How to remove a Shimano Nexus or Alfine hub equipped wheel from your bike

[markbarsamian]

Thanks for posting this. It made the job of replacing the rear tire & tube on my Trek SOHO much easier.

[davedfoster]

Useful vid but why do people seem to think you need to take the wheel off to repair a puncture. Whip the tube out with the wheel situ. Patch, fit, inflate and away you go.

[whythisway]

I have a AVANTI discovery 8 which has internal gearing, I want to place a motor on my bike thou the hub is to big for the sprocket. Can you remove the back wheel and place and external gearing set instead of the internal gear.

[DutchKid121]

ohh man, that would take a long time if i got a flat to work, but thanks now I know!

[gadgetmind]

Woohoo, and a Charge Mixer, just like the shiny new addition to my stable.

BTW, I think that's a "skelton" spanner, at least that's what we call them.

Oh, and I love the bell twisted upside down - I usually forget and wonder why the bike falls over!

[desogeran]

thanks for posting this video Howard....

much appreciated... I can now take my bike on holidays w me

best wishes

Desmond

[jcb197301]

Great video - thank you!

[BillieJean900]

does the roller brake works with any wheel?

[BillieJean900]

does shimano nexus works for any wheel?

[curtmeyer]

Thank you so much for the video. I bought a bike with an Alfine hub last year. Got my first flat this year. I've had experience taking apart my previous bikes, but this hub with the disc brake had me scratching my head. Thanks again.

[rdmcg1]

Sorry for the late reply - thanks for all your help!

[rdmcg1]

excellent video - many thanks - since removing my wheel - my chain seems to be a bit loose. do you have any tips on how taught the chain should be, or any vids on how to tighten the chain. I too have Charge Mixer - epic fun!

[magichow]

@rdmcg1 Cheers. The Mixer has an eccentric bottom bracket - the oversize shell at the bottom of the seat tube. Underneath there's a couple of large grub screws. Back these off quite a way, or take them out completely (grease them!). Insert a fat screwdriver into one of the holes in the side of the bottom bracket on the non drive side. Turn the NDS crank clockwise until it applies pressure on the screwdriver. Apply more pressure until the entire BB assembly moves. Move until chain is tensioned.

[magichow]

@rdmcg1 and don't forget to grease then tighten the grub screws - these keep the adjustment in place, and are prone to rusting. Smother them in grease to give 'em a bit of protection.

[2205ninja1976]

Thanks for that! I have the Alfine 11, do you still put the gear to 4 or would you say gear 6?

[magichow]

@2205ninja1976 Not sure. Shimano tech doc would be the place to start looking. Basically the gear selected needs to be one in which you can create enough cable slack so that the cable can be removed.

[2205ninja1976]

@magichow Thanks, i'll try 6 first & see how it goes!

[FrederikWishAnUser]

Thank you for the tutorial.

I have a huge problem! After replacing the old wheel with a new wheel, the wheel is turning the 'wrong' way.

I.e. when I pedal forward nothing happens, but when I turn the pedals backwards the wheel turns around (going backwards).

Do you know what mistake I have made? It's a Shimano Nexus 8 speed.

[kevinonstenk]

Nice, here in holland the whole nexus system looks diffrent, it's on every bike over here. Greetz from The Netherlands

[nickwales1978]

Great video, I had the wheel off in no time yesterday after a catastrophic puncture thanks to this. Was completely stumped otherwise.

Looks like you've got a charge mixer exactly like mine if I'm not mistaken, awesome bike.

[MrAsthenia]

Thank you for your video tutorial, magichow. It gave me the confidence I needed to take my Alfine hub off in order to change the sprocket (which, in hindsight, is more hassle than it's worth). At least now I know how straightforward it is, so thanks again!

[magichow]

@MrAsthenia glad it was useful. Changing the sprocket is no fun at all. Well done for sticking it out!

[cottagethyme]

Great video. I used it to immediately change my Dunlop valves to Presta valves. Thanks. 

[cottagethyme]

Great video.

[EmmeJayKay]

Bless you for doing this. My LBS seems not to intent on telling me how to do this.

