I am confused about the procedure for using the QR to remove my rear wheel.

When I bought my bike, they demonstrated front & rear QR in the store. But now I can't reproduce the rear wheel procedure. I can't figure out how exactly you are supposed to "rotate the rear derailleur back" in order to pull the wheel out.

For example, in this video, he does it at about 1:30:


The only thing that seems to pivot easily is that cage holding the jockey wheel, but the whole derailleur seems quite fixed in position.

Or does the derailleur only rotate after you have loosened the QR?
I know the thing is fragile - maybe I am just not twisting it hard enough? I'm afraid to break it!

What is the trick here?

Thanks for any responses.

First step is to disengage the brakes. Then, the easiest way to take the rear wheel off (imo) is to flip the bike upside down, pull back the QR lever, then slide the rear wheel up and out. The chain will catch on one of the sprockets of the wheel but just lift the chain up and off of it and you will be good. Here's a better video detailing what I just said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvu6F...2D4EB862ECE34F

My bike has the disc brakes, so no need to release those.

If you look at your video at 9:10, when he pulls the wheel off, somehow the derailleur just rotates and pivots out of the way. What causes that? It is just a matter of pulling hard enough? Or is there something that has to be "released" on the derailleur before it will move?

The wheel's axle should slide right out of the dropouts without you having to do anything to your derailleur. It should move like that on its own. Make sure the QR is loose enough (may need to turn the nut at the other end to loosen it more) and give it a good pull. You can also push the derailleur out of the way to make it easier.

This is what I am confused about.

Is it just a matter of pushing hard enough for the derailleur to move?
Or is there some other trick or connector that needs to be loosened?

(I'm not sure, maybe I am just not pushing hard enough because I am afraid of breaking it...)

Nothing else needs to be loosened at all, just push on the derailleur (in the same direction as the video shows it moving) and it will move. You won't break anything don't worry.


EDIT: It does help to have the chain shifted onto the smallest sprocket/ring when doing this. Sorry, just remembered that.

OK, apparently the problem was that I just wasn't pushing hard enough on the derailleur! Now I see how it rotates. Thank you.

No problem.

Better video