wheel question

mjd88 · Oct 21, 2009

So I bought my first bike since I was 12 this Monday (it's now 30 years later) and am having trouble with the new technology- it seems to be a little different from the stuff that came out in the seventies- lol. It's a Haro Mary SS and the guy in the shop didn't have a lot of time explain to me much of anything about this bike other than it's a well made but affordable mt bike which is what I was looking for. Obviously I'm a bit retarded- well totally retarded when it comes this new hobby and the internets don't seem to offer much more useful information than the owners manual which is completely useless.

So after I bought it I took it out on the trail for a 13 mile ride and had a blast. When I was done I figured out how to get the front wheel off so it would fit the back of my car easier and since it was also covered mud and pine needles and crap. When I got home I mounted the wheel and tightened up the lever but the wheel would barely spin. So Ioosened it up and loosened the nut on the other side- same result only a little less. I got it so loose that it finally spun freely but when I got on it the tire wobbled and felt like it would fall off. So I spent another 20 minutes looking at it and trying different tensions on each side before giving up. I can take it back to the shop which is a huge pain in the ass for me cause I'm a lazy bastard or I can try to solicit some information from more knowledgeable folks who may know how to handle this thing. So has anyone heard of this problem or know how to fix it? Thanks

ncj01 · Oct 21, 2009

Wow.

Welcome to the forum, glad you got back on a 29er.

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The shop is pretty negligent if they didn't go over the bike enough to show you how to install and remove the front wheel....I would take it back, and have them give you a full 20+minute walk-thru the whole bike. Front and rear wheels, chain tension, brake adjusting, tire pressure, safety checks, bolt tension, basic maintence, etc.etc...

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Almost certainly the problem is that your wheel isn't evenly/squarely in the fork's dropouts.

The way I insure it's squarely in is:
1) place front wheel onto fork
2) leave the quick-release lever open/floppy/loose
3) stand over the front of the bike, resting my chest and body weight ON the handlebar
4) at the same time as i'm on the bars with chest, adjust tension on the QR lever/bolt
5) tighten/close QR lever whilst my weight is still on the bars, insuring tightened while squarely in the fork dropouts

But really, if you're green enough to struggle with putting a QR front wheel on...you really need to get back into the shop for some basic tips. It will payoff in knowledge, reduced frustration, and safety.

Again, welcome.

mjd88 · Oct 21, 2009

ncj01 said:
Wow.

Welcome to the forum, glad you got back on a 29er.

------

The shop is pretty negligent if they didn't go over the bike enough to show you how to install and remove the front wheel....I would take it back, and have them give you a full 20+minute walk-thru the whole bike. Front and rear wheels, chain tension, brake adjusting, tire pressure, safety checks, bolt tension, basic maintence, etc.etc...

Thanks for the quick reply. The shop also sell sports clothes, ski stuff, kayaks, fishing stuff etc so I think the kids they hire aren't really experts in one thing. But they do have great deals!

I never would have thought to put the wheel on in the way described. I actually had the bike turned upside down figuring gravity would set the cross post in as far as it would go. I'm definitely trying it your way. thanks

yourideit · Oct 21, 2009

welcome

i think it's easier to put wheels on with the bike flipped upside down. it's just easier to line up the rotor between the pads. i then close the qr (quick release), flip the bike right side up, open the qr, and set the proper tension as stated above. i check both qr before every ride regardless of if the wheel was off or not.

youtube has some really good how to videos. just need to dig a bit sometimes to find them.

even if i did it in a stand like the guy in the video, i would still put it on the ground, lean over the bars and set it again.

ncj01 · Oct 21, 2009

I don't know anyone who does the bike upside down except kids at the BMX track.

I also don't hang at the trailhead with guys who do that either. It's a serious infraction on my coolness. It's like the red-headed-stepchild to C-bocking. In this case, it's blockin' my hip-ness.

mjd88 · Oct 21, 2009

yourideit said:
welcome

i think it's easier to put wheels on with the bike flipped upside down. it's just easier to line up the rotor between the pads. i then close the qr (quick release), flip the bike right side up, open the qr, and set the proper tension as stated above. i check both qr before every ride regardless of if the wheel was off or not.

youtube has some really good how to videos. just need to dig a bit sometimes to find them.

even if i did it in a stand like the guy in the video, i would still put it on the ground, lean over the bars and set it again.

Nick nack paddywack give the dog a bone! Awesome.

mjd88 · Oct 21, 2009

ncj01 said:
I don't know anyone who does the bike upside down except kids at the BMX track.

I also don't hang at the trailhead with guys who do that either. It's a serious infraction on my coolness. It's like the red-headed-stepchild to C-bocking. In this case, it's blockin' my hip-ness.

My first tip in mt biking protocol. much obliged.

madcap · Oct 21, 2009

check out sheldonbrown.com for many bicycle basics and lots more info that doesn't really pertain to your Mary SS

mjd88 · Oct 21, 2009

ncj01 said:
Wow.

The way I insure it's squarely in is:
1) place front wheel onto fork
2) leave the quick-release lever open/floppy/loose
3) stand over the front of the bike, resting my chest and body weight ON the handlebar
4) at the same time as i'm on the bars with chest, adjust tension on the QR lever/bolt
5) tighten/close QR lever whilst my weight is still on the bars, insuring tightened while squarely in the fork dropouts

But really, if you're green enough to struggle with putting a QR front wheel on...you really need to get back into the shop for some basic tips. It will payoff in knowledge, reduced frustration, and safety.

Again, welcome.

I have made the transition from bright green to mid-hazy green with a successful wheel mount!. Worked like a charm. Thanks again ncj01.

madcap · Oct 21, 2009

Did the store have bicycle mechanics and do repairs or were they retail only and no service?

I say if there were no competent mechanics on duty you should consider having a bike shop once over their build. Anything left loose on a new build could become a problem in short time.

mjd88 · Oct 22, 2009

They do have a guy that works on bikes but he's not full time. He's there three or four days a week. They did give me a free tune-up coupon after six months. I'm glad I got the front wheel working right even though there's a very slight "ting ting" that I can hear when I spin it. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be perfectly silent anyway.

ncj01 · Oct 22, 2009

mjd88 said:
I have made the transition from bright green to mid-hazy green with a successful wheel mount!. Worked like a charm. Thanks again ncj01.

AWESOME, glad it worked out!!

Now you're not to it yet...but the same exact procedure works wonders for the rear wheel as well.. only this time, you'll put your chest (I do the off center/near-arm-pit area) on the saddle.... the rear is more prone to not settle squarely into the drops than the front is...i've had many an experienced rider friend (and myself) often accidentally not get the rear wheel on right...

You ting-ting-ting is the rotor hitting the pad or front brake caliper... standard fare for a slightly tweaked rotor, and/or a non-pro-installed brake setup... if you can tolerate it, just ride...if not...play with it...if you make it worse, no worries, take it back to shop, tell them you'd like them to help insure the bike is set up correct (to start with).. Perfect silence is possible, but often elusive...

And definitely don't flip the bike over in public... there are things we do, and things we don't do...in public.

wheel question

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