Did you know that you need to change your bicycle wheels after a long time of use due to wear and tear? Repairing your tires after using them for some time will not keep your ride safe. Therefore, you need to replace the whole wheel to be safe and ride properly. While some wheels come with replacement indicators, others don’t. To check if you need to replace your bicycle wheel, you need to check the rim for any for concave depressions.
Why Do You Need To Replace Your Bicycle Wheel?
Replacing your old bicycle wheel will give you a performance boost. It will also help you to ride faster, ride down a hill gently, and climb up a hill more smoothly. Custom building your wheel can turn out to be a bit costlier than buying a wheel. However, it gives you the perfect wheel which is best suited for your use.
Things To Check While Replacing The Old Wheel
Compatibility Of The Wheel With Your Bicycle
The first and most important thing to check while looking towards replacements is the compatibility of it with your bicycle. Not all wheels are suited for your bicycle or, even if suited will give you a nice ride. Check the tire dimensions and tire type that will suit your bike and only then settle for the new wheel.
Brake Types
Another important thing to check is the brake type. The wheel requirements for rim brakes and disc brakes are extremely different and you do not want to end up with a bicycle having no brakes. A flat-rim sidewall that fits against the surface of the brake shoes is what a rim brake requires. On the other hand, disc-compatible wheels are the only wheels that can be used if you have a disc brake.
Type Of Axle Attachment
The two types of axle attachment in the market are quick-release skewer and thru-axle. If you have a thru-axle, the axle needs to pass through two frame holes so that the wheel can attach to the bike. However, if you have a quick-release skewer, the axle slides through and fits into the slotted frame ends on either side of the wheel. The lever is then tightly clamped in order to fix the wheel properly to the bicycle. Therefore, as you can see, both types are completely different from one another and won’t fit if you buy the wrong one.
Rear-Hub Type
The rear wheel is what allows free movement to your bicycle. There are generally two main rear-hub types: freehub and threaded hub. The freehub is found in almost all bikes. This type of hub has a spline that fits into the center of your rear cassette. The thing you need to check while buying a new wheel is whether the cassette fits into the freehub; if not, the rear wheel of your bike becomes useless, and so does your bike.
On the other hand, the threaded hub is found only in six or seven older variants of racing bikes. Notably, the only type of hub this wheel accepts is the threaded freewheel cluster which is very rare to find.
