Changing bicycle tire can be relatively easy. With some simple tools, a handful of basic skills, and the following tips and guidelines, you may be able to change bicycle tire in no time.
Quick and Easy Steps in Changing Bicycle Tire:
1. Loosen the nuts that hold the axle to the frame.
If the nuts are too tight, spray some lubricant on them – a silicone lubricant or vegetable oil will work. However, many new bike designs do not come with nuts. Instead, they have quick-release which you can loosen easily and remove the wheel.
Learn how to prevent flat tires by clicking on the link, or just have puncture-proof tires.
2. Take the wheel out of the frame.
If you need to remove your rear tire, you have to lift your chain clear of the gear cluster. To make it easier for you to remove your rear wheel, shift your chain to the smallest gear on the wheel prior to loosening the nuts or skewer. Removing the front wheel is a bit easier. You may also need to release our brakes if they interfere with wheel removal.
3. Completely deflate the tube by pressing down on the inner part of your valve.
4. Take two tire levers.
If you do not have tire levers, you can use the handle of a spoon of a similar object. But you have to be extra careful, as there’s a big possibility of scratching or damaging the rims of your wheel or even puncturing your inner tube.
Ease one lever in under your wheel rim and lever out the edge of your tire. Make sure you take great care not to puncture your inner tube while doing this. Then pry it up over your wheel rim. Move around the rim about an 8th of circumference and do the procedure again, leaving the first tool in place. Then zip the second lever around your wheel and your tire should come right off on one side.
5. Completely remove your wheel and tube. You may need to unscrew a small nut at the base of the valve stem to take out your inner tube if you use Presta valves which are found on high end bikes. Most road bikes come with such valves.
6. Check your tire for puncture or other damage.
7. Then fix punctured tire.
Here’s how to install bicycle tire:
1. Check the tire wall for an arrow or similar symbol indicating the direction of rotation as some tires have a direction-specific tread pattern.
2. Put one side in first. Ease your partially inflated tube into your tire and locate the valve in the hole in your rim. Make sure no part of your inner tube is sticking out.
3. Starting at the tire edge closest to your valve, use your thumbs to work on the other side of your tire over your rim and into well. Make sure your tire pops back onto your wheel well without pinching your tube.
4. Ease your tire from your rim all around the circumference using your thumbs to make sure that your tire is not pinching any part of your inner tube against your rim. When you inflate your tube, if it’s being pinched you will hear a pop. If this happens, you will have to do the whole process again and get a new tube.
5. Slowly inflate your tube. Do so carefully at first. Check to make sure your tire is on evenly and there’s no pinching.
6. Put your wheel back on your bike.
To be spared from hassles caused by punctured tires, consider getting a bicycle with slimed tubes ,a self-repairing flat prevention system. Visit Zize Bikes, the maker of extra strong custom built bicycles for every body, including bicycles for heavy people that can support riders up to 550 pounds.
Watch this video to learn more tips on changing bicycle tire.
