.
:: This is also something the bicycle shop can demonstrate.

Yes, I need to see this done. I'm using a latex glove to keep chain grease off my hands.

I've hardly ever managed to get the wheel off and back on without using at least one finger on the
chain, but I don't remove it that often, so I don't get a whole lot of practice.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> a écrit dans le message de
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] wrote:
:: Roger Zoul writes:
::
::: Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was able
::: to get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as proven to
::: be problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to my LBS...I....
::

Actually, I can work the QR fine. The problem is getting the wheel axle

to

Quoted message said:

go completely and fully into the frame dropouts. I can and have theh

wheel

Quoted message said:

on the bike right now, but just not fully inside the dropouts.

It looks to me like the spacing of the bike is slightly narrower than the one required by your
wheelset. For instance, a 134-mm spacing with a 135-mm spacing for an LX or XT hub, or a 132,5-mm
spacing to allow the use of both road (130-mm) and MTB (135-mm) wheels. If that's the case, you just
insert the wheel as you have done, then you need to pry the stays (by hand) open to allow more space
for the wheel.

Another potential problems: if you didn't release the brakes, the wheel may get off -- especially
with a flat -- but you will have a hard time squeezing it in. Make sure the brake is released,
especially if you inflated the tire before replacing it. Also, make sure that the derailleur is set
in high gear (i.e. as much outside as possible).

David Kerber wrote:
:: In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
::: [email hidden] wrote:
::::: Roger Zoul writes:
:::::
:::::: Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was able
:::::: to get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as proven to
:::::: be problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to my LBS...I
:::::: took it there with the wheel on there as best I could get it and the owner, who pointed out
:::::: she's been doing this for over 20 years, just bends down, loosens the quick-release lever,
:::::: and quickly gets the wheel back on correctly -- while I watched. Now, on the second occasion
:::::: and I still can't do it. Damn!
:::::
::::: What happens when you try this, with the front wheel for instance? Your bicycle may have
::::: retention ridges that prevent the wheel from dropping out in the event of an open quick
::::: release (QR). This means that although you can manually remove the wheel, the QR must be
::::: unscrewed before the wheel becomes free. There is an elastic stop nut on the opposite end of
::::: the QR skewer from the hand lever. Hole this while rotating the handle to unscrew it. When
::::: putting the wheel back in, this process must be reversed. However, it is a trial and error
::::: iterative process to find how far to tighten it so that the lever closes securely. As you
::::: advance the skewer retaining nut, repeatedly try closing the lever until it closes with a
::::: moderate push and give an over-center feel.
:::
::: Actually, I can work the QR fine. The problem is getting the wheel axle to go completely and
::: fully into the frame dropouts. I can and have theh wheel on the bike right now, but just not
::: fully inside the dropouts.
:::
::: So the question could be asked: does it need to be fully in. It was when I got it, and after the
::: LBS owner did so.
::
:: Not absolutely necessary as long as it's tight enough not to slip when you stand on the pedals,
:: but it's easier to get it centered properly by fully bottoming it in the dropouts than it is by
:: wiggling it while you tighten the QR. It does take a bit of a push to get it to bottom out in the
:: dropouts because you're working against the spring tension in the derailleur. Mske sure you have
:: the rear derailleur shifted to the highest (smallest) gear before you remove or try to reinstall
:: the wheel.
::

Well, I think I have it on now.....I went to the LBS and they showed me a hub-type deal with just
the QR lever and the frame dropouts...and I could clearly see the retention ridges -- and how they
protrude outward to each side from the bike. So, to properly engage the QR, you must get the entire
thing past those ridges.

However, my bike has no ridges....however, once I loosened the retaining nut enough (way more than
it seemed to need), the axle fell into place. Then, as Jobst explained, I was able to tighten it
back up. That solved the problem with the centering of the wheel, too.

Hopefully, I won't get hurt due to this wheel coming off the bike. That happened to me at age 12
while going downhill when a car behind me, but on the front wheel. I went over the handle bars and
landed on my back.

