(1) Make sure that the rear derailleur is still in its outermost, high gear, position.
(2) Pull the derailleur body back with your right hand.
(3) Move the quick-release lever to the OPEN position (see fig. 6). The lever should be on the side of the wheel opposite
the derailleur and freewheel sprockets.
(4) Put the chain on top of the smallest freewheel sprocket. Then, insert the wheel into the frame dropouts and pull it all the
way in to the dropouts.
(5) Tighten the quick-release adjusting nut until it is finger tight against the frame dropout; then swing the lever toward the
front of the bike until it is parallel to the frame’s chainstay or seatstay and is curved toward the wheel (fig. 7a & fig. 8). To apply
enough clamping force, you should have to wrap your fingers around a frame tube for leverage, and the lever should leave a
clear imprint in the palm of your hand.
!
WARNING
: Securely clamping the wheel takes considerable force. If you can fully close the quick release without wrapping your fingers around
the seatstay or chainstay for leverage, and the lever does not leave a clear imprint in the palm of your hand, the tension is insufficient. Open the le-
ver; turn the tension adjusting nut clockwise a quarter turn; then try again. The rear wheel must be secured to the bicycle frame with sufficient force
so that it cannot be pulled forward by the chain, even under the greatest pedaling force. If the wheel moves under pedaling force, the tire can touch
the frame, which can cause you to lose control and fall.
(6) If the lever cannot be pushed all the way to a position parallel to the chainstay or seatstay tube, return the lever to the OPEN position. Then turn the
adjusting nut counterclockwise one-quarter turn and try tightening again.
(7) Push the rear derailleur back into position.
(8) Re-engage the brake quick-release mechanism to restore correct brake pad-to-rim clearance; spin the wheel to make sure that it is centered in the frame
and clears the brake pads; then squeeze the brake lever and make sure that the brakes are operating correctly.
3. Removing and Installing Bolt-On Wheels
a. Removing a Bolt-On Front Wheel
(1) If your bike has rim brakes, disengage the brake’s quick-release mechanism to open the clearance between the tire and the
brake pads (see Section 4.C, figs. 11 through 15).
(2) Using a correct size wrench, loosen the two axle nuts.
(3) If your front fork has a clip-on type secondary retention device, disengage it and go to the next step. If your front fork has an
integral secondary retention device, loosen the axle nuts enough to allow wheel removal; then go to the next step.
(4) Raise the front wheel a few inches off the ground and tap the top of the wheel with the palm of your hand to knock the wheel
out of the fork ends.
23
