How to Get a Mountain Bike Wheel Off

In this article, we will be discussing how to remove the wheel from a mountain bike. There are two ways to remove the wheel, using a wrench or using an allen key.

A wrench is a good option for removing wheels that are tightly secured on the axle of the bike. To use a wrench, you need to place it on both sides of the axle and tighten it with your hands by turning in opposite directions.

Wrenches can be found at most hardware stores and they cost around $10-$20 depending on what type of wrench you want to buy.

An allen key is another option for removing wheels that are tightly secured on the axle of the bike.

Why can’t I get my bike tire off?

If you have trouble getting bike tires on or off the rim Take your time and make sure it’s fully up inside the tire and not in-between the tire bead(s) and rim. For tubeless tires, the most likely thing is that the tire beads are not down in the rim well all the way around the tire.^[1]

How do you remove a wheel without quick-release?

Pull, or if the wheel’s on the ground, push the wheel fully up into the dropouts. For non quick-release wheels with axle nuts, the washers go to the outside of the dropouts. 3. For rear wheels, pull back on the rear derailleur to provide more chain clearance.^[2]

What is a through axle wheel?

A thru-axle (TA) is a wheel attachment system that secures a wheel on a hub between a pair of dropouts on a bicycle frame or fork. The thru-axle threads directly through the fork/frame holes and into the wheel hub, which makes the wheel secure from detaching.^[3]

What size is a bike wheel nut?

BSCy or BSC (British standard bicycle) it’s a 3/8″ diameter and 26 thread per inches.^[4]

What are bike cone wrenches used for?

A cone wrench or cone spanner is a tool used in bicycle assembly and maintenance to adjust the cones of cup and cone bearings. Cone wrenches are thinner and lighter than most other open ended wrenches that are used to work on bicycles.^[5]

How do you remove rear bike wheels with disc brakes and no quick release?

Step 1: Positioning. Step 2: Gear adjustment. Step 3: Disengage brakes. Step 4: Loosen the wheel nuts. Step 5: Detach the derailleur. Step 6: Lift the rear wheel off the chain.^[6]

Which side quick release front wheel?

The quick-release levers should be on the non-drive side of the bike. Quick releases must be tight and fully closed to ensure safety.^[7]

How do you break a stuck bead?

Basically what you do is just leave a a couple psi of air in the tires, and lay the wheel on its side, and step on the tire with your foot. It is a tight fit, but use your body weight to break the bead. This works, done it several times.^[8]

Can you put tire on rim yourself?

Mounting tires yourself can save you some money, especially if you have access to a tire mounting machine. However, you can also mount your own tires at home using little more than a pry bar and a great deal of effort.^[9]

Can you flip tires inside out?

Wearing thick-soled shoes, use one foot to step on the side of the tire. Then pull out on the other side with your hands to flip the tire inside out. This will be easy for regular car tires and will require more strength for SUV tires or larger tires.^[10]

Do disc brakes have quick release?

If you have rim brakes, you will have a quick release skewer. If you have disc brakes you will most likely have thru axle skewers. If you have a disc brake older than 2019, you may have a quick release skewer, but disc brake road bikes made today are generally thru axle.^[11]

What is a quick release axle?

A quick release wheel has a hollow axle, 9mm in diameter at the front and 10mm at the rear, with a 5mm diameter skewer that passes through it. Until recently, all road bikes used rim brakes and they all had front axles that were 100mm wide and rear axles that were 130mm wide.^[12]