How to fix a punctured tire bicycle


Bike Tire Repair Tips to Fix Your Flat

Changing a bike tire after getting a flat is a relatively easy fix—as long as you know how to handle it. Whether you ride on smooth pavement, rough gravel, or rocky singletrack trails, it’s bound to happen eventually, so you might as well prepare yourself with both the necessary tools and the bike repair knowledge you need address the problem.

Below, we detail everything you need to know about how to change a bike tire, including the bike tire repair tips you need to succeed.

First things first though—for tools, you should always carry tire levers, a correctly-sized spare tube, and an inflation device, be it a mini pump or CO2 cartridge. You may also want to consider a patch kit or tire plug, which can come in handy for certain riders. And if you run tubeless tires, scroll down to skip to the tubeless section. When you’re ready to go, here’s your step-by-step guide.


[WATCH] Fix a Flat Tire in 2 Minutes


Follow These Steps to Change a Tire and Fix a Flat

Step 1: Remove the Tire


Start by removing the wheel. Keep your bike upright, and if it’s a rear-wheel flat, shift your drivetrain into the hardest gear. If your bike has rim brakes, which many bikes still do, you may also need to loosen the brake.

Next, position yourself on the non-drive side of your bike (opposite the chain) and either open the quick release or unthread the thru-axle to remove the wheel.

Now you can remove the tire. Hook the rounded end of one tire lever under the bead (the outer edge) of the tire to unseat it. Fix the other end to a spoke to hold the lever in place and keep the unseated tire from popping back into the rim. Then hook the second lever under the bead next to the first, pushing it around the rim clockwise until one side of the tire is off. You don’t need to completely remove the tire.

Related Story
  • How to Find the Perfect Bike Tire Pressure

Step 2: Find the Culprit

Once the tire is loose, pull out the old tube (if applicable) and look for the source of the flat, which could be a thorn, piece of glass, or some other sharp object. Carefully run your fingers along the inside of your tire and rim, making sure nothing sharp is left behind; otherwise, you risk getting another flat. Also inspect the outside of the tire, again looking for any foreign object that might still be stuck in the rubber.

If you’re using tubes and want to do a little detective work, pump some air into the old one to find the leak. Two holes side by side indicate a pinch-flat, where the tube gets pinched between the tire and rim. A single hole is a sign that your flat was most likely caused by a sharp object. By lining the tube up with the tire using the valve as a point of reference, you can double check the area where the hole is to ensure the culprit is removed.

Step 3: Patch the Problem

If you’re the thrifty type who likes to reuse old tubes, or if you’ve gotten multiple flats on your ride and have no more spares, then you can patch your tube with a patch kit. If you have a new tube, skip to the next section.

Start by cleaning the punctured area and roughing the surface with an emery cloth. For a glueless patch, simply stick it over the hole and press firmly. For a patch that requires glue, add a thin layer of glue to the tube and patch. Wait for the glue to get tacky, then apply the patch and press firmly until it adheres.

If you prefer to reuse old tubes or ran out of spares, you can try to patch the hole with a patch kit.

Katja Kircher//Getty Images

Step 4: Install the Tube

Now inflate your new or patched tube just enough so that it holds its shape. This makes it easier to place inside the tire. Next, with the valve stem installed straight through the rim’s valve hole, position the tube inside the tire. Work the tire back onto the rim with your hands by rolling the bead away from yourself. Try not to use levers to reseat the tire, as you could accidentally puncture your new tube. When you get to the valve stem, tuck both sides of the tire bead low into the rim and push upward on the stem to get the tube inside the tire.

Check to make sure the tire bead isn’t pinching the tube by gently pushing the tire to the side as you work your way around the rim. Then inflate to the appropriate PSI and check that the bead is seated correctly.


4 Essentials to Build Your Repair Kit
SILCA Mattone Waterproof Seat Bag

$50 at Amazon

Credit: Silca
Pedro's Tire Lever Set

$8 at Amazon

Park Tool Vulcanizing Patch Kit

Now 19% Off

$5 at Amazon

Credit: Park Tool
Topeak Mountain DA G Mini Pump

$40 at Walmart

Credit: REI

Step 5: Reinstall the Wheel

If everything looks good, reattach your wheel, making sure the quick release or thru-axle lever is on the opposite side of your drivetrain.

If you had a rear-wheel flat, lay the top of the chain around the smallest cog on your cassette and carefully push the wheel back into the frame. Close your quick release (and rim brakes if applicable) or insert the thru-axle back into the frame and hub and thread it closed.

Finally, lift the rear wheel and spin your cranks once to make sure everything is back in place and operating smoothly. If all is good to go, get back on your bike and enjoy the rest of your ride.