[covidiu]

Nice. Shimano Nexus hubs are also popular on dutch bikes, but removing them is usually a lot harder than that. You would have to: take apart the chain case (chains are fully enclosed), release the gear changer cable, release the roller brake cable, release the roller brake arm, release the adjusting screws for the horizontal dropouts. That's why we always patch the inner tube w/o removing the wheel. Otherwise you're just turning a 15 minutes job into a 1.5 hours job.

[magichow]

@jon good advice regarding discs - I don't recall recommending holding the wheel by the disc and in the video only touch it momentarily to centre it in the caliper. But you are right, generally getting mucky paws all over them isn't the best idea. I've never had a problem with contaminating them with chain gunk or general hand grease though - I think they can stand more muck than people think.

[jon2683032009]

You say don't get grease on the shifter cable - why? I cannot see a real problem caused with grease on the cable, but then when replacing the wheel hold it by the disc - which you do not want grease on at all.

I also find it much quicker and easier to pull the cable outer out of the holder first. This then gives a load of slack in the cable and can be removed from the hub with fingers. Putting the cable in the hub first and then cable outer in holder is also much easier when replacing wheel.

[darrylatube]

Oh and 1 more tip if you have disk brakes. Don't touch the brake levers during the wheel change or the break pads may lock together, meaning you can't get your disk/ wheel back in. (This happened to me). You can buy a "brake biscuit" to sandwich between the brake pads temporarily after removing the wheel. That will solve the problem. :)

[magichow]

@darrylatube especially if you have hydraulics and the bike is upside down - you'll get air into the lines and have to then bleed the brakes. If you have mechanicals it's not such an issue. Either way you can just push the pads back into the housing with a flat head screwdriver.

[darrylatube]

I have an Alfine 11 speed. Wish they'd invent an easier quick-removal process, as this is somewhat annoying!

[magichow]

@darrylatube wish I had an Alfine 11 :) It gets quicker when you've had the wheel on and off a few times.

[edscoble]

@darrylatube don't think you'd need to change your tyre that often.

it's only an annoyance when I want to change the rear tyres to something gripper for riding off the beaten path but that it.

[markcgraham]

It would be great if you could include steps on removing the brake cable (roller brake). I read the Shimano manual and it seems like it's easy but I'm missing something.  The following steps are unclear

3. Slide the brake cable stop forward to remove it from the brake arm. (mine has a crimp on it the prevents the cable from coming out and fraying I suppose)

4. Undo brake strap bolt. (not sure what part this is)

[shalalalalalala]

Thanks for the helpful vid, I was able to remove wheel and fit full mudguards. However, since doing it I can feel (rather than hear) a rumbling catarrh 'noise' through my pedals in all gears that wasn't there for the previous 3000 miles. The yellow dots are aligned and there's no rub on the guards. Any ideas?

[magichow]

@shalalalalalala I'd check for chain rub on the sprocket and chainring...? Also, if you haven't had the wheel off for 3000 miles, it could mean that your chain has mated with your chainring and sprocket in a certain way, and when you put the wheel back on, the chain wasn't put back on in the same way. Try moving the chain forward one tooth and see what happens.

[shalalalalalala]

@magichow Many thanks for suggestions. As it happens evrything settled back to buttery-smooth of it's own accord! Wheel had been taken off in the local bike shop before this time but should be able to deal with most stuff myself from now thanks to your vid.

[Westone67]

Great video, thanks for the lesson. 1100 miles on my Nexus 8spd. Never once had a problem.

[BlueRny]

Very helpful video. Thank you Howard.

[Tartalo33]

Thanks for the video.

I am delighted with my Shimano Alfine : reliable, maintenance free , very quiet ... I love it.

Removing the wheel is straight forward, no issues .

[magichow]

@BlueRny sorry to hear you've encountered problems. I've had nothing but reliable performance from mine after nearly 3000 miles - I'd be interested to learn more about the failure you've experienced.

[GlasgowKissTwo]

Good man Howard ! A brilliant ly simple and informative video. I 've just bought a Giant Seek 0 with Alfine hub & disc brakes - had the bike 30 minutes and got a puncture !

Couple of mates said "Oooooh - that'll need to go to the bike shop - it's gonna cost you every time that happens!"

