legot73: thanks for the offer! i do have that pdf though. i didn't realize that the roller brake and the hub have different manuals! so eventually i downloaded the roller brake manual and then i knew what to do. but just as a warning: the roller brake manual shows a brake "quick-release" that doesn't look or work like my quick-release. i have an '06 bianchi milano.

if your bike is like my bike, you shouldn't have to adjust any cables after you remove your wheel--the brake cable and the shifter cable both come out with the nut still attached, so when you reinstall the wheel, you just pop them back where they were.

the bike mechanic at my LBS said that after the shifting is worn in a little, 4 and 5 will be kind of mushy. i used to have to give the shifter a little push to get into 4th. but now i have it mis-adjusted differently so i don't have to do that anymore do you know how to use the barrel adjuster on the shifter? the mechanic told me to use the barrel adjuster to adjust the shifting, until i can see 1/4" or so of threads sticking out, and then i need to tighten the barrel back up and adjust the shifting with the nut down at the hub (the nut that you pull out when you need to take off your wheel). you don't want to let the barrel adjuster have more than 1/4" or so of threads showing, because it could snap off.

hope some of that makes sense. i think i'm going to make a tutorial or something, in case anyone is desperately searching the internet trying to find why they can't get their wheel off. it was so frustrating!!