How to Change a Flat Bike Tire: Part 2

Video Transcript

" This is Jim Toledano for Expert Village talking about finishing fixing the flat by putting the new tube in. First thing you do is you get your new tube, and you don’t want it to be completely flat so you open it up and put some air in it. Pushing the tire over, stick the valve stem in. Make sure it’s straight, because if it’s at an angle, it can cut the tube. Now, since you’ve put some air in to the tube, it goes very comfortably right inside the tire. Next thing you do is you put the tire back on. You do it by hand by simply sliding the bead of the tire, which is the rounded edge, back on being careful that all of the tube is inside. Popping the back in, feeling around to make sure that there’s no tube sticking out to pinch, and then pop it up. You want to take your thumb, hold the bottom of the tube and push it on. Lock it. The pumps that are on the bike are not as efficient as the floor pumps; it takes a lot more strokes. The alternative is to use one of these CO2 cartridges. You pop it on and blow it up. Once you’re done, once you’ve pumped it up, you tighten the valve and reverse what you did. You slide it into the cutouts there and turn the lever. What you want it to do is to make it tight enough that you feel it in your hand when you push, and it closes. And you’re done. Remember to close your brakes again, spin the wheel to make sure it’s even, load everything back up, and you’re on your way. "