Repairing Bike Tubes or Installing New Tubes?

Video Transcript

"At this point I recommend pulling the tube out. Now if you notice, this label has been installed in line with the valve, there's a good reason for that, and that is when you go to search for what gave you the flat on the tube, you have another point to relate to on the tire to find the offending nail, glass or debris that gave you the flat to begin with. If you're just doing a flat repair on the side of the road, often you don't have to go any further than this. You don't have to remove the tire from the rim completely, although you can if you want, it usually just pulls off. Now is often a good time to make sure that the rim strip, which protects the tube from the inside of the rim. And the spoke heads, make sure that's aligned correctly and there is nothing poking through it, go all the way around, it seems to be in order. Sometimes things like this can cause trouble if the tire isn't seating correctly so you want to make sure that's not too far up on the edge of the rim. Usually when you're on the road patching a tire is time consuming, summertime you're getting bitten by bugs so I often recommend just carrying an extra tube and while you're on the road just use that new tube. Right now I'm actually checking carefully for any debris that might be lodged in the tire. I want to investigate anything like that, little bits that might be glass stuck in there, course be careful not to cut yourself. Once you are sure there is nothing in the tire anymore and the tire is not ripped anywhere on the side. Grab your new tube and begin an install."