Rear wheel removal with Shimano Alfine
This guide explains how to disconnect the Shimano Alfine shift cable and remove the rear wheel on Booda models with an Alfine hub: the Banker (Alfine 8) and the Hiker (Alfine 8 or 11).
The rear dropouts on these frames are vertical: the wheel comes out downwards. The belt tension is set at the eccentric bottom bracket, so you do not need to touch it to remove the wheel.
Removing the wheel
Section titled “Removing the wheel”1. Shift to the highest gear
Section titled “1. Shift to the highest gear”Shift to the highest gear: 8 on an Alfine 8 hub, 11 on an Alfine 11 hub.
2. Loosen the shift cable
Section titled “2. Loosen the shift cable”At the rear hub, rotate the cassette joint pulley until the shift cable becomes slack. The cable fixing bolt moves to its rear position.
3. Unhook the cable fixing bolt
Section titled “3. Unhook the cable fixing bolt”With the pulley in its upper position, lift the cable fixing bolt out of its seat.
Keep hold of the cable. Do not bend or kink it.
4. Loosen the axle nuts
Section titled “4. Loosen the axle nuts”When the shift cable is free, loosen the axle nuts on both sides of the hub with a 15 mm wrench.
Support the wheel while loosening the nuts.
5. Pull the shift cable out of its holder
Section titled “5. Pull the shift cable out of its holder”Pull the shift cable out of its holder on the cassette joint. The cable is now fully disconnected from the hub.
6. Remove the wheel
Section titled “6. Remove the wheel”Once the axle nuts are loose enough, lower the wheel downwards out of the frame and lift the belt off the rear sprocket by hand.
Take care of the belt, the brake disc, the shift cable and the dropouts. Do not kink or twist the belt while the wheel is out; see Handling the belt without damaging it.
Refitting the wheel
Section titled “Refitting the wheel”- Lay the belt on the rear sprocket by hand. Never lever it on.
- Guide the axle into the dropouts and seat it fully on both sides. The non-turn washers must sit correctly in the dropouts.
- Tighten the axle nuts firmly and evenly on both sides.
- Hook the cable fixing bolt back into the cassette joint pulley and seat the cable in its holder.
- Check that the yellow setting marks on the cassette joint line up in the reference gear Shimano specifies for your hub version (8- or 11-speed). If they do not, fine-tune the cable at the barrel adjuster on the shifter.
- Turn the cranks 10–15 times and check that the belt runs straight in the middle of both sprockets. See Belt alignment.
- Check the belt tension. See Belt tension.
- Spin the wheel by hand and check that it runs straight and the brake disc does not rub.
- Test the rear brake before riding.
- Test the shifting through all gears at low speed.
If the shifting is not crisp after refitting, or you are not sure which gear to check the yellow marks in, have the shift adjustment checked by us or a workshop before riding.
Do I have to re-tension the belt after refitting the rear wheel?
Normally not. On a Booda the belt is tensioned at the eccentric bottom bracket and the rear dropouts are vertical, so the tension stays the same as long as the axle sits fully in the dropouts and the nuts are tightened properly. Check the tension and the belt line before your first ride anyway.
