How do I change a tire?

You will need the following:

Tools needed: 2 Tire Levers, Tube, pump

How to Change a Bike Tire and Tube:

1) Remove wheel from bicycle.

2) Deflate or remove air from bicycle tube.

3) Use your tire lever and hook the outer edge of the bead.

4) Pull the tire lever around the bicycle rim, such that the tire bead pops out.

5) Remove tire and tube, such that you remember its exact positioning on the bicycle rim. (This will aid in locating the cause of the puncture).

6) Slightly inflate the tube to approximately 15 psi and inspect for puncture location.

7) Once the puncture location is found, look in the same spot on the tire and the rim. Often times, broken glass could have penetrated the tire and caused the puncture. It is also important to make sure that the rim tape is in position and in good shape. Often times, the spoke nipple will protrude and cause a puncture in the tube. It makes it easier to carry a small metal stem with you (I use a crochet hook) to help pick the glass out with. you may need to run your hand along the entire inside of the tire, you will then know if you have any more glass in the tire.

8) When you have determined what has caused the flat, make the appropriate repair.

9) Grab your new tube and inflate just enough to give the tube shape.

10) Place the slightly inflated tube inside of the bicycle tire.

11) Orient the tube and tire such that the valve stem is inserted into the rim first.

12) Slowly roll the bead over the rim with your thumbs. (Do not use tools! This could cause a pinch flat!).

13) Inflate the tube to approximately 20 psi and fondle the tube all the way around the rim to ensure it is seated properly.

14) Inflate tire to appropriate pressure. (i.e. 40 to 60 psi for most mountain bike tires and around 100-120 psi for most road bike tires).

*Some cyclists like myself use Co2 pumps to inflate their tire which can take less than 5 seconds (or just about instantly) to achieve 100 psi on a road tire, making the whole tube change during a ride much faster.

*After each ride you should check every cut in your tires for foreign objects/glass and pick them out as they will gust work themselves in deeper with each ride and keep giving you punctures.

when taking the tyre off, if you're working at the top of the wheel have the valve at the bottom when you start with the tyre levers, when putting it back on start at the valve, but push the valve up into the rim a bit so there's room either side of the thick bit of tube around the valve for the tyre beads to seat

web resources like the late great Sheldon Brown's site are immensely useful on maintenance