How to Change a Bike Tire

If you love cycling then you will already have an idea about how much one needs to care for his bike. When biking around town or out of town, in case something happens, you should be able to fix the bike on your own. The most vulnerable parts of a bike are the wheels. The tires and tubes of a bicycle are most prone to wear and tear, as they come in maximum contact with the roads. Friction and bad roads take their toll on bike tires. You never know, when a small sharp object can burst a tube and ruin a tire. That is why, every cycling enthusiast must know how to change bike tire on his/her own. Be it a mountain bike or a regular one, flat tires are an inevitable reality which every cyclist needs to deal with. Especially, when one goes for long bike tours, one needs to be prepared with all the bike repair tools and be well versed in changing bike tires and tubes.

How to Replace a Bike Tire?
So, let us have a look at the procedure of changing bike tires. It is quite straightforward in principle as you will see when you go through the whole procedure. The things you'll need to change a bicycle tire are adjustable wrenches and levers, along with a new tire and a tube, in case it is torn too. To change bicycle tires you can take as much as an hour to complete the job.

Unlike a car, bikes are easier to fix as you don't need jacks to elevate them. All you need to do is turn the bicycles upside down with the support of the seat and the handle bars. Once you have turned it upside down, the procedure begins.

First part of the procedure is to remove the tire from the cycle frame. To do that, you need to loosen the axle nuts that fix it to the bike frame and remove them. If they are fixed tight, spray a lubricant, which will loosen them up.

Once the nuts are removed, you can remove the wheel from the bicycle frame. If it's the rear wheel, things can be a bit more complicated. In that case, before you remove the wheel or even loosen the nuts, shift the chain to the lowest gear. Make sure that while removing the rear wheel, you shift the chain clear from the gear wheels.

After wheel removal, the rest of the procedure is quite simple. If there's air in the tube, release it completely by pressing on the inner part of the tube valve.

After the tube is completely deflated, you can begin changing bike tire immediately. You will need a pair of tire levers or durable spoons to remove the tires. Insert the lever between the rim and the tire and using the leverage, dislodge the tire partly from over the rim. Then use the other liver to dislodge some more of the tire off the rim part, next to it, by using the lever again. Keep one lever stationary and shift the other one slowly over quarter of the entire rim circumference. While doing this make sure that you do not pierce or harm the tube inside! Slowly, as you continue with the lever action, the whole tire will come off.

Remove the tire along with the tube. To remove the tube you will have to unscrew a nut at the valve base. Examine the tube and test it for any punctures by inflating it and dipping it in a water tub. If it is beyond being repaired by patching, replace it with a new one. It is good practice to replace the tube along with the tire.

Next put the new tube inside the rim cavity and fix the wall base nut. Then you can begin fixing the new tire in place. Use the levers again to fix the tire on the rim. See to it that no part of the tube is sticking out. Begin by pushing the initial part inside with your fingers and push the rest inside using the levers. Once more than quarter of the tire circumference is in place, the rest will fall in easily.

Once the tire is put in place, you can inflate it using an air pump. Then fix it back to the bike by putting the axle nuts and gear assembly in place (for rear wheel). That's it! Now you know how to change a bike tire on your own!

Bicycle repair jobs are very simple compared to motorbike or car repair. It is an eco-friendly vehicle and using it regularly keeps you fit!