Right. Got knocked over today (see this thread for details: http://www.tekforum.co.uk/posts/list/13905.page) and need to repair the damage. Obviously the rear wheel is FUBAR, and so is the tyre. The gears are OK though.
So, I want a new wheel... whats the story with taking off the gears and putting them on a new wheel? Is it something I can do myself? Would it be better to buy a wheel with the gears already on? How much should I be looking to pay for whatever bits I need? Anywhere I can get the bits I need?
I dont know a great deal about pushbikes, cars are more my thing, so please help :D
To remove the gears you need a special tool, but apart from that its easy enough. This is for tyres with inner tubes
If the tyre isnt already flat deflate it by pushing the valve. Undo the nuts holding the axle and just remove it from the bike leaving the chain on the frame. Once you have it off remove the tyre and inner tube, I always use a pair of spoon handles as levers to do this but Im old fashioned. Before you decide to scrap the tyre examine it, chances are it might not be a throw away. If it was flat then the inner tube has been punctured, find the hole and use a kit to repair, if its torn consider buying a new one.
Take the old wheel when you go to get a new one and ask for the gears to be removed. Before putting the new wheel on put the gears on and hand tighten. Also remember to put the inner tube and tyre back on. The rest of the assembly is the reverse of taking the wheel off. Tightening the gears back on fully is easy once the wheel is on the bike, just hold the brake on and pedal.
Remember to make sure the valve is straight before you inflate the tyre, if not then ease it around before you inflate it.
Chris, if you visit Halfords or most decent bike shops they can remove the gears from your old wheel
If youre buying a new wheel from the them, get them to femove and fitt your gears for you as favour for purchasing the new from them.
Whats the bike?
Cheers guys. The bike is just a £90 POS i use to get to and from work, nothing exciting. Im ok with getting the wheel on and off and changing inner tubes so I managed that part ok, the tyre is definately screwed as it has worn right through - a combination of me pushing it home with the wheel locked and when it was sandwiched between the car and the road lol.
I took the wheel to work to take the gears off at my leisure, as aparently someone I know reckons they have the right tools kicking around. As a bonus, it seems my company insures me for my journeys to and from work (something I didnt know about until today lol) so I may be able to recoup the cost of the wheel from work. Shame the whole bike isnt a write off, I wouldnt mind a decent one instead :lol:
Thanks very much for all the pointers, very useful and very much appreciated.
You sure you cant take it into a bike shop and get them to state that its a write off and needs replacing? Im sure the frame looks bent too... :twisted:
How many gears? You can get cheap-ass wheels off the internet cheaper than your lbs, but it depends on whether you have a cassette or a freehub.