Trevor Raab

How to Plug a Tubeless Tire Instead

For tubeless setups—all but standard in mountain biking and becoming increasingly popular on gravel, cyclocross, and even some road bikes—your sealant should do the trick without you even realizing it. Be sure to check your sealant regularly (about every three to six months) to make sure the tire has enough and that it hasn’t dried out.

But in the event of a bigger puncture or side-wall tear, you may need a tire plug to stop air loss. Plug kits come with a small strip of rubber and an insertion device, which allow you to plug the hole without even removing the wheel. Once you find the puncture and insert the rubber plug, re-inflate your tire to the appropriate pressure to see that it’s holding air. If so, start riding again, and check the repair every so often to make sure it’s holding fast. You could also add more sealant, but you’d need to carry a valve core removal tool and a small bottle of sealant.

Trevor Raab

If air loss is coming from a puncture bigger than a plug fix, you could try a patch or a boot on the tire. But fair warning: It’ll likely be difficult to get a patch to adhere to your sealant-coated tire without thoroughly cleaning the area. Adding more sealant or a patch could create another problem, too, by letting all the air out and breaking the seal between the rim and tire. It’ll likely be difficult to reseat the tire bead onto the rim on the spot. The easiest way to ensure your tire holds air at this point is to simply use a spare emergency tube to get through the ride and address it at home or at a bike shop.


4 Tools to Make Tubeless Easier
Bontrager Bontrager TLR Flash Charger Floor Pump

$155 at Trek Bikes

SCHWALBE SCHWALBE - Tubeless Tire Inflator

$70 at Amazon

Keep It Clean

Stan’s Sealant Injector

$10 at notubes.com

Precisely measure sealant and install with no mess.

Mid-Ride Repair

Dynaplug Micro Pro Repair Kit

$60 at dynaplug.com

Brass-tipped plugs make fixing bigger punctures easy.


Jessica Coulon

Service and News Editor

When she’s not out riding her mountain bike, Jessica is an editor for Popular Mechanics. She was previously an editor for Bicycling magazine. 

How to fix a bike puncture and mend an inner tube

(Image credit: Getty)

Getting a flat tyre anywhere or anytime is annoying, but if you don't know how to fix it, it can be a scary predicament. 

Not knowing how to get your wheel re-inflated and back on the road can make riding solo an un-nerving and ride limiting.  

Even with a pair of the best road bike tyres, ideal gravel bike tyres or even best puncture-proof tyres, you can never guarantee against a flat wheel.

It's not just tyres either, take some time to get to know your rubber and Schrader vs presta valves in our guide on bike inner tubes which explains all about them. 

However, with our guide for how to fix a puncture and mend an innertube, you'll soon be super confident in your own abilities to keep safe and get home from any bike ride. 

 

We've explained the easy steps in the video above, and there's a picture guide that takes you through the steps underneath. However, as with everything in life, practice makes perfect. Once you've watched or read, make sure you spend some time having a go yourself.

Always make sure you try out your new skills at home in the warm and dry before setting off on your next adventure where the added elements of weather, light and time may be against you.

Step by step guide to fixing a puncture

Step 1: remove the wheel from the frame

Make sure you are in your smallest sprocket before removing removing your rear wheel.  

(Image credit: Getty)

Front wheel removal 

Once you realise you have a flat, the first job for fixing a bike puncture is to remove the wheel. 

It's a simple job of pulling down and unscrewing your quick release until you have enough slack to remove the wheel. If you are using Thru Axles, you'll need to either just unwind the leaver and remove the bolt entirely. 

Some bike's don't have a tool free quick wheel release, so it's really important to check what system your bike is using. You might discover that it requires you to carry the correct size allen key for some Thru Axels

Some commuter bikes uses wheel nuts - if this is the case, you'll need a spanner - often 15mm - to loosen these off before you can remove the wheel.

If you have disc brakes you can simply pop the front wheel out and gently lower the bike down on it's forks. 

To let off a caliper brake, lift the leaver, on the left hand side in this image from down to up.  

(Image credit: Future)

If you are using rim brakes, you'll need to let off the brakes. 

On caliper brakes, like the one above you can just lift the little leaver from down to up, which will slacken the cable to open the brakes enough to allow the wheel and tyre to come out. 

How to fix a puncture: remove the wheel

If you have cantilever or V-brakes, as in the image above, you will just need to squeeze the brakes together and pop the cable out of it's housing, again to allow the brakes to open wide enough to allow the wheel and tyre to pass through. 

Rear wheel removal 

If it is a rear wheel puncture, you need to take all the above steps, but ensure you have adjusted the bike gears so that the chain is on the smallest chainring on the crankset and the smallest sprocket on the rear cassette. This makes rear wheel removal easier as the chain is at it's slackest.

