Please be nice, I’m a total noob when it comes to bikes and I don’t know like what things are called and stuff. Also I know my bike is kind of a gross old beater, no I will not be replacing it.
I took both wheels off to replace the inner tubes which went fine, got the front wheel on fine, but I can’t get the back one to sit straight no matter how hard I try. I’ve taken the bolts on and off quite a few times and made subtle adjustments but it just won’t stay straight.
I don’t have access to specialised tools or anything so that won’t really help – I’ve got the basics like an adjustable wrench and stuff but I’m really hoping to avoid buying new tools if possible.
by mosssfroggy
3 Comments
Stradle the bike and press the wheel backwards until you got a reasonable tension on the chain and the wheel is reasonably straight. Tighten down the drivetrain side first(not too hard) then fine align the wheel and tighten down the other side and finally give both sides another go to make sure they won’t come undone.
And do yourself a favour and buy a fixed wrench to use instead of the adjustable one.
Edit: if you got a fixed plate on the drive side, skip to the fine align step. And look at the rim, not the tire.
Are there washers under the nut? If not, I suggest them. Without, turning the nut on the frame can mqke it move out of place a bit.
Also, use a good wrench. When the wheel is in place, tighten each nut a little bit at time, alternating sides.
i would set kt in the dropouts with it on the ground like you are about to ride it, and center it with it under some weight. If your axle moves as you tighten the nut consider putting grease on the axle. also keep in mind adjusting the tires this way will also effect your brake pads, they may require an adjustment in order to work as intended.