:: I've hardly ever managed to get the wheel off and back on without using at least one finger on
:: the chain, but I don't remove it that often, so I don't get a whole lot of practice.
::
:: --
:: Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!
::
:: REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

[email hidden] wrote:
:: Roger Zoul writes:
::
::: Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was able to
::: get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as proven to be
::: problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to my LBS...I took it
::: there with the wheel on there as best I could get it and the owner, who pointed out she's been
::: doing this for over 20 years, just bends down, loosens the quick-release lever, and quickly gets
::: the wheel back on correctly -- while I watched. Now, on the second occasion and I still can't do
::: it. Damn!
::
:: What happens when you try this, with the front wheel for instance? Your bicycle may have
:: retention ridges that prevent the wheel from dropping out in the event of an open quick release
:: (QR). This means that although you can manually remove the wheel, the QR must be unscrewed before
:: the wheel becomes free.

I now understand what you are saying....I went to the LBS and saw exactly what you describe.
However, my bike does not have retention ridges.

There is an elastic stop
:: nut on the opposite end of the QR skewer from the hand lever. Hole this while rotating the handle
:: to unscrew it. When putting the wheel back in, this process must be reversed. However, it is a
:: trial and error iterative process to find how far to tighten it so that the lever closes
:: securely. As you advance the skewer retaining nut, repeatedly try closing the lever until it
:: closes with a moderate push and give an over-center feel.

It was just a matter of loosening that nut enough...once I did that, the frame dropouts just fell
into place. Problem solved.

::
::: I'm thinking of paying a LBS employee to spend an hour training me on attaching this wheel. Not
::: being able to get the wheel back on is killing my ability to ride and enjoy the bike. The LBS
::: does have a bicycle maintenance course on the last Friday of every month, but I don't want to
::: wait that long.
::
:: I suspect you are afraid to ask because you should have asked that before you left the shop with
:: the new bicycle. Besides, engaging the chain of the rear wheel is another problem that is a sort
:: of balancing act. It works best when standing next to the upright bicycle, holding the rear of
:: the frame in the left hand while the wheel is engaged with the right hand. You do not have to
:: touch the chain when done correctly. This is also something the bicycle shop can demonstrate.
::

In the LBS, I was able to put a rear wheel on the bike without touching the chain, just by following
your technique while looking down from above the bike.! Somehow, having someone around to bail me
out helped 🙂

Your technique works better than what is described in the book "The Complete Idiots Guide
to Cycling."

Thanks for your help.

M Gagnon wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> a écrit dans le message de
:: "]news:[email hidden]...
::: [email hidden] wrote:
::::: Roger Zoul writes:
:::::
:::::: Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was able
:::::: to get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as proven to
:::::: be problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to my
:::::: LBS...I....
:::::
:::
::: Actually, I can work the QR fine. The problem is getting the wheel axle to go completely and
::: fully into the frame dropouts. I can and have theh wheel on the bike right now, but just not
::: fully inside the dropouts.
:::
::
::
:: It looks to me like the spacing of the bike is slightly narrower than the one required by your
:: wheelset. For instance, a 134-mm spacing with a 135-mm spacing for an LX or XT hub, or a 132,5-mm
:: spacing to allow the use of both road (130-mm) and MTB (135-mm) wheels. If that's the case, you
:: just insert the wheel as you have done, then you need to pry the stays (by hand) open to allow
:: more space for the wheel.
::

After really loosening the nut I find that hte spacing of the bike is a good bit wider than the
wheelset. Once I got it open enough, the axle when right into the frame dropouts.

:: Another potential problems: if you didn't release the brakes, the wheel may get off -- especially
:: with a flat -- but you will have a hard time squeezing it in. Make sure the brake is released,
:: especially if you inflated the tire before replacing it.

Yeah...with the tire inflated, I can't get the wheel through the brakes!

:: Also, make sure that the derailleur is set in high gear (i.e. as much outside as possible).

Right. Thanks.

