How to change a longtail wheel – benefiting from a center stand and a very talented mechanic. Val made it look easy while I hope I don’t ever have to do that; at least on the road.
The technique is to remove/replace just like a road wheel: start on the center stand, lift the rear up cradling the Xtracycle in the left arm; center the wheel in the drops with the right arm, catching the cassette on the chain, and let the rear fall into place.
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If you drop the front wheel first, will the whole thing tilt forward on the center stand?
The weight is centered in the back on Bettie. I haven’t had to remove the front wheel, but with all the weight we have back there, I think the bike isn’t going to balance forward.
Actually, yes, with the front wheel off, the bike would tilt forward (the way to tell is to look at which wheel is on the ground when the bike is normally parked). I hadn’t tried that, as I have no problem lifting the back of the bike to remove/reinstall the wheel. Also, I think that, while the bike would tilt forward, it would not be enough to allow the rear wheel to slide past the frame, and then you would have two wheels to reinstall. With the wheel off, the stand remains in place, and you just set the bike back onto it while you work on the wheel. If you need to work on the front wheel, more weight in the rear will hold the front end off the ground, but you may still need to raise it a bit to get the wheel out and in. Having the bike wait politely upright for you is always nice.
Bettie is polite as Val notes, but must be treated with respect . . . I learned this on a hill start with a steep descent. The weight shifted and Bettie threw me down hard. It was not polite, rather stupid, to start Bettie in that position on a hill.