Roadside Flat Repair

Step 1A

Removing Front Wheel (go to step 1B for rear wheel)

Open the quick release lever on the brake caliper or lever.

Open the quick release lever on the wheel, or unscrew the locknuts with a wrench.

Drop the wheel out of the fork.

Set the bike on its left side, with the drivetrain facing up.

Skip to step 3

Step 1B

Removing Rear Wheel

Turn your pedals forward and shift the chain to the smallest rear gear.

Open the quick release lever on the brake caliper or lever. (front wheel shown in picture)

Open the quick release lever on the wheel, or unscrew the locknuts with a wrench. (front wheel shown in picture)

Pull the rear derailleur away from the gears.

Drop the wheel out of the frame and set aside.

Set the bike on its left side, with the drivetrain facing up. (Imagine that the rear wheel is missing, not the front)

Step 2

Patching or Replacing the Tube

Remove the valve cap, unscrew the locknut on a presta valve, and fully deflate the tire.

All of the pictures in these instructions show a presta valve.

On a presta valve, unscrew and remove the valve stem locknut.

Starting opposite the valve stem, with the palm of one hand, pull the tire to one side of the rim.

Carefully insert a tire lever between the tire and the rim.

Slide the tire lever under the tire only, making sure not to catch the tube that is inside the tire.

Slide the tire lever back and forth just enough to pull a little bit of the bead over the rim.

Attach the hooked end of the tire lever to the nearest spoke.

Hook a second tire lever under the bead of tire, being careful not to grab the tube.

If the tire is very tight on the rim, and it is difficult to get the second tire lever under the bead, spray some water (from a water bottle) on the tire/rim interface for lubrication. If you don't have water, you can use spit.

With one hand holding the tire in front of you, pull the second tire lever toward you and around the rim, unseating one bead of the tire from the rim.

Set the tire levers aside.

Starting opposite the valve stem, pull the tube out of the tire.

Do not pull on the tube to remove the valve stem from the rim!

If you pull on the tube at the valve stem, you may tear the valve stem away from the tube.

When you get to the valve stem, pull the tire off the rim to one side, and push the valve stem up and out of the rim, removing the tube.

If the puncture is 1/4'' or smaller and you wish to patch the tube: Inflate the tube, and holding next to your ear, work your way around the tube listening for air escaping.

For traditional glue type patches:

Clean the area around the puncture, and rough it up with the sandpaper provided in the patch kit.

If the patch is covering a raised seam, be sure to sand the seam flat so that the patch can create an airtight seal.

Spread a thin layer of glue over the puncture, covering an area that is larger than the patch. Let the glue dry for at least five minutes.

Peel off the foil backing from the patch, and position it over the puncture.

Press the middle of the patch onto the tube, and press out to the edge, working your way around until the whole patch is firmly attached.

Another option is the "pre-glued" or adhesive backed patch.

Shown at left is the Park Tools USA GP-2 Super Patch. Courtesy of Park Tools USA.

To apply a "pre-glued" patch, first clean and roughen the puncture area with the sandpaper provided.

If the patch is covering a raised seam, be sure to sand the seam flat so that the patch can create an airtight seal.

Peal off the backing on the patch, and apply it to the tube, evenly covering the puncture.

Firmly press the patch onto the tube.

With both hands, feel your way around the inside of the tire, checking for foreign objects like glass, nails, thorns etc. Remove any if found.

Also visually check the inside of the tire for cuts and foreign objects.

Visually inspect the tread of the tire for cuts and foreign objects, squeezing the tread to get a better look at cuts.

Inflate the patched or new tube just enough so that it is round.

At the valve hole, pull the tire off the rim with one hand, and insert the valve stem into the hole in the rim with the other.

Set the tire back over the tube, with one bead still removed from the rim.

With both hands, push the tube up into the tire working your way around both sides of the tire at the same time.

As you push the tube into the tire, repeatedly check that the valve stem is pointing directly toward the hub.

If the valve stem is pointed at an angle when you inflate the tire, you could cause damage to the valve stem base.

Once the tube is in the tire, press the bead of the tire back onto the rim at the valve stem with both hands.

Work you way around the tire with both hands pushing the bead back onto the rim.

Make sure that the tube stays inside the tire, and does not get pinched between the tire and rim.

As you press the tire onto the rim, repeatedly check that the valve stem is pointed toward the hub. If it is pointed at an angle, the valve stem base could be damaged when you inflate the tire.

When it gets difficult to push the bead onto the rim, you can fully deflate the tube, and insert a tire lever under the bead and over the rim.

With one hand, hold onto the tire and rim where the bead is coming off the rim. With the other hand, rotate the tire lever up, sliding the bead onto the rim.

Slide the tire lever a little bit closer to your other hand, and rotate the tire lever up, sliding more of the bead onto the rim.

Repeat this step of sliding the lever over, and sliding the bead onto the rim, until the whole tire is on the rim.

This step is designed to ensure that the beads of the tire are fully seated in the rim at the valve stem.

Once you have pushed the tire onto the rim, the tube may still be below the bead of the tire, as shown in the picture.

If you pump up the tube at this point, the tube will likely push the tire off the rim, resulting in a blowout.

Push the valve stem up into the tire.

This ensures that the tube at the valve stem is now inside the tire.

Pinch the tire around the valve stem with one hand to grab it.

Pull down on the valve stem to pull the bead of the tire into the rim.

Now the bead of the tire is properly seated inside the rim.

Lightly inflate the tire, just enough so that it is seated on the rim.

With both hands, rock the tire towards one side of the rim, then the other. This step is called "walking the bead".

Make sure that the tube is not stuck between the tire bead and the rim.

Work your way all the way around the tire, checking that the tube is inside the tire.

Disconnect the pump, and holding each end of the axle with one hand, spin the tire and watch where the bead goes into the rim.

The bead should be the same distance into the rim the whole way around the tire.

If the bead is not evenly seated in the rim, push or pull it in or out of the rim to get it evenly seated the whole way around.

Once the tire is evenly seated on the rim, inflate it to the recommended pressure, which is printed on the sidewall of the tire.

Step 3A

Install Front Wheel (Go to step 3B for rear wheel)

Pick up the front end of the bike and slide the front wheel into the dropouts with the quick release lever on the left side of the bike.

Lock the quick release, or tighten the axle nuts with a wrench.

Close the quick release lever on the brake caliper or lever, and you’re done.

Step 3B

Install Rear Wheel

Pick up the rear end of the bike, and slide the gears on the wheel up against the chain.

Pull the rear derailleur away from the gears.

Pull the wheel into the dropouts.

Close the quick release on the wheel, or tighten the locknuts with a wrench.

Close the quick release lever on the brake caliper or lever, and you’re done.