Flat tires are a common nuisance of bike ownership however can be a relatively simple fix! In order to fix the flat tire we will need to ensure we have some necessary items here is a list.
New tube with correct width and diameter
Tire lever
Pump
18mm wrench or appropriate allen key necessary to remove wheel from frame
First we will start with removing the wheel from the dropout of the bike. In order to ensure the easiest installation later we recommend shifting the chain down to the smallest cog as this will help to guide the wheel back into the dropout later.
After removing the wheel from the dropout we will insert our tire lever in between the rim and tire and use this to separate the bead from the rim exposing the punctured tube. If you carefully remove the tube from the rim and try to keep in parallel to the rim you can identify the puncture and line that up to the respective position on the wheel or rim. We do this to better identify why we received the flat to begin with. If there is a thorn or piece of glass in the tire this will also help us to identify the location of that and remove it to ensure the new tube we are about to install won’t become punctured as well.
We recommend inflating the tube just enough to give it some shape as well as help to prevent from “pinching” the tube upon inserting the new tube back into the tire. Upon doing so we usually go around the tire and make sure the tube is evenly seated in place and will not favor one side when we seal the bead back to the rim.
After doing so we can use our hands to help seat the bead of the tire to the rim wall and then inflate the new tube back to the recommended pressure.
We have now successfully installed our new tube into our tire and are ready to reinstall the wheel into the frame. Make sure you are aligning the rotor properly with the caliper and you tighten the axle back to a safe spec. We have attached a video to assist you with this process, if you need further assistance please contact your local bike shop for support.