Anyway I watched your vid and followed it to the letter - viola! wheel taken off, repaired and put back on thanks to you!

Well done and thanks again

[magichow]

@GlasgowKissTwo glad you found it useful! Happy riding :)

[2dot0film]

Thanks - its easy when you know how - but hard when you don't - this film made it easy :)

[rodnanne]

great vidio thanks pal  rodnanne

[Waldemarkazak]

Thanx! Nice lesson

[AVCheerst]

Good video, nice and slow, very clear.

[lovealfine]

You're the first person to pronounce Alfine as my name is pronounced (Al-feen).

Wonderful :)

I'm incompetent in anything dealing with bicycles, but for those that are, I'm sure they find this useful. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!

[zoonie00]

Evans Cycle charges bloody 27 quid for this.........Now I can spend the half on the tools and save the othe half for something else

Cheers

[whispertread]

Superb video and highly informative. I want to remove the back wheel on a new bike with a Shimano 8 Speed Nexave gear to fit a higher grade puncture resistant tyre. I had no idea how to disconnect the hub gear system and your video showed me just about all I need to know. I still have to work out how to disconnect the band-brake from the other side but thanks to this vid, I'm half way there now. Thank for you making it.

--

Whispertread

[magichow]

@whispertread Glad you found it useful!

[gobbierow]

nice one!

[yofat]

I'm not sure if I should do this to my bike bc im tryin to replace the wheel myself. My bike doesnt have a quick release. Just bolts on both sides. The gear cable is on the same side as the cassette. The bolt on the other side of the casette came off easily, but the cassette side is not giving way. Getting so frustrated. My bike said Shimano on the derailer or wtv so I decided to youtube it, hence I'm here. Someone plz help :(

[kuduzdoktorhektor]

Cheers mate, very useful!

[funkystuu]

Excellent - very informative. Thanks

[gilesjuk]

Alternately just pull the gear cable outer and slip the cable outer end out of cable support. Then unhook the inner cable. To refit do the reverse.

This method requires no tools, but obviously you still need a spanner to undo the axle nuts.

[ksglp]

nice vid , but why do you suggest 4th gear , i use 1st gear as it gives more cable slack , enough slack to remove the cable without the allen key or pliers

[magichow]

@ksglp It's just what Shimano recommends. If using 1st works for you then great :)

[dtm99mtd]

Thanks heaps. You taught me more in 10mins than 2 hours of trawling through the Shimano website. I'm off to change my tyre.

[Sheistmeister]

Good video, but do you have any idea on how to service one - as mine has been temperamental and seriously started skipping and crunching gears on tonights night ride- I think I have bent the innards - I'm not convinced they are up to MTB abuse - I have an IOID

[magichow]

Do a google search for 'hubstripping alfine'. Some useful stuff there. I'll post a how to service video when it's done 2000 miles. RE skipping / crunching - have you checked the cassette pulley alignment? The yellow dots should match up.

[Sheistmeister]

Thanks Howard - Stripped it as much as I could and then re-greased it and its working fine now - after about 6 attempts to get the cones tight enough- a design fault though - you cant tighten the disc lockring with the cone in place and vice versa - or maybe i need a different tool- dont know

[CryptopherBrum]

Thanks for this. It was extremely useful.

[muskier]

great n straightforward. that hub must;v been around. but why wud wun wont to remoov the hub in the furst place?

[magichow]

If you get a puncture or want to replace the tire. You can fix punctures - well some of them - with the wheel still on the bike, but otherwise it's often easier to remove the wheel.

[danyoda2007]

Thanks. Good video. Saved me a lot of grief.

Well done.

[TheAylesburyGWA]

Cheers,

Went to Evans to ask for some advice and they were not too helpful, so said check Youtube.

And you know what, a perfect video exists.

Thanks

[well0so0they0say]

Cool, great video, im debating getting myself a Genesis IO ID with the Alfine hub, but im wanting to do a huge cycle across Spain and this looks like I may need to be carrying a fair bit of toolage so I might go for a tubeless rear tire so that I can lose the tools

[magichow]

Great, sounds like and adventure! Never used a tubeless tire before - sounds interesting. Good luck!

[thekingdeeps]

first