How to Fix a Flat Tyre

Bike terms are a bit of a killer and when it comes to how to fix a flat tyre we have a really good example of confusing language being used.  Because, in most cases, it’s not actually a flat tyre but a flat tube you are dealing with – it’s the tube inside the tyre that holds the air.  You can get away with small holes/cuts in your tyre as long as the tube is not affected.  See Bike Parts – The Tyre for more info on this part of your bike.

The exception to these statments are tubeless tyres which are more common on high end mountain and road bikes.  A tubeless tyre does not have a seperate inner tube so we will not be dealing with it here.

 

 

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So let’s choose to know what to do next time you look down and see a sad, squishy tyre.  Follow the steps below and if you need more information or a reminder about how to do a certain task, simply click the link, which will take you to the detailed story on that particular part of the process.

3 Easy Steps – How to fix a flat tyre

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STEP 1:  Wheel off, tube out

Take the wheel off by releasing the axel (open quick release or undo axel bolt).  See How to get a wheel off & back onto a bike

Take one side of the tyre off the wheel rim – tyre levers.  Pull out the tube being careful to slide your valve out of the wheel rim

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STEP 2: Tube back in

• Option One:  replace with spare tube
• Option Two:  repair the puncture with a puncture repair kit

Semi-inflate tube with pump.  Put back into tyre, sliding the valve back through the wheel rim.  Learn about your bike valve in this video…Pumping Up a Bike Tyre

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STEP 3:  Wheel on, pump up

Place wheel back onto bike, tightening axel & testing brakes – See How to get a wheel off & back onto a bike

Fully inflate the tube to the recommended PSI (on tyre sidewall) – Pump up the tyre

 

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Hopefully that has given you some useful steps to make life with a bike easier. Choose to  know what to do so you can SMILE when you goRide.

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Related goRide Resources:

Bike Tool Terms

Bike Part Terms

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