fbpx

How to Fix a Puncture

For this you should have at least 3 tyre levers, some lubricant (oil) or dishwashing liquid concentrate, a bike pump, and the tools to remove and put back the wheel. You also need to find a clean place to do this, some people even carry around a mini tarp for these kind of problems.

Part 1 Removing the tyre.

  • Remove wheel, then remove the valve stem nut and rim lock nut
  • Un bead the tyre from the rim (press the tyre walls in until they are loose) you can use the heel of your boot for this, do it on both sides making sure you leave the wheel disk side up.
  • Push the rimlock in a bit to ensure it is not holding the tyre, make sure don't push the rim lock inside the rim.
  • Start anywhere you want and insert a tyre lever between the tyre and rim pushing it until you feel it slide over the bead of the tyre. Insert the next tyre lever 4-5 inches away from the first using the same method and then insert the third tyre lever. NOTE:Don't start removing the tyre until all levers are in place.
  • Starting at the outside lever, lift the tyre up and over the rim, do the same with the middle lever and the finally the last one. Now take out the middle tyre lever and reinsert it again 6-8 inches to the side one of the outer tyre levers and lift the tyre off the rim. Keep repeating this until you can pull the rest of the tyre over the rim by hand.
  • Pull out the tube, check the inside and outside of the tyre to ensure whatever punctured the tyre is not around any more, also check the rim for protruding spokes and that the rim tape is OK and undamaged.
  • Get your new tube and put a bit of air in it, just enough so that you can see the tube start to inflate. At this point we are ready to put the new tube in and put everything back together.

Part 2 Putting it back together.

  • Get your new tube and put a bit of air in it, just enough so that you can see the tube start to inflate. Now you are ready to put the new tube in and put everything back together.
  • Put the tube inside the tyre and line up the valve stem with the hole in the rim. Make sure the tube goes in straight and don't twist it, it also needs to fit over the rimlock. Also attach the lock nuts to the valve stem and the rim locks, this stops them from going back into the rim.
  • Coat the inside and outside of the tyre bead and rim with slippery stuff, ie dishwashing concentrate or spare oil, this helps putting the tyre back on.
  • Insert a tyre lever 2-3 inches either side of the valve stem thats now inside the rim. The tyre levers only have to go in as far as the lip of the rim as they will get purchase when you lever the tyre on. Don't put lever in too far as it can pinch your tube. Now insert the third tyre lever 6-8 inches away from the last one. All three tyre levers are now inserted and ready to lift the tyre on.
  • Push the valve stem in and lever the tyre over the rim either at side of the valve stem, You should be able to push the stem in and out of the rim freely.
  • Lift the last tyre lever over the rim, all the time checking to ensure the tube is not pinched. All 3 levers are now holding the tyre inside the rim. Pull out the middle lever and place it 6-8 inches inches to the right of the outer lever again checking the innner tube for pinches. Then lever the tyre on. Keep repeating until the tyre is all on.
  • When you come to the rimlock you need to push it in before you lever the tyre on so that it freely moves inside the tyre, this allows you to lock the rim lock over the tyre.
  • When you get to the last bit of tyre it will be noticeably harder to get the tyre on, you can apply a bit more lube and lever it on using smaller space increments between the levers or you can kick (with your heel) the tyre wall over the rim to coax it on. Be carefull not to kick the rim.
  • Once the tyre's on bounce it around a bit to loosen it up, apply more lube to the tyre bead and inner rim on each side of the wheel, this will help to pop the bead.
  • Pump up the wheel until the bead pops, then let the pressure down to normal tyre pressure. Sometimes you can go as 70-100 ponds pressure in order to pop the bead. If the bead does not pop then put the wheel back on and ride at a bit and the bead should pop, then let the pressure down, caution do not continually ride with over inflated tyres.