A bicycle tire refers to a tire made for the wheel of a bike. There are various types of bike tires selling in the market. The most typical include tubular, tubeless, and cinchers, with the clinchers being the most common. Owning a bike calls for your capability to maintain its functional status. You must know how to change the tires, fix a flat tire, and use a bike pump for pressure. Being able to do these things in a DIY saves you money, and time wasted hiring a mechanic. Below is an ultimate guide on how you can do all of the mentioned tasks by yourself to make sure you are ready both for everyday rides and biking events.
How to Change a Bike Tire
Changing your bike tire should not be a tiring job. With
the following five steps, you can complete the task within a few minutes.
• Deflate the tire for a chance to loosen the bead.
• Pull off the tire on one side.
• Remove the tube from the rim and replace it with the new pipe.
• Adjust the valve stem to ensure that it is in a convenient place.
• Push back the tire wall into the rim and inflate the tube to the desired air
pressure. Now you can go out for a ride, for a chance to feel how good the
replacement works.
How to Fix a Flat Bike Tire
Fixing a flat bike tire is more similar to changing a bike
tire. Consider following these steps for a quick DIY fix.
• Turn your bike upside down and let it rest on its handlebars. You can also
lay it with its chain side facing up.
• Check if your bike has a quick-release lever. Open and remove it from the
bike wheel.
• Deflate the tire entirely by loosening the valve stem to release the air in
the tube.
• Use a wedge lever to pull out one side of the tire from the rim. Use this
side to pull out the tube.
• Inflate the new tube slightly, to allow it to take shape
• Fix the tube inside the tire using your fingers, making sure that the tubing
follows the shape of the tire.
• Fix the tire back into the rim on both sides, making sure you observe the
direction of the trends.
• Inflate the tire to the desired pressure level, and reinstall the
quick-release lever.
How to Use a Bike Pump
Using a bike pump is among the most straightforward tasks you don’t need to attend a class and learn. First, insert the pump head on the valve stem. Flip the pump level and begin to pump air into the bike tube. While pumping, you should know the amount of pressure that is suitable for your type of bike tire to avoid tube busting. Having your bike tire inflated does prevent damaging the rim and keeping the bike in shape.
How to Pump Air in Bike Tire
Pumping air into your bike requires you to use a bike pump, as illustrated above. When you are in an emergency, however, you can consider a CO2 inflator for the same purpose. The following steps will be helpful.
• Remove the inflator’s cap, and retrieve CO2 cartridge together with the inflator fitting.
• Fix one side of the inflator into the tire valve stem. And insert the CO2 cartridge neck into the other end of the inflator.
• Make sure that the cartridge is in the recommendable position, and for a few seconds, inflate the tire. You should make anticlockwise cartridge turns until airflow stops.
• Disconnect the system once the tire inflates to the desired levels.
These are a few ways of maintaining your bike tires in the desired conditions. Observe them for a chance to learn how to do a DIY bike tires maintenance with types of equipment from your bike kit.