How to Take the Rear Sprocket Off a Bike

Sprockets, also known as gears or the cassette, are located in the center of the rear tire of a bicycle. Over time, these gearings wear out, necessitating their replacement. To replace them you first need to remove the old sprockets. This requires a special tool known as a chain whip. The chain whip has a handle you can grip with a length of bicycle chain attached to the end.

Things You'll Need

  • Bike work stand
  • Chain tool
  • Cassette cog remover
  • Chain whip tool
  • Small screwdriver
  • Rubber mallet
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put the bike in the work stand. Shift the bicycle into the lowest possible gear. Place the chain tool onto a link of the chain and turn the handle to push the pin out separating the chain. Remove the chain from the bike. Remove the quick-release spline from the center of the rear tire.

    • 2

      Position the cog remover tool over the cog, found in the direct center of the sprocket cluster.

    • 3

      Wrap the chain end of the chain whip tool over the smallest of the sprocket gears. You should have the chain wrapped around the small sprocket, with the cog remover positioned and ready to turn.

    • 4

      Turn the cog remover to the left while holding the chain whip in a solid position. Use opposite force on the chain whip to prevent the sprockets from moving while you turn and unscrew the cog cap. Remove the cog cap once loosened and off the sprocket cluster.

    • 5

      Turn the sprocket cluster, by hand, to the left to loosen off the freewheel -- the spool coming out of the center of the rear tire. The sprockets will become loose and fall out of their arranged cluster when taken off the spool.