Bicycle Tube Repair

Bike tubes puncture easily, but are easy to fix.

Bike tubes are easy to repair. The experienced cyclist never leaves home without the proper patch kit and a small portable pump that attaches to the bike. It is also a good idea to carry a spare tube in a small pouch under your seat. When you get a flat out on the highway, put the fresh tube in the tire and patch the punctured tube when you get home.

Things You'll Need

• 2 plastic tire levers Air pump Ink pen Tube repair kit

Instructions

1. Unhook the bikes brakes on the flat tire by releasing the brake spring lever. It is a small lever about an inch long located on top of the brake mechanism on top the tire.

2. Pull the skewer lever down on the wheel axle. That’s the big lever located on the right side of each wheel axle. Turn the bike upside down on its handlebars and seat. Pull the wheel off the bike.

3. Force one of the tire levers between the tire and the wheel. Bend it down and hook it on one of the spokes. Insert another tire lever about an inch to the left of the first one.

4. Hold the tire with your left hand. Push the second tire lever away from you, sliding it along the metal part of the wheel between the tire and the wheel, separating the tire from the wheel.

5. Unscrew and remove the cap on the valve stem. Push the valve stem through the hole as you pull the flat tube free from the tire. Do not take the tire off the wheel.

6. Blow the tube full of air with your portable bike pump. When its about the size of a small zucchini, stop. Hold the tube up to your face as you gently revolve the tire in front of your face. Be quiet, listen and feel for escaping air. When you find the hole, draw a circle around it with the ink pen. Continue revolving the tire until you are confident you have found all the holes. Let the air back out of the tube.

7. Rough up the tube around the hole with the scrubbing device that comes with the patch kit. Apply a thin layer of glue about the size of a quarter over the hole. Let the glue dry for five minutes, then apply one of the patches that came with the patch kit. Press the patch down all around the perimeter of the patch until the edges are completely sealed.

8. Pick up the wheel and run your fingers along inside the empty wheel, and try to find the object that punctured the tube. When you find it, remove it from the tire. If you can’t find it, then it probably already fell out.

9. Blow a small bit of air into the tube with the pump until it gets a round shape again. Thread the valve stem back through the hole. Use your fingers to stuff the tube back into the tire.

10. Push the tire back on the rim with your thumbs. Inflate the tire, and put it back on the bike. Push the brake and axle levers back down. The bike is ready to ride.

Tips & Warnings

• Look inside the tire, and make sure there are no kinks in the tube before you put the tire back on the wheel. If you have to use tire lever to get the tire back on the wheel, be careful not to pinch the tube.

References

• Bike Web Sight: Bicycle Tires and Tubes
• Sports and Recreation Tutorials: Learn to Fix a Bike Flat