Step 2: remove the valve cap and retaining nut

Take the dust cover off the valve

Take off the valve cap (the little piece of black plastic over the valve) and unscrew the valve retaining nut (the round ring siting against the rim) if there is one. Push the end of the valve to fully deflate the tube if it's not already empty of air.

Step 3: use tyre levers to loosen the tyre

Use tyre levers to prize the tyre from the rim

Check the outside of the tyre for any clear causes of the puncture. If you see any debris stuck in the outside of the rubber, remove it and make a mental note of where it is in relation to the valve. 

Bear in mind you might not find anything, but DON'T check by rubbing the palm of your hand on the tyre as it could be glass or metal, and the last thing you need when trying to repair a puncture is a cut on your hand! 

Gently insert two tyre levers between the tyre and the wheel rim - directly opposite the valve (you can start anywhere but the further you are from the valve the easier it'll be).

Pull the tyre away from the rim using the tyre levers, one at a time. If you have three levers, hook the first two under the spokes and remove some more of the tyre with the third lever.

By now the tyre should be loose enough to simply run a tyre lever around the wheel rim to remove the rest of the tyre. With experience, you may only need one tyre lever.

It's worth noting here that this can be easier said than done, and that some tyres and wheel combinations are notoriously tight. 

The ease to which a tyre pops of a wheel rim can also depend on the rubber compound. In general, the more robust a tyre, the harder it will be to remove. 

The key here is to find the sweet spot of a tyre that you can remove, while limiting the chances of puncturing in the first place. 

Ask around as most local riders will have their go to brands of tyres, as the kinds of roads and terrain will play a part in what works for your style of riding. 

If in doubt, opt for a all/ four season tyre. This should be mailable enough to pop off the rim with a bit of encouragement, but will limit the risk of puncturing as much as possible.   

Remember, if you can't remove it at home without assistance, you won't be able to remove it on your own out on the bike in all weather, times of the day and temperatures. So if you need to swop tyres, swop them!

Step 4: remove the tyre if you need too

Take the tyre off the rim if you need too. 

Pull out the inner tube,  and, if you need too, take the tyre off the wheel completely.

If the cause of the puncture was obvious, a thorn for example, you can probably leave one side of the tyre seated on the rim of the wheel, remove the object and then continue to the decision on new tube or or repair the tube below. 

If it's not quite as clear why you have a bike puncture, then it's worth removing the tyre completely, as per step 5 below. 

Step 5: check the tyre for debris

Gently and carefully run your fingers along the tyre, checking for thorns or glass

If the perpetrator is unclear, turn the tyre inside out and having a good inspection before attempting to insert another tube.

If there is a puddle close to hand, you could always re-inflate the old tube and submerge each section looking for the bubbles of escaping air to help locate the site of the puncture. You can then cross reference this to the tyre and focus on finding the cause.

Check that there are no further holes in your inner tube. Then carefully run your fingers around the inside of the tyre to check there is nothing else penetrating the tyre - if you find anything (small pieces of glass, thorns, gravel), remove it.  Not doing so can result in the dreaded double puncture. It’s usually possible to make a visual check of the tread while doing this.

Step 6: decide on replace or repair

At this point you've got two choices - to mend the inner tube and replace it, or simply use a brand new one/ a pre-mended tube.

It's usually easier to use a new or pre-mended tube out on the road. This cuts the time of the roadside down and gets you back rolling as swiftly as possible.

We cover how to mend the punctured inner tube below for when you get home and can do an unrushed job.

Always ensure that the spare tubes you carry have a valve long enough for the depth of the wheels you are rolling on and a valve type that is compatible with one of the best bike pump or best Co2 inflators that you should be carrying.  

Step 7: put a little air in the tube

Add a little air to the tube

Inflate the (patched or replacement) inner tube slightly so it just becomes round in shape. This helps stop it pinching against the rim when you put it back in.

Step 7: refit the tyre on one side and insert the tube

Refit the tyre

If you did remove the tyre completely, it's now time to refit on one side. Make sure the tread is pointing the right way. 

Some tyres have arrows on the sidewall indicating the ‘direction of travel’, other's are unidirectional and can be fitted in any direction. 

Put the valve in the valve hole, and tuck the inner tube into the space between the tyre and the wheel rim.

Step 8: refit the tyre completely

Seat the tyre back into the rim by pushing with your thumbs

When the inner tube is all in, ease the tyre back into place. 

Starting at the valve, grip the rim of the wheel and push the tyre on to the rim, lifting at the same time to prevent the semi inflated tube getting pinched.

