How to change a bike tire? If you know how to manage it, changing a flat bike tire is not a big deal. It will ultimately happen whether you ride on smooth pavement, bumpy gravel, or rocky singletrack trails, so you might as well be ready with the equipment and knowledge needed to remedy the issue.
Everything you need to know about changing a bike tire is covered in depth below. Tire levers, a spare tube that is the right size, and an inflation tool, such as a tiny pump or CO2 cartridge, should always be kept on hand as tools. Additionally, you might wish to purchase a repair kit or tire plug, which can be useful for some riders. To skip to the section if you use tubeless tires, scroll below.
Table of Contents
Before You Start To Change A Bike Tire
To touch the bicycle tire, either put the bicycle on the side or stand it upside down and put it on the handlebar. However, some cyclists avoid hanging their bikes upside down because this posture may damage the handlebars or seats. Choose the position you feel most comfortable in. Another option is to invest in upright bike support that allows the bike to lift off the ground while you are working. If you are lying on your side, make sure the chain is facing up.
If you are replacing the rear tire, it is important to adjust the gear to the smallest ring before making it easier to disassemble the tire. The smallest ring is the outer gear of the bicycle.
How To Change A Bike Tire?
Remove The Steering Wheel
Put the bike on the side with the chain facing up. You can’t remove the tire when the bicycle is upright, because it will fall down. The chain side, the so-called drive side, should always be positive to avoid damaging it.
You can also turn the bike upside down and put it on the handlebar. Some people don’t like to turn the car upside down because the handlebars or seats may be damaged.
As an alternative, you can invest in upright bike support that can support your bike while you work. You can find these stalls in some bike shops or online.
If you want to remove the rear wheel, please adjust the gear to the smallest ring. Usually, this will be the outer gear. Set your chain on this outside, and smaller gears will make it easier to remove the rear tires.
If you want to remove the front wheel, you don’t need to adjust the gear.
Open and remove the quick-release lever if your bike has one. Look for the quick-release lever in the center of the bicycle wheel. Pull up the control lever, and then turn it 180 degrees to release it. Remove the lever from the axle and set it aside
If your quick-release handle does not fall off after you rotate it 180 degrees, continue to rotate it until you can remove it.
If you’re not sure how to remove a bicycle tire, you’d better check the bicycle manual or the manufacturer’s website.
If there is no quick release lever, loosen the nut with a wrench. Hook the wrench on the nut and loosen it. Continue to turn the nut until it falls off. Remove the wheel nuts on both sides of the bike.
Read about: What Size Bike For A 5 Year Old? How To Choose – Bike Your Best
If the nut cannot be unscrewed, you can spray WD-40 or cooking spray to make it easier to unscrew.
A 15 mm wrench is usually the correct size to loosen the nut of the bicycle.
Remove the brake cable if necessary. In many cases, opening the quick release lever will also disengage the brake. If your model does not have this function, squeeze the caliper in the brake release cable
If you encounter problems when removing the brake, please check the bicycle manual or the manufacturer’s website. Different models of bicycles have different instructions.
Lift the wheel from the frame. Pull the tire out of the fork groove that supports it. You may need to move a little when removing the bicycle tire
If you want to remove the rear wheels, you may need to remove the bicycle chain.
Disconnect The Brake Line And Remove The Tire
If you try to remove the wheel without disconnecting the brake cable, the force will damage the brake cable. On some bicycles, when the lever is released quickly, the brake cable will automatically disconnect, but in most cases, the brake caliper must be squeezed to loosen the cable.
When replacing the rear wheel of a bicycle, don’t forget to lift the chain on the gear. Once the chain and brake cable are disconnected and the wheel nut or quick release lever is removed, you can lift or pull the tire out of the fork groove, which is usually located on the bicycle.
Deflate The Tire And Loosen The Valve Retaining Nut
To remove the rubber tire from the metal wheel, the tire needs to be completely deflated. Remove the gas valve cap and put it aside for reinstallation. Press the piston in the air valve with a wrench to release air from the tire. Or, your bike may have a Presta valve or a Dunlop valve; These need to be pulled up to release air.
