1- Do you have all the tools necessary for the job? Here is a list of tools you will need to change a flat tire.
- Tire levers (at least one)
- A pump or CO2 cartridge
- A spare inner tube or a patch kit
2- Start by removing the tire from the rim with the tire levers. You can do it with one lever but if the tire is tight on the rim, it can help to use two levers.
3- Once you’ve unhooked one side of the tire, you can remove the inner tube from the tire and rim. You might have to unscrew the valve ring to remove the inner tube.
4- Before putting the new inner tube, make sure to check the tire for debris that caused the puncture. If the shards of glass are still there, they will make another puncture straight away.
5- Now that the tire has been clean, it is safe to put a new inner tube in. If the tire has been removed entirely from the rim, put half of it back on then, place the inner tube by making sure you don’t twist it. You can put a little air in to help place it correctly.
6- After fitting the inner tube, you can place the other half of the tire back on the rim. You will probably have trouble at the end when there is only a small part of the tire left. To help you, use a tire lever to pop in the last part. Be very careful that you don’t pinch the inner tube with the lever.
7- Once everything is back on the wheel, you can start pumping the tire. It could help to massage the tire to make sure the inner tube is well centred in the rim.
8- You can start pumping the tire. If you are using a pump, make sure to check if the air is spreading equally through out the tire once you reach half of the recommended pressure. You don’t want your inner tube to explode.
Tip
A well-pumped tire will greatly diminish the chance of getting a puncture.