Try to finish directly across from the valve as the tyre will be looser there. If it gets difficult, let a little air out of the inner tube. Check there are no inner tube bulges from under the tyre, or that the tube isn't pinching under the tyre bead.

You can use tyre levers to help with the last section, where the tyre is tightest - but if possible avoid this as they can pinch the tube and cause you to have to start all over again.

The tougher and newer the tyre, the harder this will be - by contrast well used, supple summer tyres are usually much easier to get back on the rim.

Step 9: fully re-inflate the tube

Attach the pump to the valve and pump it up

(Image credit: Getty )

Pump up the tyre to as close to the you ideal pressure, it's worth checking our guide to what's the correct road bike tyre pressure if you are unsure.  

Ideally this would be done before you reinsert and refit the wheel into the bike securely, this just allows you to double check it's seated properly before full inflation.  

If you are using a mini pump, you are unlikely to be able to inflate to full pressure, and even with CO2, you'll have to make a rough guestimate at the pressure. So be comfortable with getting the squish feel of your tyres at different pressures, so you can adjust your riding accordingly. 

Once the wheel is back on the bike, close the brake quick release lever or reattach the brake cable if needed. If you have mended a rear wheel puncture, get someone to hold the bike up, and go through the gears. Check that the wheel spins freely and the brakes work correctly.

How to mend a punctured inner tube

Apply a patch to the inner tube if you're mending it

Inner tubes can be quite expensive, and they're easy to fix so it's a good idea to mend them instead of simply replacing one and chucking the old rubber.

If the puncture is not obvious, pump up the inner tube. Once inflated, it is usually easy to hear the air escaping. If not, run the inner tube past your lips to sense the escaping air.

If you are still struggling to find the culprit, you can always submerge a re-inflated tube in a bucket or sink of water, and (like the puddle approach mentioned above) you should see the tell tale signs of bubbles where air is escaping.  

Once located, roughen the area around the hole thoroughly with the emery paper in your puncture outfit.

Remove any excess emery or tyre dust and apply enough glue to cover an area a little bigger than the repair patch that you’ll use.

Do this a couple of times, allowing the glue to dry between applications. After the last application of glue, take a patch, remove the backing, and stick it on the inner tube. Press it home, working from the centre outwards. When you are confident that the glue is dry, carefully remove any further film attached to the patch.

There are patches that are self adhesive, which negates the glue faff so if you're time poor, these do speed things up a little, and are also a good option for a road side repair emergency.   

How do I know what inner tube I need?

What are the different tubes and valve types?

In general there are two types of valve, Presta and Shrader Valve. 

A Shrader valve is the same as you’ll find on a car tyre and to inflate it you simply have to use a pump with a compatible adapter. To deflate it you have to push a little pin found inside the valve.

Presta valves are thinner with a small captive nut found near the top. To inflate you need to unscrew the captive nut fully before using a pump with a suitable adapter. To deflate you unscrew the captive nut, then push it ‘in’ towards the base of the valve.

There are several different types of tubes on the market, which vary in material, rubber or latex for example, or in puncture protection level. 

Check your spare tubes have the correct valves and that they're long enough for your rims. People often upgrade wheels to deep section rims, but forget to get new spare tubes with longer valves.

Finally, also check you have a compatible pump or inflator. Most will cater for both presta valves and shrader valves, but it's better to be safe than sorry. 

We mentioned it above, but do check out our guide on bike inner tubes to help you navigate to the correct choice for you.  

Why do I keep getting punctures?

How can I stop getting flat tyres on the bike?

If you find you're getting regular punctures, it's a good idea to check your tyres are still in good condition and appropriate for the type of riding you're doing.

Choice of tyres is almost as important as the wheels or frame. First of all your tyres need to be the correct size to fit your wheels. They need to be pumped up the appropriate pressure, as mentioned above.

Too much pressure could blow the tyre off the rim and too low a pressure will allow pinch punctures and tyre wall, or rim damage.

It’s also best if they are the right tread for the surface that you are riding on, the time of year and what riding you'll be doing.

Tyres that are smooth because they are worn out are useless and dangerous. Tyres that have a series of tiny cracks in the sidewalls or between the tread blocks need replacing too.

From time to time, a tyre may have some internal damage which results in a bulge somewhere around its circumference; this is another occasion when the only remedy is a new tyre.

Finally, the inner tube: make sure any replacement inner tube is the right size for the tyre, and you have the right type of valve to fit through the hole in the wheel rim. See below for valve types.

Can you fix a ripped tyre?

Can I ride a bike tyre with a hole in it?

If the hole in the tyre is large, this may cause the inner tube to bulge through the gap, like a hernia. If this is the case, replacing the tube will just result in another puncture. 

