Quiz Time! Can you remove your wheels with the same ease as you tie your shoes? Yes or No?

The correct answer of course is that removing both your front and rear wheel should be as easy as something you do every day without thinking about it, ie. tying your shoelaces. Flat tires are inevitable; being prepared and able to change it effortlessly is optional. We’ll talk more about changing the tire in a future post, today we’ll just focus on removing the wheels.

Assuming you have quick release tires the front wheel is a no-brainer; undo the brake, pop the lever, and lift the bike off. The messy rear wheel is what most people avoid. The number one complaint is that hands end up full of grease because you need to get the chain off the cassette. There is a very simple solution – gloves! Throw a pair of gardening gloves or a box of disposable medical gloves in the trunk and you’re good to go.

Removing your wheels shouldn’t be a big deal. When that inevitable flat happens you want to have those wheels off without even thinking about it. That’s the first step to an easy tire change and getting back on the road quickly.

Tom’s challenge: For one month remove the wheels from your bike every time you take it out.

The bonus is that if you’re driving to meet friends you’ll be able to put your bike in the trunk instead of using the carrier. This keeps it cleaner, saves gas, and it won’t get contaminated from the elements.

Watch Tom as he demonstrates just how quick and easy it is to remove the wheels and put your bike in the car: