DreamRider85

I have a mountain bike, but it has road bike type slicks. Wouldn't it be better to put back the knobby tires, since I plan on using it for mountains and dirt trails?

So would I have to take the whole wheel off? Or could I just deflate the tire, take it off, and put the other one back on?

CliffordK

????

• Remove the wheel from the bike.
• Deflate.
• Pull the tire off the rim (I can usually just pull it off the side of the rim).
• Move tube to new tire, and remount
• Reinflate.
• Make sure bead is properly set.
• Remount wheel.

(note, sometimes if brakes are problematic, deflate before removing wheel, and remount wheel before inflating).

stockae92

maybe this will help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueGfr70TJBQ

Darth Lefty 

That would be a neat trick.

sw686blue

No need to take off the wheel. Follow these easy steps.

1) Deflate the tire
2) Cut across the width of the old tire with scissors or a sharp knife
3) Cut across the width of the new tire
4) Wrap it around the tube and wheel
5) Duct tape the cut
6) Inflate the tire
7) Hit the trails!

700

No, I get it. He's just been riding around with the knobbies wrapped around the forks and chainstays. OP, you're fine with plan B!

SpeshulEd 

Pulling an Aaron Gwin...just keep both tires on the bike and switch as needed. ...or don't even bother and just ride the rim.

DreamRider85

Can't tell if being sarcastic. Use scissors?

SpeshulEd 

He's being sarcastic. If you want to remove the tire from the rim, you need to remove the entire wheel from the bike. The axle gets in the way if you don't.

This shouldn't be that difficult, if it is, then you should practice anyway. Put the chain on the smallest cog in the back, take the wheel off, swap tires, put the wheel back on, put the chain back on the small cog, done.

DreamRider85

W

What does smallest cog mean? I'm sorry, I'm not the most bike literate. I saw a video though for Trek that says put bike in highest gear

DreamRider85

All the steps seem reasonable, but removing the wheel seems like it has 10 steps and many different scenarios. What's the most reasonable and easy way to remove wheel?

CliffordK

Do you have something like a bike co-op that would help teach you some basic bicycle care and maintenance? Or as your local bike shop if the would be sometime you could work on a few simple things with supervision.

Some schools also have bike maintenance courses.

SpeshulEd 

Smallest cog is the little ring (gear) on your sprockets (cassette) on your back wheel. Same as your highest gear. Basically you put the chain in that gear so it's easy to get on and off when you remove the wheel.

This video was posted earlier. It seems to cover things pretty well. Give it a watch.

Changing your tires will be good practice for a flat tire. It's definitely a skill worth learning, especially if you're out by yourself on a trail.

DreamRider85

So I can see you put it on highest gear and just spin wheels backwards? But what is he doing with the levers exactly after that? That's the tricky part. I can't see it well and all bikes are different. What if I don't know what I'm doing? Also I have no idea how he put the tire back on bike.

Bradleykd

post a few pictures of your bike, both sides. We will be able to tell you step by step for your specific application

DreamRider85

DreamRider85

bump

LesterOfPuppets

Here's an overview:

Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Wheel Removal and Installation

More in-depth video on using QR skewers:


Even more on QR skewers:


On swapping out tires:

Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Tire and Inner Tube Replacement

LesterOfPuppets

Just get this frame, and put a Lefty fork on it!