The solution is to reinforce the hole, with an old piece of tyre from the inside. In desperate situations we have even seen energy gel wrappers used for this purpose. This solution is an emergency fix however, and should only be used to get you home or to your nearest bike shop. 

Don't ride on determined to hit your mileage target only to get more stranded when the tyre completely fails.

  • Tyre levers
  • Two (or more!) spare inner tubes
  • Patches/repair kit
  • Some bits of old tyre to reinforce big holes
  • A pump
  • A mobile phone: if all else fails, get a lift home before hypothermia sets in

Hannah is Cycling Weekly’s longest-serving tech writer, having started with the magazine back in 2011. She has covered all things technical for both print and digital over multiple seasons representing CW at spring Classics, and Grand Tours and all races in between.

Hannah was a successful road and track racer herself, competing in UCI races all over Europe as well as in China, Pakistan and New Zealand.

For fun, she's ridden LEJOG unaided, a lap of Majorca in a day, won a 24-hour mountain bike race and tackled famous mountain passes in the French Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and Himalayas.  

She lives just outside the Peak District National Park near Manchester UK with her partner, daughter and a small but beautifully formed bike collection. 

How to properly change and seal the bicycle inner tube

Sooner or later, every cyclist has such an unpleasant situation as a bicycle inner tube puncture. Finding a flat tire at home is one thing (although it also requires some knowledge of camera repair), but what if you blew it during a multi-kilometer ride, for example, somewhere in a field? How to determine the puncture site in such a situation, correctly change and seal the bicycle chamber, what kind of glue and patches are best suited for this purpose. In addition, in this article we will consider some of the nuances of repair and proper operation of bicycle chambers, for example, we will talk about what pressure they should have and much more. nineOl000 Related video

  • 8 Conclusion
  • Replacing the bicycle tube

    During long trips, it is advisable to carry not only a bicycle tool, but also a spare tube, with which you can quickly replace the failed one and go further. After all, this is much faster than waiting for the glue to dry on a freshly sealed one. Therefore, in this section we will consider such a question as how to remove a bicycle tire and replace the camera when it is punctured. nine0003

    1. Remove the wheel from the bike. To do this, loosen the eccentric (or unscrew the fixing nut on the axis).
    2. We wipe the side surfaces of the tire and rim from dirt with a rag.
    3. Lay the wheel on its side and make a mark with chalk (or other materials at hand) on the tire opposite the camera nipple. If there is nothing at hand, then remember this position, relying on the side inscriptions. After that, the wheel should remain only on this side. This is necessary so that after we take out the camera and find a puncture on it, we can, by attaching it to the tire, find the place where the foreign object pierced the latter. In most cases, the plant's nail or needle remains in the bike tire, and if left unremoved, it will pierce the new tube as soon as it is replaced. nine0008
    4. We unscrew the cap of the chamber nipple, and, pressing on the nipple, let the air out until the edges of the tire “fall behind” from the rim sides. The camera can not be completely lowered.
    5. Then, with the help of a special beading blade (mounting tool), we pry off the edge of the tire, and, resting the blade against the rim wall, pull its bead out.

      Be careful not to get a tube between the mount and the rim. This may lead to its rupture. If you do not have a magazine spatula, then you can use any non-sharp, preferably plastic object of a similar shape. It is not necessary to use wooden products for these purposes (they may be with burrs) or metal products that damage the paintwork of the bicycle rim. Sharp objects (screwdrivers, knives, etc.) are strictly not recommended for use. They can damage both the tube and the tire. nine0003

    6. After you have pulled out a part of the bead, hold it with the other hand, and with a spatula draw along the contour of the rim. At this stage, we have removed one side of the tire.
    7. We pull out the chamber, for which we push the nipple inside the rim, and slowly take it out.

      It is important not to turn it over to the other side until we find the puncture site and find it on the tire (by attaching a tube to it).

    8. After that, we remove the bicycle tire completely (you can not do this right away, but try to find the puncture site by touch, but with the tire removed, of course, it is easier). We move its side, which remains between the walls of the rim, to the edge and, holding the latter, pull it towards us. After we remove it, we leave the tire in the same position as it stood on the rim (to search for a foreign object stuck in it). nine0008
    9. Check the inside of the rim and tire for debris and foreign objects that should be removed before installing a new inner tube.
    10. We inflate the bicycle chamber and find the puncture site, remembering its position or marking it, for example, with chalk. After that, we lower it completely through the nipple.
    11. We put the camera on the tire, placing its nipple against the mark, and make a second mark at the site of the hole found.
    12. We run our hand along the inside of the tire at the puncture site and find a sharp object that is easy to remove with tweezers or pliers. nine0008
    13. After that we put one side of the tire on the rim. Please note that during installation, the correct direction of the protector must be observed. This can be done by looking at the side of the tire. On one or both sides there will be arrows indicating the correct direction of rotation (the inscription Drive, Direction or just an arrow may be present). Next, we insert a new chamber inside, pulling the nipple through the corresponding hole on the rim (for ease of installation, the bicycle chamber can be pumped up a little), and put on the second side. We inflate the wheel with a pump and screw on the cap. nine0008

    The punctured chamber should then be repaired, for example after you have returned home from a bike ride or during a break.

