How to Attach a Bicycle Wheel
There are a number of reasons to remove a bicycle wheel--perhaps you're repairing a flat tire or having a broken spoke replaced. As a final step you'll now need to attach the wheel. If attached improperly the wheel will not rotate evenly, affecting braking and shifting performance. Worse, the wheel may be loose, and dangerous to ride on.
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Instructions
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1
Shift the rear gear so that the shift cable has the greatest amount of slack and shift the front gear so that the chain is positioned on the largest chain ring. This step is necessary only if you're installing the rear wheel.
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2
Loosen the brakes if there isn't enough clearance between the wheel and the brake pads. Some brakes will feature a quick-release lever on the brake; open the lever. Other brakes will need to be pinched at the top, allowing for the base of the cable to be lifted from the slackened brake.
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3
Install the wheel. The tips of the wheel axle should be fully inserted in the dropouts. Dropouts are notches in the tips of the front fork and in the rear of the bike frame. If this is a rear wheel, make sure the chain is fitted over the outer sprocket on the wheel before inserting the wheel in the frame.
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4
Pass the axle skewer (each wheel comes with one) through the center of the wheel. If the skewer features a quick-release lever, insert the skewer so that the quick-release is on the left, non-drive side of the bicycle.
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5
Tighten the locknut on the other end of the skewer and close the quick-release. If the quick-release does not close or is difficult to close, the locknut is too tight.
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6
Re-tighten brake. If the brake featured a quick-release, close the quick release. Otherwise, once again pinch the top of the brake and nestle the head of the brake cable into the notch on the top of the brake.
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