Problems taking off the back wheel?

[Matt Chapman]

For anyone trying to remove the rear wheel of their A-bike, here are a few handy tips and tricks.

1) Turn the A-bike upside-down so it's rest on its saddle and handle bars.

2) As the manual states, one of the wheel bolts is counter-threaded. However the manual is confusing when it comes to which one. Look at the actual bolt head. One will have the letters RH (right-handed) and one will have the letters LH (left-handed). The left-handed threat needs to be rotated clockwise to loosen.

3) When applying force to your spanner or socket wrench, stand behind the A-bike and brace the rear wheel against your leg using your free hand so it cannot move. This will allow you to exert the torque necessary to loosen the rear wheel bolts.

4) I would recommend using a torque wrench to tighten the bolts back up when refitting the rear wheel. Refer to the A-bike manual for exact torque settings.

[Bruce L]

Thank you for providing this information since the Manual gave the opposite direction for the Left Threaded bolt.

I watched the tube replacement video and my tire seems much more rigid and less maleable than the one you used.
For example, I could not mount the tire back on the rim without using a too. Any suggestions?

Also, I find that it is not feasible to add air to the rear tire without removing the wheel because the chain gard is in the way of the pump. Any suggestions or could you load a video showing how you pump the tires?

Thanks

Bruce L

[Matt Chapman]

Hi Bruce,

Glad you found the tip and the video useful. Your comments about the flexability of the tyre are justified.

As I'm sure you will have noticed, the A-bike used in the video is a pre-production prototype. There are numerous minor differences between this A-bike and the UK version sent out to the public. For instance, all the dome-headed allen key bolts have been replaced with more substanccial versions to pass the BS tests. The crank shaft now has end caps, the wheel reflectors are now circular and white - not the orange bar-type pictured, and there are no return springs on the brake bands.

I believe the hardness of the rubber used in the tyres was also altered to properly cope with the 90psi required and the increased wear incurred by a wheel that rotates 5 times as much as a standard bicycle wheel. It is also likely that the local climate may also have had implications on the behaviour of the tyre, bearing in mind that the video was shot in Hong Kong.

In answer to your question regarding the rear tyre - are you trying to inflate it with the bike standing on its wheels, as I would always recommend turning the A-bike over. This makes accessing the valve fairly simple as there is a cutout in the chassis casing (intended to allow the rear wheel to be removed without fouling the drive chain sprocket attached to it) that the valve can be lined up with.

My only other query would be whether you are using a shock pump like the official A-bike one, or a foot pump or stirrup pump with a larger adapter fitting?

[Bruce L]

I was using a compressor pump that had a shock pump size adaptor. it worked fine on the front wheel, but it was hard to fit it on to the shraeder valve because the chain guard appeared to be in the way. What I really wanted to know is do you have to remove the wheel to pump the rear tire? perhaps a video of the proper technique for filling the tire would help those of us who are new to this

Also, if the tires are much harder than when the video was made I was curious if you did anything differently than in the tire changing video. I am not finding it easy to seat the tire back in the rim after getting the tube in place using my hands to get it started -- even if I have the opposite end in the groove as suggested. I find I have to use the tire levers and that it is tough to do so. If there is a tip I am missing, a supplemental video would help.

Bruce

[Juan Luis]

In my A-Bike, the rear axle bolts are too tight. I apply great strength, but it is useless, they do not move anything. I don't know what to do. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Juan Luis]

Finally, I was able to dissasemble the rear wheel with a couple of good tools and a couple of sore hands.

[onur]

Dear MAtt Chapmann

I am an A-bike owner more than 8 months. Age 49 and 82 kg, own two kick

scooters, a brompton and a-bike for urban commuting, I barely use car in

the city, combine public transportation or cab. Among all of them a bike

has a good niche that the others do not have.
In 3 miles range, on wet surface, a bike runs nicely, kick scooters do

not.
Brompton is heavy to carry in and out, but best with high load and longer

journeys, indoor carrying to buildings is possible.

Every day ahead of time I have to plan what I want to do, what the weather

is, which commuter is the best, it is fun.

My biggest problem is flat tires with a-bike, scooters have PU tires and

never puncture. Brompton has reliable tires never punctured in late 8

months.

==One of the reason lose air by the time and puncture on the metal rims of

the wheel. ---I bought the schock pump and learned to pump weekly,
==Second reason may be my weight and close to range ---------I began to

diet, lost only 2 yet.
==Third reason may be the wheel design. This is a 15 mm high pressure as

said by contributors, tire is harder than people use in the video, it takes

longer to build it back than video, sometimes inner tube punctures

although you do all the steps on the video, because of hard job.
Now days although I repair the punctures, I experience more re-flats from

the repair site.
------I am wondering is it possible to increase the back tire diameter to

have sturdy design?
------What do you recomend me rather than loose weight?
------Trikke scooters designed PU and Air tires for interchangeable usage

is it possible to have PU rare wheels? Like Xcootr scooters has nice 18 cm

wheel with narrow rubber touch on the street, why you do not use such a

tech.

Finally, this is a nice machine, but rare power tire is problematic,

punctures offen, heats more and decreasing the stability during move.
Sometimes it flats during air travel in the bin doing nothing.(a-bike is

the only bike you can take to the cabin with you without restriction).
What do you recommend for problem free driving like scooters and brompton?

May be rubber back tires no air in it. Why air? 90 PSI makes them like a

rock, sometimes inner tire makes bubble you shake on the road.

Best regards
Onur KARABACAK

[Ronald Good]

Please note: the manual for the A-bike Plus has it wrong again! The left-handed thread is on the LEFT side of the wheel, the same side as the brake, and turns clockwise to loosen. Unlike the original A-bike, the bolts are not marked with RH and LH, but one has a red mark and the manual says that that is the LH bolt and to turn it clockwise to loosen. The bolt with the red mark on my Plus is on the right side of the wheel and turns counter-clockwise to loosen. Can the manuals get corrected before more go out wrong?