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

David Kerber wrote:
:: In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...
::: [email hidden] wrote:
::::: Roger Zoul writes:
:::::
:::::: Since I got my road bike about a month ago, I've had two flats. On both occasions, I was
:::::: able to get the flat fixed readily. However, getting the rear wheel back on the bike as
:::::: proven to be problematic for me. On the first occasion I ended up taking the bike back to
:::::: my LBS...I took it there with the wheel on there as best I could get it and the owner, who
:::::: pointed out she's been doing this for over 20 years, just bends down, loosens the
:::::: quick-release lever, and quickly gets the wheel back on correctly -- while I watched. Now,
:::::: on the second occasion and I still can't do it. Damn!
:::::
::::: What happens when you try this, with the front wheel for instance? Your bicycle may have
::::: retention ridges that prevent the wheel from dropping out in the event of an open quick
::::: release (QR). This means that although you can manually remove the wheel, the QR must be
::::: unscrewed before the wheel becomes free. There is an elastic stop nut on the opposite end of
::::: the QR skewer from the hand lever. Hole this while rotating the handle to unscrew it. When
::::: putting the wheel back in, this process must be reversed. However, it is a trial and error
::::: iterative process to find how far to tighten it so that the lever closes securely. As you
::::: advance the skewer retaining nut, repeatedly try closing the lever until it closes with a
::::: moderate push and give an over-center feel.
:::
::: Actually, I can work the QR fine. The problem is getting the wheel axle to go completely and
::: fully into the frame dropouts. I can and have theh wheel on the bike right now, but just not
::: fully inside the dropouts.
:::
::: So the question could be asked: does it need to be fully in. It was when I got it, and after
::: the LBS owner did so.
::
:: Not absolutely necessary as long as it's tight enough not to slip when you stand on the pedals,
:: but it's easier to get it centered properly by fully bottoming it in the dropouts than it is by
:: wiggling it while you tighten the QR. It does take a bit of a push to get it to bottom out in
:: the dropouts because you're working against the spring tension in the derailleur. Mske sure you
:: have the rear derailleur shifted to the highest (smallest) gear before you remove or try to
:: reinstall the wheel.
::

Well, I think I have it on now.....I went to the LBS and they showed me a hub-type deal with just
the QR lever and the frame dropouts...and I could clearly see the retention ridges -- and how they
protrude outward to each side from the bike. So, to properly engage the QR, you must get the
entire thing past those ridges.

However, my bike has no ridges....however, once I loosened the retaining nut enough (way more than
it seemed to need), the axle fell into place. Then, as Jobst explained, I was able to tighten it
back up. That solved the problem with the centering of the wheel, too.

Hopefully, I won't get hurt due to this wheel coming off the bike. That happened to me at age 12
while going downhill when a car behind me, but on the front wheel. I went over the handle bars and
landed on my back.

That doesn't sound fun at all!!!!

If the QR's are tight, this won't be a problem. I've read somewhere that they should be tight enough
that you have to grab one of the frame tubes (fork blade on the front, or chainstay or seat stay on
the rear) with your fingers to pull it all the way in. Unless, of course, you are a weightlifter or
the governor of California <GGG>, in which case you might break it if you tried that. That's what I
do and I've never had one come loose in 20+ years of riding.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Roger Zoul said:

The LBS does have a bicycle maintenance course on the last friday of every month, but I don't want
to wait that long.

Go to the class. If you could "get" it from a newsgroup, you could get it from a book. I presume you
have looked at a book about cycling. Maybe Forester's "Effective Cycling", or any book on bike
maintenance.

But it often helps to see and do it live.

Quoted message said:

Any ideas? Has anyone else had this problem or is it just me?

Some rear wheels have tight clearances, making it more difficult for them to slip into place. There
are lots of other reasons why rear wheels can be hard to get on. Describe what happens. We can't see
from here.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | And what if you track down these men and kill them, what if you _`\(,_ | killed all of us?
From every corner of Europe, hundreds, (_)/ (_) | thousands would rise up to take our places.
Even Nazis can't kill that fast. -- Paul Henreid (Casablanca).

Quoted message said:

Roger Zoul writes:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm usually not so clueless!

Quoted message said:

You are trying hard to convince me otherwise.

Jobst,

Why do you have the need to insult people at least once per post? I enjoy your posts most of the
time, and often blow-hards get their comeuppance, but this "angry old man" bit is getting old.

Tim McTeague