How to Fix a flat tire tube on a bike

Explains how to fix a flat bike tire tube.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Bikes are a popular thing to have for kids of all ages,even adults,but kids use their bikes more often. Bikes are used for enertainmant,racing,jumping and more.Everybody who has a bike and uses it,your bike could end up getting a flat tire.But when kids are on their bikes,they are more likely to get a flat tire,because of the way they ride their bike and how often and possibly run over a nail or puncture the tube.When there is a flat tire it needs to be fixed and below I will explain how to fix a flat bike tire tube.

2. The tools you need is a wrench that fit the nuts on the front rim to take the rims and tires off,wet paper towel and a dry one,bike pump,dark marker,A dull prybar tool to help in taking the tire off the rims,sometime the tires have a tight fit on the rim,bike tube repair kit,which has the rubber patches and rubber cement in it and a small piece of sand paper to scuff the area around where the hole is in the tube and so the patch sticks better.

3. To begin you get your wrench and loosen up the nuts that hold the tire and rim on.Then once the rim and tire is off.Get the dull prybar and where the tire hugs up against the rim,you put the prybar underneath the tire until it comes out of the other side,then push up on the prybar and you will see the tire lift up,when the tire is lifted a little,you push the tire up with your hand on 1 side of the prybar or the other side to take the tire off more.Repeat this until that side of the tire is off.Then to get the other side of the tire off you get the dull pry bar and put it under the tire and pry it up and then push the rest of the tire off with your hands.You use the prybar just to begin the process in taking the tire off the rim.

4. After the tire is off the rim,undo the cap on the fill nozzle and take the tube out of the tire.Next get your bike pump,pump air into the tube and listen for air leaking out of the tube.Move the whole tube around near your ear so you can hear where the air is coming out.Then when you find where the air is coming out make a mark near the hole,so you can find the hole easier again.

5. Now that you know where the hole in the tube is you can patch the hole.get your sandpaper and scuff sand around the hole about an inch and on the hole,Then get your wet paper towel,wash the area and then dry it.Let the area air dry a little.While the area on the tire is drying get your tube patch kit,Take everything out take or cut a 1 inch square of the rubber patch,Just to get the patch ready to put on the tube.Then get your rubber cement and apply alittle to the hole on the tube and spread the rubber cement around about an inch then let it dry.After the rubber cement is dry,get the patch you cut and peel the blue part of the patch off,this is the part you will apply over the hole and will stick to the rubber cement.When the patch is on press it with your thumb to make it stick better.Let the patch dry alittle before proceeding to the next step.

6. When the patch had enough time to dry,pump the tube up alittle again to check and see if the patch job worked.If there is no air coming out anywhere,deflate the tube,put the tube back in the tire and put the tire back on the rim.You put the tire back on the rim one side at a time.Before putting the tire back on the rim,align the air fill nozzle up with the air fill nozzle hole in the rim then get the cap for the nozzle and screw it back on just to hold the tire in place.then put the one side of the tire up against where the tire sits in the rim and push that side of the tire over the rim and while holding the first part of the tire in place and push on the rest of that side of the tire.Then repeat this step for the other side.

7. Once the tire is on,put the tire and rim back on the bike,put the washers back on and then the nuts and tighten.When all done get your bike pump and pump up the tire.

[xivyisazombiex]

on 10/5/2009 plenty of information. useful article.