Bicycle: Flat Tire (Repair)

Today you will learn how to repair a flat tire on both the back and front wheels of a bicycle. There are series of steps to which need to be followed in order and not to be skipped. The tools you will need include: 15mm wrench, patch kit (scraper, glue, patches), large mixing bowl, water source, pump, grey or white sharpie, and lastly a tire lever (optional). Lets proceed to step one.

Step 1: Work Space

Locate a good workplace. It is important to have a safe and open work area to where you can access the tools and maneuver freely.

Step 2: Position Bicycle

Once you have located a safe location, flip the bicycle upside down so the handle bars and seat are touching the floor. If the bicycle starts to fall position the handle bars so the bicycle can stand vertically. This allows you to work without a partner.

Step 3: Detach Wheel

There are two types of wheels, one that has 15mm bolts holding the wheel and the other which has a lever (quick release) holding the wheel in place. Lets start with the front wheel first. If you have 15mm bolts you will need a 15mm wrench. Locate the right side of the bicycle, typically this would be the side that has the chain. Then take the 15mm and turn the bolt counterclockwise to loosen, on the other side of the front wheel you would also loosen the bolt by turning the wrench counterclockwise. If you have a lever on the front wheel then simply pull them to loosen, once loosened pull the wheel off. Now lets look at the back wheel. If you have 15mm bolts on the wheel then locate the right side, the side with the chain, and loosen by turning counterclockwise, on the other side of the bike loosen by spinning counterclockwise as well. If you have a lever on the back wheel then pull it to loosen, once loosened remove the chain off the cassette (ring full of teeth with different sizes) then fully remove the wheel.

Step 4: Deflate Tire

Locate the valve on the wheel and deflate the tire completely by pressing a very little pin using a pencil or key.

Step 5: Tire Removal

There are two ways to remove a tire. The first method uses the tire lever. Take the tire lever and slip it under the tire, after doing so, slide the tire lever around the rim to take one side of the tire off. Once completed, remove other side by pulling the side that you have slipped the tire lever into. The second method is a little more complex but may be faster, it is a good technique to learn in case if you have no tire levers. To use this method locate the valve to where air is inserted, then put the valve side of the wheel on the floor. Then put your front toes on the rim next to the valve and pull the top of the wheel until you have a gap between the tire and the rim. Once you have a gap pull the tire to either side of the rim and pull down. This should take the tire off if done properly.

Step 6: Removal of Inner Tube

Once you have taken off the tire, locate the inner tube which is usually located inside the tire.

Step 7: Fill Mixing Bowl

After removing the inner tube from the tire, fill up the large mixing bowl with enough water to rotate the inner tube inside.

Step 8: Inflate Inner Tube

This step is completed by taking your pump nasal, connecting it to the valve, and sealing it, Look at the instruction manual provided for the pump if you have any questions. Once sealed, inflate the inner tube and quickly remove pump nasal.

Step 9: Find Bubble(s)

After you inflate the inner tube, quickly insert the inner tube inside the mixing bowl so a portion of the inner tube gets covered. Then rotate the inner tube in the water until you see bubbles take your sharpie and mark the spot the bubbles came from, repeat until the whole inner tube has been under water. This procedure may finds other wholes as well.

Step 10: Scrape Marked Spot

Once you marked the spot deflate the tire and take out the scraper from the patch kit. Scrape the marked spot until you have an adhesive surface.

Step 11: Glue

After scraping the marked spot, apply enough glue (included in patch kit) to cover the area scraped with glue. Let it dry until no gloss effect is present.

Step 12: Patch

Take the patch provided in the patch kit and apply it to the glued spot covering the whole. Once you put on the patch, press the patch down firmly to remove any bubbles.

Step 13: Wait

After applying the patch kit, you typically want to wait an hour or two before assembling everything back again.

Step 14: Assemble Tire

After the inner tube dries, place it inside the tire by slipping it in so the valve is facing the inside of the tire.

Step 15: Attach Tire to Wheel

Find the whole in the rim for the valve and place the inner tube valve inside it. after doing so slip the rest of the tire into its normal position.

Step 16: Assemble Wheel to Frame

Next you want to put the wheel back into the frame by slipping it back into the spot you got it from (groove). For the front wheel just slip it on. For the back wheel, move the chain out of the way and slip the wheel inside, just the way you took it out.

Step 17: Tighten Bolts

All you need to do now is to tighten the bolts or lever. Tighten the bolts enough to have some resistance in turning. You are all set.