How To Convert Bolt On Wheel To Quick Release – Schwinn AL Comp

In this video I demonstrate how to convert a bolt on wheel to quick release. The Schwinn AL Comp is a nice bike for just $248, but there are some components that were apparently used to meet that price point. Among them, the rear wheel has a bolt on axle, even though the front wheel has a quick release. I decided to do something about that, so I bought a quick release conversion kit.

Converting the AL Comp's rear wheel to a quick release setup is really nothing more than an axle swap. The kit include a front and rear axle, and the corresponding skewers. All you need are some basic cone wrenches, a freewheel removal tool, and some grease.

For basically five dollars per wheel, this is a good and affordable alternative to buying a whole new wheelset for well over $100.

For some reason YouTube isn't posting a clickable link, so I added the product link for copying and pasting.

[africanhistory]

FINALLY, the video I have been looking for. Everyone keeps showing you how to do it without accounting for the fact that some of us have a bolt on.

[SlowDelSol]

Wow. I had no idea you could change this so easily. Thanks for the video! Why Schwinn didn’t do this from factory is beyond me. It looks virtually the same, cost and assembly wise. Too bad I sold the stock Al comp I had, I would’ve done this immediately.

[icejunki]

Thank you. This was clear and easy to watch and follow. Thanks for taking the time to prepare this.

[Magicmike]

Thanks for sharing. Just retuto bike riding after a knee replacement . I got a cheap bike for now. I hate fixed spindles. New friend here, 👍👍👍👍

[iozdqsh]

That 98 buck kent bike sold out so fast. Everyone wanted one.

[dm]

Happy Sunday, Jim! Great video and great upgrade! You’ve also improved the value of the wheels and the bike!

[OldNavajoTricks]

Got a kit, don't got a *freewheel tool lol.
Apollo Phaze, oh well, beer solution it is then 😂

[darrylwillhite]

Does the kit that you have linked this to have the proper length skewer?

[scotscub]

How do you convert quick release to bolt on!?

[burns]

Let me see if I understand, when you do remove the wheel, you have to use the quick disconnect and pull out the entire axle/skewer?

[meshark_t]

How to measure what length needs to be the skewer.

[Dainslaif]

I'm looking into making the switch so I can use some other accessories that necessitate quick releases (new forks and a disc brake frame adapter), but some of the reviews said the axles had a tendency to bend. How have these been holding up for you?

[bpwwwpi]

How does it go for front wheel? Im getting 8.5 mm drop out to drop out but the axle is 10.5

[sk-uyxo]

Hey Jim, nice video. I'm planning to do this on my Al Comp as well. I don't have the tools to pull off the wheel to determine which freewheel remover tool I need, as I will be ordering them all at once. Anyway you can point me in the right direction for the freewheel remover tool? Much thanks.

[greatvedas]

Need advise.
Can I replace an existing wheel with Bold on axle, with another spare wheel that has QR? Both wheels are 700c and has same number of gears on the cassette? Thanks in advance.

[secretariatgirl]

Do you have to do all this if you want to put the bike on a bike stand...it comes with a skewer...I imagine you would have to..

[midas]

bolt on or allen key skewers.better option.is much harder to steal wheels

[smb]

Im a bit confused, the parts diagram lists the rear axle as 14.5 cm which is 145mm and the skewer at 19cm or 190mm..did you get the 2 dim mixed up or am i missing something

[luigiprovencher]

Is each side supposed to have the same number of bearings or do they ever have a different amount?

[BokehLyfe]

I have that kent will this work for that. Mines is a 700c