52
Wheel fastening: wheel nuts or quick-releases
The wheels are attached to the frame at the hub axles. Each axle is clamped tight
in its drop-outs by means of hexagon nuts or a quick-release. Furthermore, there
are thru axle wheels for mountain bikes.
Never ride a bike without having checked first whether the wheels are
securely fastened. A wheel that comes loose whilst riding is very likely to
cause an accident!
Wheel nuts (a) usually require a 15 mm spanner for tightening or loosening (some
BMX bikes require a 15 mm socket wrench). This tool is a must on any bike ride, as
you can have a lot of trouble repairing a puncture without it.
A special feature of BMX bikes is the axle pegs (b). When removing the wheels,
e.g. in the event of a puncture, the pegs must be removed as well. The axle pegs
are often threaded. Sometimes they are in place of the wheel nuts. Unscrew these
axle pegs with a spanner. Another type of axle pegs is bolted between the drop-
outs and the wheel nut. They are loosened automatically by unscrewing the wheel
nuts.
Quick-releases (c) require no tools at all. Just release the lever, unscrew it a few
turns if necessary and take out the wheel (See chapter “How to use the quick-
releases“).
The only drawback is that a thief will find this just as easy to do!
There are special locks available which you can use instead of quick-release levers.
For these, you need a specially coded key or an Allen key.
If your bike is equipped with quick-releases, be sure to lock it to an immov-
able object together with the wheels when you leave it outside.
The front wheel is usually secured additionally by means of drop-out safety tabs
which prevent the wheel from coming off altogether if the quick-release comes
loose.
There are different types of thru axle systems (d). Also read the chapter “Notes
on the mounting of thru axle wheels”.
If you are in doubt, ask your FELT dealer to show you how to handle the thru
axles.
ii
a b c d
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