how to change a bike tire

Tools needed for changing a bike tire;

• Bike tool kit, or at least an Allen wrench and a tire lever;
• Pumps to reinflate the tire after it’s remounted on the rim.

Steps to change a bike tire:

1) Remove any sharp objects that might have become stuck in the tire, such as glass or nails.

2) On most bikes, you can do this by hand just be careful not to rip the tube when prying out items. On some bikes, you may need to use the tools provided in your bike tool kit. For example, there is usually a small metal loop attached to the center of one side of the tire that you can hook around objects. If you’re not sure how this works, consult your bike’s manual.

3) At this point, you should be able to pull the tire off of your bike’s rim with a smooth motion. If it gets stuck, look inside the tire and reevaluate the cause, sometimes a bolt will be in just the right spot to keep one side from coming out easily. Reaching in there and moving things around a little bit should free it up.

4) Now that the tire is off of your bike, take a look at the inside, you’ll see a wire patch holding the hole together. This wire will need to be cut, so just pull it away from itself and snip with your cutting tool. Alternatively, some people find it easier to rip on this wire until they have a bit at one end.

5) Once this wire patch is out, take a look at your punctured tube. Typically, you’ll see that the hole punctures it in two places, along either side of where the metal wire was secured. You’ll need to get these holes out, so use your tools to make sure they are clear.

6) Now, get the tire ready for the new tube. First, squeeze out any air inside of it, you should be able to push it down with your fingers to almost its normal flatness. At this point, you can slip the new tube inside.

7) Once everything is in place, use your hands to work the tire back onto the rim so that both sides are even. Then, replace the wiring patch over the hole by securing it with your tire lever or screwdriver. You can finish this process by applying a bit of air to inflate the tire slightly, just be careful not to over-inflate because you don’t want it to explode later when you’re riding.

Watch a video…