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How to Repair a Bike Tire

Learning how to repair a bike tire is not one of

the most difficult tasks that a cyclist will ever

encounter. Repairing a bicycle’s tire is simply

one of those tasks that appear to be a lot harder

than it looks. The truth of the matter is that

people only need to be aware of what they need

to do.

Yes, fixing a busted tire can be frustrating at first.

However, a little bit of reading can give the person the right idea on how to handle a

broken tire situation. Below are a few instructions that can help a person in repairing

their own bicycle tire.

Always investigate the bike tires

When a person gets a flat tire the very first thing a person needs to look for is the cause

of the problem. Tire bikes do not spontaneously explode, burst, or rupture without good

cause. These tires are made to be sturdy and resistant to forces such as torsion to

remain rigid and durable.

Examine the tire to find out the cause of the problem. Look for ruptures or any telltale

sign of damage. When the object responsible for the punctured tire is located, remove it

immediately.

If the damage is barely visible, then the person can try to mark the sidewall where it can

be found with their fingernails.

Removing the tire from the bike

The next step to learning how to patch a bike tire is removing it from the frame. The best

way of taking out the tire from a bike is by first turning the bike over and letting it rest on

its two handle bars or by using a bike repair stand.

Once the bike is in a stable position the following step involves taking out the tire.

Remove the brake calipers by freeing the lever for the brake calipers that can be found

on the brake calipers of the tire. Finally, pull on the lever for quick-release skewer lever

in order to release the tire from the frame of the bicycle.

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Getting the tube from the tire

The tire itself is not responsible for holding the air pressure. The component that is

responsible is the tube, which can be located within the tire’s walls.

Use the tire lever by inserting it between the rim and the tire. Slide the lever around the

borders of the tire in order to loosen the tire beads. Take out the tire bead.

Checking the inside

Use the hands and fingers to feel for any object that might have punctured the tube. The

culprit might still be stuck inside the tire itself, remove it. One of the objectives of bike

tire repair is to determine the cause, be sure to search thoroughly for it.

Inserting a new tube

Remove the valve cap on the tube must be pulled off. Push the valve inwards through

the rim’s hole and take away the old punctured tube. Replace it with a new tube and

pump a little bit of air into it in order to make it round.

The dollar bill

Take a dollar bill and fold it lengthwise two times. Insert the bill where the rupture on the

tire can be located, make sure the bill is centered

properly.

Using the thumb, cautiously reinsert the tire into the

rim starting from the bottom and head towards the

top. Make sure that the dollar bill stays in place

while it is reinserted.

Place the tire back on the bicycle’s frame and then

tighten the levers of the brakes and quick-release. The final step to learning how to

repair a bike tire is placing the valve cap back on, then simply pump the tube full of air.

If you want to get more information about how to repair a bike tire, please click here.