Road Cycling - Wow, how is it that they can change the wheels so fast!

Funny thing - went to a friends house for a ride, and had to put my road bike in the back seat - taking off the front wheel. Anyways - it took a little time getting the wheel set just ride between the brake pads when tightening up the clamp. Watching the Tour De France, the road crews would jump out of the cars and replace wheels with a quick un clip and in with the new and no aligning? Whats the trick?

A well aligned frame, solid vertical dropouts, lots of practice.

Originally posted by MichaelW
A well aligned frame, solid vertical dropouts, lots of practice.

Lots of practice...

All ot he above and lots of practice.

Also there is usually a little lever on the brakes that widen them apart so you can slide the tire in and out more easily. Well atleast mine does.

Yep, the little lever/tab on the side of the Shimano brakes opens them up enough to easily slide the wheels out.

You can see the little tab on the left side of the brake in this picture. Just flick it up.

Yes, that little tab on the brakes helps. I, however, figured out a little trick years ago with that tab.

You set it up in reverse, i.e. adjust the cables with the tab in the open position, so that when you close the tab, it presses the pads against the rims. This pretty much assumes that you have 23mm tires or smaller.

Why on earth would anyone do such a moronic thing, you ask?

Well, two reasons. I can put my bike against any non-movable object and it will stay put. Just close the brakes down, tires won't roll, and bingo, I can lean my bike against anything without it falling over.

Second, it functions as a "confuse a thief" device. If I need to dash into a convenience store, I can lock the brakes, befuddling anyone who might try to ride away with it. They will be momentarily befuddled by the fact that the bike won't roll. It gives me those precious seconds.

And, for those who have returned to the idea that I need some help in basic common sense, please note that I only use this where I am pretty sure that nothing is going to happen to the bike anyway. It's just a "perplex a con", not an anti-theft, device.

Oh, a third use for this reverse set-up is for training. Suppose you want a really good work out, well... :p

Cheers,
Jamie

Jamie, I knew i wasnt the only one thinking that way! ;)

Oh, and don't forget ... lot's of practice. :roflmao:

Joe,

maybe it's a Utah thing. I grew up in SLC. My Dad's still lives there. Spent virtually every afternoon of my teenage years on a bike in one of the canyons, and every winter weekend on the slopes. Do they still run the criteriums out at the international center?

Cheers,
Jamie

Originally posted by jmlee
Yes, that little tab on the brakes helps. I, however, figured out a little trick years ago with that tab.

You set it up in reverse, i.e. adjust the cables with the tab in the open position, so that when you close the tab, it presses the pads against the rims. This pretty much assumes that you have 23mm tires or smaller.

Why on earth would anyone do such a moronic thing, you ask?

Well, two reasons. I can put my bike against any non-movable object and it will stay put. Just close the brakes down, tires won't roll, and bingo, I can lean my bike against anything without it falling over.

Second, it functions as a "confuse a thief" device. If I need to dash into a convenience store, I can lock the brakes, befuddling anyone who might try to ride away with it. They will be momentarily befuddled by the fact that the bike won't roll. It gives me those precious seconds.

And, for those who have returned to the idea that I need some help in basic common sense, please note that I only use this where I am pretty sure that nothing is going to happen to the bike anyway. It's just a "perplex a con", not an anti-theft, device.

Oh, a third use for this reverse set-up is for training. Suppose you want a really good work out, well... :p

Cheers,
Jamie


That was how my brakes were set-up before, but a friend told me it was wrong. However, it is a good idea to set it up that way to prevent theft!

"Wrong" would be a relative concept here. It certainly wasn't the intention of the designers. But, as long as it doesn't effect the way the brake function, I see no harm in it.

But, before I go convincing someone to set his/her brakes up like this, I suggest taking a good look at how they are designed to make sure there isn't anything unsafe about it.

On my brakes (Suntour Superbe--yes, my bike's that old), I can't see any way it would decrease their stopping power, nor have I detected anything in practice. And, I've ridden a lot of miles with them set up this way.

Cheers,
Jaime

With the tab set in the normal position, you can disable the brakes by opening the tab. With Campy, the tension release is at the levers. If you forget to re-close the brakes, with Shimano they wont work, but with Campy they do.

With the tab set in the normal position, you can disable the brakes by opening the tab. With Campy, the tension release is at the levers. If you forget to re-close the brakes, with Shimano they wont work, but with Campy they do.
I use Shimano brakes with an older lever so I cable realease at both places. It makes adjustment very easy.

Another purpose for the tab to open up the brakes is for times when a spoke breaks and the wheel starts to wobble. Opening the brakes a little bit can keep the rim from rubbing the brakes.