# how to remove the rear wheel on my single speed



## shorttrips (8 Jun 2010)

To save me messing about for hours can anyone advise if I will need to remove a link in the chain to remove the rear wheel on my bike with horizontal drop outs? or is it possible to flip the chain off. The bike is new so the chain is nice and tight. The axle seems to be very near the end of the drop outs. I am worried re possible puncture in rear tyre and then not being able to remove the wheel to fix it! any advice welcome


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## MajorMantra (8 Jun 2010)

Normally a FG/SS bike is set up so you can undo the bolts/nuts on the rear hub, slide it forward, and pull the chain off the cog. If the chain is too short this may not be possible. 

If it's _almost_ possible, you may be able to get the wheel out by pulling the chain off the chainring first as this is easier than getting it off the cog.


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## Rob3rt (9 Jun 2010)

Loosen the wheel, push it forward in the drop out to create some slack in the chain, push the chain off the chain ring (holding ther chain line off centre while slowly turning it backwards, carefully so you dont jam your fingers). Then unhook it from the rear cog and slip the wheel back and out.

To put it back, slip the wheel back in, hook the chain on the rear cog, then make sure the wheel is loose and forward in the dropout, hook it on a couple of teeth on the chainring, and slowly turn the dedals forward while guiding the chainline such that the chain guides itself back onto the chain ring. Pull the wheel back to tension the chain. Tighten the wheel (nice and tight so it doesnt slip forward when acelerating hard).


But.......... you dont need to remove the wheel to fix a puncture. Just whip the tyre half off, loosen the valve nut, and slip the tube out, it will still be attached to the bike but it will allow you enough freedom to find the puncture and make the fix.


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## shorttrips (10 Jun 2010)

*thanks*

thanks for the tips, I'm putting some of those crud catcher mudgaurds on tonight as rain forcast and it says to drop the wheel although I am hoping i can just slip them round the wheel!


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## MajorMantra (10 Jun 2010)

shorttrips said:


> thanks for the tips, I'm putting some of those crud catcher mudgaurds on tonight as rain forcast and it says to drop the wheel although I am hoping i can just slip them round the wheel!



I've got Crud Roadracers on one of my fixeds. It's going to be a bugger when I puncture...


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