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A Quick Quick-Release Review
Original article: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/quick-review.html on sheldonbrown.com
- Reproduced with the permission of John Allen and Harriet Fell — all rights reserved. The version on sheldonbrown.com is authoritative.
- Mirrored: 2026-10-11 · Last update of the original: see original
This is the short version...
This article hosts two short videos showing how to remove and replace quick-release bicycle wheels.
This article is the short version! Another article on this site offers more detailed advice including information about how quick releases work, how to tell whether one is working correctly, how to disassemble and reassemble one, measure one for replacement, and more.
Removing/installing a front quick-release wheel
The first video here shows how to remove and replace a front wheel -- the simplest case, on a bicycle without a secondary retention device which must be undone before the wheel will fall out.
Removing and installing a rear quick-release wheel
The rear-wheel's quick-release mechanism works the same as the front wheel's, but removing and replacing the rear wheel is more complicated. As shown, you should stand on the left side of the bicycle to access the quick-release lever and and lift the bicycle off the wheel. Good mechanical work has a lot in common with the gentlest Japanese martial art, aikido. Success depends on where you stand and how you apply force!
Our longer article about quick-release selection, adjustment and maintenance