    How to spot a puncture

    At first glance, a very simple procedure for locating a puncture can become much more complicated depending on where you find a flat tire (at home or during a trip). To simplify the search procedure, it should be taken into account that in 90% of cases it is located on the so-called "contact spot" of the wheel with the road, usually no higher than 2/3 of the chamber height. An exception may be damage from the rim (if the rim tape failed on the latter) or the iron threads of the tire cord that came out. Therefore, we will consider several options for how to find a hole in the bicycle chamber through which air is bled. nine0003

    • The easiest way is to lower the camera into the water. It is enough to have an insignificant tank, the depth of which allows you to immerse it at least 2/3 of the height. We rotate the camera until we find air bubbles that will escape from the water. After we take it out, find the puncture site and proceed to repair.
    • If there is no water nearby, then fine dust will come to the rescue (which can be found on dirt roads). We increase the pressure in the chamber to enhance the air jet from the hole and bring it a short distance to the dust (without touching it). We rotate the camera, and we look at the place where the dust will begin to scatter. nine0008
    • If the weather is calm outside, the puncture can be detected by holding the camera to a wet wrist (its inner side). The skin should be wet to make the search as easy as possible. For this method it is also desirable to increase the pressure.
    • If there is a strong puncture in a quiet place, it can be detected by ear.

    What can be used to seal the tube

    Not all adhesives and patches are suitable for repairing a punctured bicycle wheel. Therefore, it is worth dwelling in more detail on the topic of what is possible and what should not be sealed with a bike camera. There are several options, which we will discuss below. nine0003

    1. Specialized repair kits. A lot of bicycle parts manufacturers produce so-called bicycle camera repair kits, which usually consist of a case, a crayon to mark the puncture site, a sander (usually a metal perforated plate or a piece of sandpaper), several patches of various shapes and sizes, and glue. The composition of the adhesive is specifically designed to be used with the surface of specific patches (with which it enters into a chemical reaction), so using it together with patches from another manufacturer may not work. Fortunately, in most of these repair kits, the amount of glue is clearly calculated for the number of patches. nine0008
    2. China inner tube repair kits. Some riders underestimate the power of the Chinese industry and look down on their belts. I can’t talk about everything (I’m sure some of them are really terrible), but for the last 4 years I’ve been using exclusively Chinese Red Sun patches (although this may not be a company, but the name of a repair kit). They are quite common. For several years of use, none of the patches flew off and began to let air through. And the cost of this product is lower than that of famous brands. The disadvantages include that the set contains only glue and patches, and what is most offensive, there are disproportionately more patches than glue. Well, these are already trifles. In general, I advise everyone. nine0008
    3. The third option is the most unreliable and therefore it should be used only as a last resort. Here we have highlighted homemade patches that can be made from an old bicycle inner tube. As an adhesive, you can use almost any plastic adhesive for rubber. But in this case, the reliability of the patch turns out to be very low. It says so, "at your own peril and risk." When using homemade patches, you can not use glue, which, when solidified, can burst at the bends. nine0008
    4. Vulcanization. Sounds good, is very reliable (better than any glue and patches, given that you vulcanize in a specialized workshop), but in reality it is not worth the money and troubles. It is quite difficult to do at home (and impossible in the field) and you can easily screw up the camera.

    How to properly stick the patch

    After we have found and marked the place of the bicycle inner tube puncture, it is necessary to start its repair, namely, to seal this hole. To do this, you must perform the following operations. nine0003

    1. If the camera is wet (after looking for a defect), then you should wait for it to dry completely. Plus, it must be completely deflated.
    2. Using sandpaper or a special perforated iron plate (which is usually present in bicycle tube repair kits), we clean the puncture site until a matte color appears. The sanding area should be 1 centimeter larger than the size of the bike patch in diameter. After this procedure, we try not to touch this place with our hands or other objects. nine0008
    3. Remove the protective film from the surface of the patch, which we will stick to the camera.
    4. Apply glue. It can be applied to the patch only, to the camera only, or to both. This information can be found on the adhesive tube. We also pay attention to the exposure time in air and the time of complete solidification indicated there (the last two points may not be indicated).
    5. We firmly press the patch to the place we need, squeeze out the air from under it (to do this, press on its center and gradually move towards the edges) and keep it in this state for several minutes. The procedure is simplified if you put the camera on a flat surface, place a strong plate on top (for example, a piece of laminate) and press it down with all your weight by stepping on it. We compress the place of gluing for about 5 minutes. nine0008
    6. Many people say that after that you can immediately put the camera in the bike wheel and ride, but I would advise you to wait at least another 30 minutes.

