How to Remove Rear Bike Tire

Are you that person who does not know how to remove a rear bike tire to fix a flat or fit it into your car to transport it? Many worry about the mess as it is a greasy job and ends with new problems such as chain alignment. You can become an expert if you read this passage below.

Creating Slack

It is imperative to create slack in the chain as this enables removing the rear wheel easier. Not only that, it eases wheel installation, too, as it highlights the correct path on how to line it up to the smallest of cogs.

However, the trick in creating the slack lies in shifting the chain down step by step to the smallest cog in the rear wheel. Once that is accomplished, you can adopt the same procedure with the crank-set in which the small chainring lies. The result is that the chain would almost automatically slip and fit into the bicycle frame.

How To Create Slack While Riding

There is a difference on which procedure to adopt when the puncture develops while you are riding or you notice it’s completely flat when the bike is in a stationary position.

While riding the bike, when you feel the air in the rear tire leaking away slowly but surely, you would have sufficient time to shift to the cog and ring, bringing the cycle to a halt.

How To Create Slack While Off The Bike

In case you are not on the bike riding, follow the next few steps mentioned here. Engage the right shift lever and lift the bike by holding the seat. You would notice the chain moving down the cogs at the rear. Engage the level a few times more till it slips onto the smallest cog while pushing the pedal with your hands.

Repeat the same procedure with the left shift lever while pedaling manually with your hand until the chain gets fixed on the ring in the front. Now you know how to remove the rear tire on a bike.

How to Remove the Rear Bike Tire Without Quick Release?

You may face a situation of how to remove the rear bike tire without quick release.

Follow these steps:

Rear cog to be shifted
Open that one nut to enable quick release.
You can undo the yoke cable in case the bike has a design of center- pull.
It becomes easier now to fit in the tire in-between the two brake blocks. If a tire has a narrow design, you can skip the idea of flattening the tire.
One more method is to loosen the two-axle nuts before pulling the derailleur free from the dropouts. Now force the wheel gently from the dropouts. The wheel is now out of the frame without a quick release.

There is one more procedure that is easier if you follow these steps meticulously. Also, you would require a screwdriver with a pair of pliers. Here are the steps:

The cables holding the rear brakes have to be released. It would enable the tire to pass through the brake pads.
Seat the bike upside down, and the bars and seat should have a clean piece of cloth below them to avoid scratches.
Take the two spanners, one in either hand and place them on the wheel nut and the axle.
Tighten the grip of the spanner on the axle and loosen the nut now.
Start loosening all the nuts following the same procedure but allow the nuts to stay where they are as this would hold onto the axle.
The idea is to keep the axle from damaging or interfering with the bearing races.
Shake the bike gently to check if the wheel is loose enough.
Lift the oily chain and hold it away from the sprocket and at the same time removes the wheel gently from the frame.
Remember to lift the chain around the axle end of it.

How to Remove the Rear Wheel on a Mountain Bike?

The steps are:

It does not matter which type of axle you have; the methodology is the same.
All bikes have gears on the rear, and you need to shift your equipment to enable the chain to fit into the smallest sprocket. It is to avoid chain tension which you can do when you try to release the wheel.
Swing the lower cage all the way around as the bike has an SRAM derailleur in it.
Now, engage the button which locks the cage. The idea is to make the chain slack for removing the rear wheel.
Undo the axle and gently slip the wheel out of the bike. Therefore depending on your axle type, you need to loosen that axle and unwind it.
Lift your bike up and carefully move the rear derailleur slightly backward and allow the chain to release the rear wheel.
Unlike the front wheel release, you need to line up both the disc rotor in the pads and subsequently the chain too. So, it’s best to line- up the chain first as it is further away. Place it on the small sprocket, line up the rear disc rotor between the pads, and put the wheel back in place.

How to Remove the Rear Wheel with Disc Brakes?

Here are the steps:

First, shift into the highest gear, which would be the smallest cog.
Next, hold the wheel firmly in hand and roll the tire.
Now press the lever and allow the wheel to fall from the dropout. Take care to avoid snagging the sprockets against the rear derailleur and chain. Also, take care by not pressing on the brake lever with the wheel off the bike.

Conclusion

We hope that you enjoyed the list above. The procedure and steps we have listed would bear benefits only if you follow them meticulously. We welcome your views and comments on this article and your opinion on whether you have benefitted from it practically.