A bicycle is equipped with a pair of wheels. They consist of a hub, rim and spokes. A hub is the centre part. It allows the wheel to spin. The rim has three main functions. It holds the tyre, provides a braking surface and it’s an anchor for spoke nipples. Spokes hold the hub and the rim together. Their job is to transfer the loads between the rim and the hub. Well tensioned spokes will ensure that your wheel is strong and straight. If they are loose the wheel will often need truing and if they are too tight the spokes might cause the damage to the rim and a hub flange.
The wheels come front and rear. Back wheels differ from the front ones because they have longer axles and hubs that can fit a cluster of cogs such as freewheel or cassette. If the wheels are designed for one type of the cogs it will be impossible to replace them with the other one.
Tyre sits on the rim and provides a flexible cushion to absorb shock and friction between a wheel and a road surface. There are many different types and sizes. Some tyres come with thread, others with patterns. Most tyres are designed to accommodate an innertube that is pneumatically filled with air. Some come without one. They are called tubeless.
If the innertube is punctured it will release the air through the hole and make the tyre flat.
In this section you can find how to fix a bike puncture, how to put a front wheel on a bike and much more.
Shimano freehub replacement is a necessary task for any cyclist who has noticed that their bike’s rear wheel is no longer engaging properly or is making strange noises when coasting. Replacing a Shimano freehub is a process that involves removing the old freehub from the wheel, installing a new one, and then reassembling the wheel. … Read more
If you’re a road cyclist, you might have heard the conventional wisdom that narrower tyres are better for speed and performance. Recent research has shown that putting wider tires on a road bike can offer significant advantages, including improved comfort, handling, and speed on surfaces like tarmac. In this article, our guest expert from Vittoria … Read more
Properly Inflated tyres not only give you the most efficient ride and reduce the wear on the sidewalls, they also stop your tyre slipping round the rim and giving you bent valves. In this article we will be look at why it happens, how it happens and how to stop it happening. If you’ve spotted … Read more
Quick release skewers are found on many modern bikes. If you’ve only ever had wheels with nuts, this can seem a bit confusing. The lever that releases the wheels goes through the axle. You may have noticed that there are two quick release skewer springs at the ends of the axle. In this article we … Read more
Sometimes a bike won’t have hexagonal nuts holding the wheels onto the frame. Instead there is a skewer that runs through the axle and this has a lever to hold the wheels in place. In this article we are going to look at bike skewer installation and help you to fit the skewers so that … Read more
Fitting a new tube? Changing your tyre? Putting on a new cassette? All of these jobs involve taking off your back wheel. If you want to know how to remove rear bike wheel, this article will take you through the process. Tools required for bicycle rear wheel removal Cross head screwdriver. This is to loosen any handlebar … Read more
Deflated tyre is a common and a frustrating occurrence for many cyclists. But is it possible to prevent it? In this article we are going to see how to stop bike wheel getting flat and discuss different puncture protection options. Finding the reason of a deflated tyre If you are getting constant punctures then first … Read more
Whether you have a puncture to repair or want to transport your bike you might want to remove the front wheel. What looks like a simple task can become a bit tricky especially if you have an electric motor or a dynamo hubs.. But don’t worry, in this article our experts will show you how … Read more
Getting a puncture doesn’t have to mean that your ride is over. With a bit of effort and knowledge you can be back on the road in no time. If you want to learn how to fix a bike puncture, you have come to the right place. What can cause a puncture? Penetration by a … Read more
If you have a wheel that isn’t running true, then it is sometimes possible to adjust the spoke nipples to improve it. It is a job that has to be done carefully and methodically, and we are here to show you how to true a bicycle wheel. Spotting the buckled wheel right away is … Read more