    What to do if the tube deflates

    If, after you have sealed a puncture on the bike tube, it still deflates over time, you should check: To do this, the place with the patch should be lowered into the water and make sure there are no air bubbles. If they are, then you will have to tear off the old and glue a new patch. nine0008

  • Check for other smaller punctures by lowering the camera into water. If they are found, seal them.
  • Check for air leaks at the nipple. To do this, spit on it (or, if you do everything right, apply a soapy solution) and watch for several tens of seconds. If it skips, then bubbles will form on it. If a leak is found, tighten the nipple with a special wrench.
  • Is the metalized cord coming out. It happens that over time on cheap bicycle tires the cord breaks down, which is a thin wire (more expensive tires use nylon threads and other materials) that can crawl out from the inside of the tire and constantly pierce the tube. If such a problem is found, the tire should be replaced as soon as possible. A temporary solution is to pull out the protruding cord wire and seal this place with a patch for the camera. But I repeat that in this case, a tire replacement is required, because. this will be repeated regularly. nine0008

    If the tube is damaged at the base of the nipple (for example, it was rubbed by the rim), it is better to replace it immediately. As a rule, such defects cannot be repaired.

    Tips for avoiding punctures

    To reduce the chance of unexpected tire and tube damage while riding, there are a few simple rules to follow.

    • Maintain the correct tire pressure. There is no specific figure here, because for certain tubes / tires, the nominal working pressure may be different. For example, on mountain bikes, the pressure in the chamber should be about 2.5-5 bar, and on road bikes - 6-9bar. On the tire of the bicycle there are corresponding inscriptions of the minimum and maximum pressure. It looks like this. If the pressure is too low, this greatly increases the risk of puncture. It is worth remembering that when driving in winter or in the autumn-spring period, the temperature outside is lower than in the apartment. Therefore, on cold days, the chamber should be inflated a little more (because as the temperature of the air in the closed volume decreases, its pressure decreases). Therefore, if you pump up to 3 bar in summer, then in winter you can increase the pressure by about 1 bar (but not higher than the maximum allowable). nine0008
    • Change tires when worn. When developing its resource (erasing the tread), the likelihood of a puncture also increases. And if you have a worn tire, and you began to notice that the wheel began to break through more and more often, you should think about replacing the tire.

    There are two other devices on the bike parts market that are designed to make life easier (at least they position themselves that way) when riding a bike. This is an anti-puncture tape and sealant, which is poured in a small amount into the chamber and is designed to “tighten” punctures while driving. nine0003

    Anti-puncture tape is a strip of soft, rubberized plastic or, in more expensive products, Kevlar, that can be glued or simply inserted between the tire and the bicycle tube to protect against punctures. But there are pitfalls here. Cheap anti-puncture, firstly, does not always protect against punctures, and secondly, it can fall apart inside the tire and rub the chamber into dust with its fragments, thereby dooming the latter to ejection. Plus, it's extra weight. In general, after sitting on the forums, I agreed that they are more blamed than praised. nine0003

    As far as the sealant is concerned, things are not so good either. As a temporary solution, when you don’t want to bother with replacing the camera, you can, of course, use it. But the sealant does not seal the puncture completely, but only reduces air leakage. Plus, there were complaints after use, when they wanted to stick a patch on the puncture site.

    In general, according to the editors, it is better to use better quality bicycle tires with built-in puncture protection, carry a spare tube with you and not bother with the above accessories. nine0003

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    Conclusion

    After reading this article, we can conclude that replacing and repairing a bicycle inner tube is not such a difficult task, and sealing it during a trip is not much more difficult than doing it at home. The most important thing on long trips is to have another spare tube and a puncture repair kit with you. Also, do not forget to pump up the chamber to the required pressure in time and change worn-out bicycle tires in a timely manner. nine0003

    How to fix a punctured bicycle inner tube

    Here are some simple, clear instructions on how to repair a bicycle inner tube quickly and correctly.

