Swapping wheels

[Jim77]

Total newbie!

How easy is it to swap wheels?

I have a Cannondale Badboy with 700 rims and slicks. I want to be able to switch between those and off road wheels. They have quick release wheels but what about the disc brakes and gears etc.

Would I need wheels with discs on that i could just attach to? Please explain in simple steps pls! Cheers.

 

[RedBike]

What do you mean by off-road wheels?

26" wheels, as used by mtbs, are smaller. However, as luck would have it once fitted with large knobbly tyres they're roughly the same size as your 700s with slicks. This doesn't mean that the wider tyres will fit though!
(You could also have handeling problems and your pedals might be too low!)

You would need discs on both sets of wheels. The really annoying part is that unless both hubs on both wheel sets are near enough identical you will need to adjust your calipers every time you swith wheels or your brakes will rub.

You could also have a cassette (the gears at the rear) on each wheel. However, once one cassette gets worn more than the other you will start to get excessive wear on all your drive-train parts. Ideally you will need to switch a single cassette over between the wheels each time you change.

 

[DLB]

i have two wheels for my road bike and switch between them depending upon whether i want to go on the turbo or go out in the fresh air. As i have my bike suspended from my shed roof the switch usually takes about 2 minutes.

 

[Steve Austin]

26" wheels with tyres are roughly the same circumference as 700cc wheels, so you could use them.
You'll need two wheels, two rotors(discs) and the same cassette(although you could use a different ratio, but it would have to be the same amount of cogs)

If you are lucky, the hubs will be spaced the same and swapping wheels, will be as simple as undoing them and slipping the new wheels in. Been doing this for years, and have never really had any spacing issues, so i hope you get my luck.
As for cassette wear, its only an issue with old cassettes. You'll find out as soon as you try to swap and the gears jump all over the place

good luck!!

 

[Jim77]

cheers.

How do i know if the pedals are too low before buying the wheels and putting them on?

 

[Steve Austin]

It won't make any difference Jim. Don't worry about it. its a red herring