It's that time of year and if you like riding (as much as I do) then you've probably found yourself with a flat tire at one time or another. If you didn't know how to change your tire or didn't have the tools to do it, well, then it probably made for a long walk home. If you haven't had a flat tire yet , and you ride a lot, your day will come.
To avoid that day, the next time you're out on the terrain, be prepared. To help you out, I found these simple step-by-step instructions on
fixing a flat, over at
Outside magazine.
What you'll need:
- a pump,
- tire levers, and
- at least one spare tube-just don't store the tube with sharp tools.
What to do:
- Unseat one sidewall from the rim with a lever. Pry the tire up and skin the sidewall off the rim. Use plastic levers (or plastic-coated steel) so you won't dent or crack your rims.
- Remove the dead tube and whatever caused the puncture.
- Pump up your fresh tube enough that it holds its form and insert.
- Remount as much of the tire as you can by hand before levering the rest into place, which can be a Herculean feat with newer tires. Make sure the tube isn't pinched by the tire. Pump 'er up.
Enjoy the ride!
Source
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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
you're making it sound a lot simpler than it actually is. no mention of removing wheel from frame (lock nuts vs quick release skewer; how to move the deraileur off the sprockets, if applicable.) And do you really think it's easier to just undo one sidewall and then stuff the replacement tube between the rim and tire? I've never done it, but seems like its more trouble than it's worth vs taking the whole tire off. after all, once the first sidewall has been levered off, the other one slides off pretty easily by hand.
Replyalso, for a blog that usually stresses re-using and the environment, it's far less wasteful to use patches than throw out a whole tube and replace each time. not to mention cheaper. Patching a tube requires another step, but the hard labor is all in getting the wheel off and the tire off the rim. The contact cement dries nearly instantly, so it doesn't take that much longer versus replacing the whole tube.
Yep, this is about replacing a punctured tube rather than fixing it !!
ReplyThrough the years there have been many a bicycle tube that I have repaired. I have 5 boys. The easiest and quickest way that I have found to repair a punctured tube is to 1) Turn the bike upside down, resting on the handlebars and seat. 2) Make a reference mark on the tire where the valve stem comes out of the rim. 3) Without removing the rim from the bike unseat 1 side of the tire from the rim. 4) Push valve stem through to the inside of the tire. 5) Reach in and remove the tube from the inside of the tire and add some air to the tube so that you can find the leak with a small amount of soapy water. 6) When the leak is found remove the air from the tube and dry the area throughly and patch the tube using the directions supplied with the tube repair kit.
Reply7) When you are through patching add air and test for leaks once more. 8) If there are no leaks you are ready for reassembly, but first realine the valve stem on the tube with the mark you first made on the tire as a reference point. Wherever you had to patch check the outside and the inside of the tire for any foreign object that may have caused the tube to puncture and remove it. Also check the inside of the tire all around for any other foreign objects that may be embeded in the tire or even loose in the inside of the tire and remove. 9) Put just enough air into the tube to fill out it's shape without expanding it. Line up the valve stem with the mark on the tube and the hole in the rim for the valve stem. Insert the tube into the tire and the valve stem into the rim from the inside. Reinstall the side of the tire that you previously unseated and check to make sure that you have maintained the alighnment of the mark on the tire and the valve stem as it exits the hole in the rim. Add air to the tire in stages making sure that the bead of the tire seats evenly on the inside edge of the rim. When you have it even all the way around inflate to the recommended pressure. You have just repaired a tube without ever removing the rim from the bike or disturbing any of the alighnment or gear ajustments.
Through the years there have been many a bicycle tube that I have
Replyrepaired. I have 5 boys. The easiest and quickest way that I have
found to repair a punctured tube is to 1) Turn the bike upside down,
resting on the handlebars and seat. 2) Make a reference mark on the
tire where the valve stem comes out of the rim. 3) Without removing
the rim from the bike unseat 1 side of the tire from the rim. 4) Push
valve stem through to the inside of the tire. 5) Reach in and remove
the tube from the inside of the tire and add some air to the tube so
that you can find the leak with a small amount of soapy water. 6)
When the leak is found remove the air from the tube and dry the area
throughly and patch the tube using the directions supplied with the
tube repair kit. 7) When you are through patching add air and test
for leaks once more. 8) If there are no leaks you are ready for
reassembly, but first realine the valve stem on the tube with the
mark you first made on the tire as a reference point. Wherever you
had to patch check the outside and the inside of the tire for any
foreign object that may have caused the tube to puncture and remove
it. Also check the inside of the tire all around for any other
foreign objects that may be embeded in the tire or even loose in the
inside of the tire and remove. 9) Put just enough air into the tube
to fill out it's shape without expanding it. Line up the valve stem
with the mark on the tube and the hole in the rim for the valve stem.
Insert the tube into the tire and the valve stem into the rim from the
inside. Reinstall the side of the tire that you previously unseated
and check to make sure that you have maintained the alighnment of the
mark on the tire and the valve stem as it exits the hole in the rim.
Add air to the tire in stages making sure that the bead of the tire
seats evenly on the inside edge of the rim. When you have it even all
the way around inflate to the recommended pressure. You have just
repaired a tube without ever removing the rim from the bike or
disturbing any of the alighnment or gear ajustments.