    1. Locate tire puncture

    Starting at the valve, check all sides of the bicycle tire to find the cause of the puncture. Remove any shards of glass or sand that you notice. Even if you find one of the possible causes, keep checking the tire until you get back to the nipple. nine0003

    2. Remove the tire


    Vent the chamber. On the side of the wheel opposite the nipple, using a special tool (available at all good bike shops) or a similar handy tool, loosen about 5 cm of the tire as shown in the picture. Alternately rearranging the special tool along the entire diameter of the wheel, remove one side of the tire from the rim.
    Pull out the chamber. Remove the tire completely, this can be done by manually moving the entire tire in one place from the wheel rim. nine0003

    3. Inflate the punctured chamber


    Inflate the chamber and listen for air to pass through. Examine the camera from all sides. If the hole cannot be found, re-inflate the camera and place it in a container of water. After finding the puncture site, dry the chamber before moving on to the next step.
    Be careful: When inflating the chamber, do not twist the pump so as not to pull the nipple out of the chamber.

    4. Prepare chamber


    Select the correct rubber patch size - use a larger rather than a smaller patch size if in doubt. Roughen the surface of the camera around the hole with sandpaper. Make sure all mold marks on the chamber are completely erased and the surface is flat.

    Apply one drop of rubber adhesive and spread around the puncture 2 cm larger in circumference than . Let dry - the rubber adhesive will change from glossy to matte. Apply a second thin layer in the same way as

    5 Tape the puncture site

    Inflate the bladder a little to help highlight the position of the hole. Press the patch firmly onto the puncture site after removing the foil. If there is a thin cellophane on top of the patch, then it can be left.

    Sprinkle chalk, talcum powder, or road dust around the patch to prevent the camera from sticking to the tire.

    6. Check tire


    Before installing the tube, check the inside of the tire to find the cause of your puncture. The location of the puncture on the camera will help you find the cause of the puncture. Run your fingers into the tire and carefully feel around the inside to find the source of the puncture and remove it.

    7. Install tire


    After repairing the tube and checking the tire for glass, spikes, or any other sharp debris, reinstall one tire bead on the rim. Inflate the tube a little and install it on the rim, first by inserting the nipple into the hole in the rim. nine0003

    Start installing the second side of the tire from the opposite side of the rim to the nipple, use your fingers to lift the tire beads (the part of the tire that connects the wheel rim) over the edge. Install the entire tire on the rim in this way.

    8. Make a final check


    Check that the tube is not pinched between the rim and tire bead. Inflate the tube until the tire is still soft, but has already taken its shape. Make sure that the tire beads are evenly placed in the rim around the entire perimeter. If not, bleed some air out of the chamber and evenly position the tire against the rim. nine0003

    Pressurize the chamber to the recommended pressure and check again that the tire beads are still sitting flat and that the chamber is not visible anywhere from under the tire. Finally, make sure the tire tread is placed fairly evenly by spinning the wheel. If not, then lower the camera and start again from the beginning of this step.

    Puncture Repair Tips

    When removing the inner tube from the tire, pay attention to which way the inner tube has been installed in the wheel. This will help determine the position of the hole in the chamber and the position of the target in the rim. nine0168 Mark the puncture site with a ballpoint pen so you don't lose it.

    If you do not have sandpaper with you, you can roughen the chamber around the puncture by rubbing the chamber against a rock or pavement.

    Carefully remove and replace the inner tube with the rim. To prevent repeated puncture, do not use sharp tools such as screwdrivers, etc. when installing or removing. Use special if necessary. rim removal tool or other tool with blunt edges






    Identification of a puncture

    Two small holes in the chamber placed fairly close together indicate a double puncture. This is because the puncture object can get stuck between the tire and the rim when driving over a sharp object. Make sure the sidewall of the tire is not cut. A hole on the inside of the chamber indicates that the puncture was caused by a pin. Check the inside of the rim to make sure the edges of the tape are properly covering the spoke holes and that there are no protruding spoke ends protruding above the inside of the rim. If this happens, you will have to cut off the protruding part of the spoke with a file. nine0003

    A less common cause of puncture is the rough edges of the hole in the nipple rim. The puncture in this case will be near the nipple and such a chamber can no longer be restored.

    Make your own Puncture Repair Kit:


    • Patches
    • Rubber adhesive
    • Pair of plastic tire removal levers
    • Piece of fine sandpaper
    • Small adjustable wrench when using wheels with
    • hex nut
    • Reliable pump
    • LED flashlight - useful if you are driving in the dark
    • Always carry a spare camera with you just in case.

    Weekly inspection

    Check your tires by inspecting the tread for damage or severe wear. Tires with slits that show abrasions through which the camera is visible should be replaced. Remove any sand or glass stuck in the tread. Check tire pressure. Tubes that are inflated to the correct pressure will last longer and you will have fewer punctures. The recommended pressure is usually indicated on the side of the chamber.


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