If the gas valve has a fixing nut or lock ring, fix it on the edge of the wheel, then loosen and remove the components and put them together with the gas valve cap for reinstallation later.
Step 4: use the tire lever to remove the tire from the wheel.
The deflated tire is still difficult to remove from the rim. First slide the tire lever between the rim and the tire, and then use the lever to pop the edge of the tire out of the rim. Fix the tire lever on the spokes of the wheel and use a second tire lever on the other part of the tire. Work the second tire lever around the edge of the wheel until the entire side is free. This should give you enough space to reach inside the tire and pull out the inner tube.
Once you remove the inner tube, you should be able to roll or twist the tire at the edge of the metal wheel with your hand. Work along the outside of the wheel until the tire is free, and check it for serious damage. In many cases, only the inner tube needs to be replaced, but if the outer tube is seriously damaged, it also needs to be replaced.
Fill The New Tire Tube With Air
Take the new pipe out of the package and make sure to remove the dust cap, lock ring and valve cover. Open the tire tube, check it for damage, and then connect it to the bicycle inflator or tire inflator to add air to the new tire tube. Don’t fill the pipe first.
The purpose of adding air at this stage is to help the tube maintain its shape and avoid damage caused by squeezing, bending or twisting the tube during reinstallation. Put all small parts in a safe place and make sure they are not misplaced.
Check And Refit Tyres
Whether installing a new tire or refitting an old tire with a new inner tube, it is recommended to check whether there is any existing damage, serious wear or sharp objects inside and outside the tire before installing the inner tube, which may cause additional damage. Install one side of the tire on the rim to ensure that the tread points in the right direction.
Slide the air valve through the air valve hole and feed the inner tube into the cavity inside the tire and rim. After the tube is in place, twist the outer edge of the tire and let it slide into the edge of the wheel. Try to start near the valve and end on the opposite side – the tire will be loose in this position. If the tire resistance is too high, you may need to release some air out of the inner tube or use the tire lever to help locate the last section, which is the tightest part of the tire. Also, remember to reinstall the lock ring or valve retaining nut if your bike has one.
If There Is A Lock Ring On The Air Valve, Tighten It
Some pipes have a lock ring above the air valve. It will fix your pipe to the wheel. Align the locking ring with the thread on the air valve and tighten it.
If your bicycle pipe doesn’t have a lock ring, skip this step.
Inflate The Tire To The Correct Pressure
You can pump the tire with a manual or electric air pump. Install the air pump on the air valve, and then inflate the tire. Once the tire reaches the correct pressure level, wear the valve cap.
The correct pressure level should be listed on the tire wall. You can also check your bicycle manual or search online.
Slide The Wheel Back Onto The Bike And Replace The Lever Or Nut
Insert the wheel back into the fork groove that holds it. Then slide the lever or metal rod that controls the steering wheel. If necessary, use a wrench to tighten easily loosened levers or nuts. If your bike has an easy release lever, please turn off the easy release lever.
If you fix your rear tire, you need to lift the chain and put it back.
Check Whether The Wheels Can Rotate Freely
If the brake is still disconnected, reconnect it. Press the caliper again and slide the brake into place. Pinch the brake and make sure it is tightened on the wheel.
Before you ride your bike, check the brakes again to make sure they are in the correct working condition.
Why Is It More Difficult To Install Some Tires Than Others?
The European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization established ISO standard 5775 for the sizing of bicycle tires and wheels (ETRTO).
For instance, a size 28-622 tyre code designates a tire with an inner-bead diameter of 622mm and a nominal 28mm width.
As you might have predicted, these tires work with wheels with rim diameters of 622 mm. That is an old-fashioned 700c wheel.
There may be a variety of reasons why some bicycle tires are more difficult to install than others, given the wide variety of bicycle tyre and rim designs and manufacturers.
We’ll look more closely at some of the major offenders in this section.
Conclusion
Even though a flat bicycle tire can leave you stranded, changing the tire yourself is not difficult. Typically, this only entails changing the tire’s inner tube. However, if the tire is severely worn or damaged, you might need a new one. You must remove the tire before replacing it. Then, if required, swap out the tube and tire. Reinstall the tire on the wheel at the end.
