bke92

I bought a basic wrench but not sure how to remove the hub from the wheel. I'm trying to take the wheel off the bike so I can repair the inner tube or is their a way to repair the inner tube without removing the wheel?

Note: I have no male friends and really don't want to go to a repair shop either. I'd prefer to do it the cheap way. Broke college student lol.

FBinNY 

How do I remove the nut from a schwinn bicycle?


Just get off. (really couldn't resist that one)

I'm assuming you have a nutted front wheel. In that case, simply loosen the nuts on both sides (turn counter clockwise with the wrench -- may take some force), and slide the wheel down and out of the fork. If the wheel has been there a long time, it can be a bit stuck, so loosen by pushing the rim side to side at the top until it's free then slide out. (read the rest of this post first)

However, some bikes have caliper brakes which may need to be opened up wider to clear the tire (usually going back in). Also depending on the vintage of the bike there may a form of secondary retention to keep the wheel from falling out when the nuts are loose. This may be a spring clip that latches to a button on the fork, small lips at the bottom of the dropout that requires that the nuts are backed off farther, or some other system.

bent-not-broken

Need more details. Can you loosen the nuts?

FBinNY 

Alternate method. Pack the wrench and a spare tube and walk the bike to a road or trail with lots of bike traffic. Stand there with a properly forlorn expression and I can just about guaranty that someone willstop and ask if you need help within a matter of minutes.

(in case there's any sensitivity about this being a sex related reference, it isn't. Cyclists tend to be helpful toward fellow cyclists and many will stop to offer help to someone who appears to need it)

fietsbob

you need a wrench the right size for the nuts that hold the wheel on your bike .
old schwinns may not be metric though metric axle nuts tend to be 14 or 15 mm

maybe you would feel better asking your father , how big a wrench you need ..

though you would not be to surprised how bike shop guys fall all over them selves
to help a young college age woman that comes into a bike shop, asking the most basic questions..

..Isn't there a Co Op bike shop as part of the student union outdoor recreation services,
at your university ?, ask there , bring the bike.

cyclist2000

I agree, I normally ask people that look like they are having trouble if they need help.

Wilfred Laurier

rear wheel removal is a more difficult job because of the gears

some bikes also have brakes built into the wheel hub
these are more complex

question for op
what have you managed so far?

bikes problems arent that tough to solve given some time and effort and thought

cny-bikeman

Where are you located - is there a bike co-op nearby? It appears you are in a college town, and they are more common there. You might also check for a local bike club and call or email them to see if they offer repair clinics or one of their members can help you.

Duane Behrens

Front Wheel:
If you have two wrenches that fit onto the outer nuts, remove those nuts. Then look to the inside of the fork. Is there an extra metal tab in there? Many mid-80 Schwinns had them. You can't remove the wheel without first removing the Phillips head screw that holds both the tabs and the wheel itself on both sides.

3alarmer 

...maybe you're too judgmental ? This might be why you have no male friends.

RoadTire 

Does this picture below look like what you are trying to do? [ref: Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Wheel Removal and Installation ]

Shows the nut and tab mentioned previously. As long as you have internet, search out how-to videos. (Seriously - we actually watch videos before working on our cars; makes the job sooo much easier.) You are on the right track by learning to do this yourself so stick with it if you can. There is much more than $$ - you will not be dependent on a shop, and when you do use a shop you will have a better idea if they did the work correctly.

rootboy 

But just make sure that you learn how to re-attach the wheel so it is secure and safe when you're done.

goldfinch

Come on woman, don't be sexist. I am an old woman and I have helped old men repair their flats.

First, as people described, you need to get the wheel off the bike. Then, you have to take the tire off the wheel. Repair the tube or put in a new tube. Be sure you find out what is causing the flat before you put a tube back in. There are a number of Youtube videos which show what to do, including for older wheels that do not have quick releases.

Chesterton

I like FBinNY's alternate solution, offered I think partly in jest but absolutely correct in that many bicyclists will stop and offer help to someone on the side of a trail with a mechanical problem.

It is often possible to patch a flat tube without removing the wheel, but it is generally more difficult and annoying and one would only use that technique where removing the wheel is more trouble than this method (for example, the rear wheel on a European city bike with a full chaincase, fender and rack mounts, etc).

Loosen or take the axle nuts off, as well as anything else that may be on the axle that would keep you from removing the wheel (the wheel retention clip mentioned in earlier posts, fender stays, etc.). Make sure to remember the order in which everything goes back together (taking pictures with a digital camera can be very helpful).

Good luck! I think learning to replace an inner tube is a good skill for any bicyclist to acquire, even if they don't consider themselves mechanically inclined. Once you've done it a couple of times, it will become second nature, and depending on how often you get a flat tire it will save you a lot of money over taking the bike to a shop every time.