The flat, or puncture, is probably the most frequently encountered bike problem. It really is a very simple repair if the rider has the equipment available.
Tools for a flat: Patch kit, tire levers, pump, and wrenches if wheel has nuts on the axel.
While it is nice to know how to patch a tube, the last place that anyone wants to patch a tube is on a ride. Try to have each bicycle equipped with a small saddle bag that contains a extra tube and a set of tire irons.
With wrench remove the tire off the bike so it is workable.
- Remove the wheel from the bike.
- Remove the valve cap and the locknut; unscrew the round nut on the tube.
- Push the valve body in and work one side of the tire into a deeper center of the rim
- Put tire lever under the bead on the side that has been freed, at some distance from the valve, and then use it to lift the bead over the rim edge and hook it on a spoke.
- Never use a screwdriver in place of a tire iron
- When enough of the tire sidewall is lifted over the rim, you can remove the rest of the tire by hand.
- Remove the tube, saving the valve until last. Push the valve out through the valve hole in the rim, while holding back the tire.
- Try to inflate the tube with your pump to try and see where the air is leaking from. Hold tube up close to face and feel the air escaping.
- Make sure the area around the hole is dry and clean, then roughen it with the sandpaper or the scraper from the patch kit, and remove the resulting dust. Treat an area slightly larger than the patch you want to use.
- Quickly and evenly spread a thin film of rubber cement on the treated area. Let dry about three minutes in hot, dry weather, or longer in colder weather.
- Apply patch with sticky side down, and apply pressure.
- Sprinkle talc powder on the patch to prevent sticking to the tire.
- Look around the inside of the tire to remove any objects that could have caused the puncture.
- Put tire back on rim and inflate to manufacturers specifications.
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