Giant Seek maintenance question
 

I've recently purchased a used 2009 Giant Seek 1. Based on advice offered in this forum, I've purchased some SKS P45 fenders and hope to install them this weekend.

To do this (and also because I just need to know), I need to know how to remove the rear wheel. Can someone tell me the best procedure?

Otherwise, specific question: Do I need to remove the shifter cable from the hub or can I carefully pull the wheel off with that attached.

It'll be a lot easier if you detach the shift cable. Shift the hub down into first gear (with the least amount of tension in the cable) and find the spring loaded arm where the cable attaches to the hub. Push the arm up and you should be able to pop the cable and attached nut out of its place in the arm, then remove the hub with a 15mm wrench. I'm sure someone will be able to post a lesson with pictures (possibly including the real names for all the parts).

As a heads up, the fender clearence on the Seek is very tight. For this reason, you'll find a threaded boss about a third of the way up the seat tube from the bottom bracket (it looks like a water bottle bolt on the wrong side). Use this rather than the chainstay bridge to install your rear fender and you'll have better clearence with wide tires and a few inches more coverage on the back.

Whoops. I just went out to take a close look at my bike and it doesn't have this. Does this mean I'm in trouble?

It could be a size-specific thing. I don't know. I'm just guessing. There are always ways around these problems. For the fenders on my Muirwoods 29er, I had to a few thick washers from old brake pads to space the bracket away from the seat stay bridge. If you run into trouble, be creative. If you can't think of something, post pictures here and I'll bet someone will have an idea.

There is a video somewhere showing how to do this.

Look at this site:

http://www.civiacycles.com/

http://bicycletutor.com/remove-install-wheels/

Pop brake
Shift to outside rear sprocket
Press lower derailleur sprocket forward and lift chain as per video
No need to fool with shifter cable for fenders

I put P45s on my Cannondale Adventure without taking the wheel off (skipping the seat stay bridge bolt) and rode like that for weeks ...

Disc brakes. No derailleur; IGH. Shift cable attached to hub.

Excellent videos. Thanks!

Let us know how it worked out. I have an IGH and haven't removed the wheel yet. It's an 08 Trek Soho, very similar to your bike.

While you should learn to remove your wheel for fixing flats,do you need to, to mount a fender? I've found that deflating the rear tire and using full-size allen wrenches w/ball ends lets me get to the chainbridge bolt just fine.

Probably not. I put a set of fenders on a Seek 2 the other day and it had this extra boss. Now that I think of it, that boss mostly helps the fender clear the front derailluer cable which your bike doesn't have. Sorry to steer you wrong.