Wish me luck...

[ayceejay]

You need one of these http://www.velosolo.co.uk/vstool.html
or one of these which may be better as it is longer therefore more leverage.



Incidentally the technique is to pull the chain tight then tighten the non drive side with the tyre touching the chain stay on that side
the chain will slacken some but when you pull the wheel straight and yighten the nut on the other side you should be good to go.
Re tighten after a few miles.

 

[vickster]

I'll have to look at that as the chain looks very slack!

 

[Smurfy]

BTW can anyone recommend a better portable 15mm spanner - I will undoubtedly fail later with the £2 dumbell job I got from Wilkos (I may have more success tightening the bolts with the piece of Leerdammer in my fridge)

I just carry a regular spanner from my set of spanners. If I need it for car maintenance I just fetch it from my commuting bag. If you don't want a full set, you should be able to buy a single spanner from any decent tool shop, or failing that, Halfords. The Halfords ones are a bit expensive, but they are wonderfully polished/shiny. If you get one, always use the ring end, as it engages more faces on the nut, and is less likely to slip off.
http://www.halfords.com/motoring-tr...alfords-professional-combination-spanner-15mm

 

[Smurfy]

Ahhhh you fecker, the first side is on the rim...

One of these will make it very easy.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/simson-tyre-mate-prod22353/
Looks heavy, but it's not because it's glass fibre reinforced plastic.

Edit: Not made anymore. Get one of these instead.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/koolstop-koolstop-tyre-mate-prod34684/

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Any time I've used levers to fit a tyre I got pinch flats

 

[vickster]

I used levers to get the last bit of tyre over the rim...and to get the old tyre off

 

[vickster]

You need one of these http://www.velosolo.co.uk/vstool.html
or one of these which may be better as it is longer therefore more leverage.


View attachment 85070
Incidentally the technique is to pull the chain tight then tighten the non drive side with the tyre touching the chain stay on that side
the chain will slacken some but when you pull the wheel straight and yighten the nut on the other side you should be good to go.
Re tighten after a few miles.

I'm struggling here....what's the chain stay?!

 

[John_S]

Just going back to the ideas for a 15mm spanner I saw this recently however I've not tried it so can't vouch for how it compares to others or if there are better/cheaper options out there.

Portland Design Works (PDW) 3wrencho

https://www.ridepdw.com/goods/tools/3wrencho-coated

It's available in a coated and non-coated version and seemed to get decent reviews on this US website.

http://www.mec.ca/product/5023-709/portland-design-works-3-wrencho-coated-tool/

I did a quick search and it seemed to be available on a few websites such as on the link below but as I say I've not tried it and there maybe better/cheaper 15mm spanners out there that people can recommend from experience.

http://www.londonbicycleworkshop.com/2587/products/pdw-3wrencho-coated-tyre-lever.aspx

Good luck getting the chain tension sorted!

 

[vickster]

Good luck getting the chain tension sorted!

I haven't got a clue, will need to go to pearsons tomorrow I fear! Never had this issue with a geared bike!

 

[ayceejay]

That wrench John suggests is very short ( I have one) which is why I suggested the other ones
that would be more suitable for you with limited strength.

 

[andyfraser]

I haven't got a clue, will need to go to pearsons tomorrow I fear! Never had this issue with a geared bike!

It's not that hard. It was initially confusing that the chain was tighter in some places than others. I ended up finding the tightest point and slackening off a bit. I tried the "walking" technique but ended up over tensioning the chain at the tight point.

 

[vickster]

It really is quite hard when you have no idea what you are doing it seems loose all the way round. Does the bolt not have to be all the way into the drop out? That's the only way I can see the chain being more tense?! Given I have zero mechanical intuition at all!

 

[jim55]

Is ur wheel all the way back in the dropouts vickster

 

[andyfraser]

It really is quite hard when you have no idea what you are doing it seems loose all the way round. Does the bolt not have to be all the way into the drop out? That's the only way I can see the chain being more tense?! Given I have zero mechanical intuition at all!

No. You move the wheel back to increase chain tension or move it forward to slacken off the tension.

I'm not mechanically minded either and spent ages fiddling about until I got it right. It's one of those things I have to know in case I have to remove the wheel miles from home to fix a puncture.

 

[vickster]

No. You move the wheel back to increase chain tension or move it forward to slacken off the tension.

I'm not mechanically minded either and spent ages fiddling about until I got it right. It's one of those things I have to know in case I have to remove the wheel miles from home to fix a puncture.

That's why I have ETA cover

Yes, so you do indeed move the wheel back in the drop out...or do you mean a different wheel? What does your no refer to?!

Sleep time, I'll look at this again in the morning