How to fix a flat bike tyre at home
A flat bike tyre is the repair we see most at the workshop, and it is the one you can most easily do yourself. With a pump, two tyre levers and a spare tube or a patch kit, you can fix a flat at home in well under an hour, even the first time.
What you need to fix a flat bike tyre #
- A pump that fits your valve. Most bikes have one of two kinds: a wide car-style valve or a thin valve with a small nut at the tip.
- Two plastic tyre levers. Metal ones can cut the tube or scratch the rim.
- A spare inner tube of the right size, or a patch kit. The size is printed on the side of the tyre.
Fix a flat bike tyre in six steps #
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Take the wheel off
Shift to the smallest rear cog first if it is the back wheel. Open the brake if it has a quick release, then undo the axle and lift the wheel out.
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Let out the rest of the air
Press the valve to empty the tube. A tube with no air in it comes out much more easily.
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Lever one side of the tyre off
Hook a lever under the tyre bead opposite the valve, and clip it to a spoke. Slide the second lever around the rim until one side of the tyre is free.
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Find the cause
Pull out the tube. Run your fingers slowly around the inside of the tyre to find any thorn or glass. Check the rim tape covers every spoke hole.
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Fit the new or patched tube
Put a little air in the tube so it holds its shape. Push the valve through the rim, tuck the tube in, then roll the tyre back on with your thumbs.
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Pump it up and check
Pump to the pressure printed on the tyre. Spin the wheel and check the tyre sits evenly all the way round on both sides.
Why the new tube goes flat too #
Most second flats have the same cause as the first. A thorn left in the tyre will find the new tube within a few miles. So will a sharp edge on the rim, or rim tape that has slipped and left a spoke hole open. Take your time on step four. It is the step that saves you doing the job again.
If you often get a flat bike tyre, look at the tyre itself. A worn tyre has less rubber between the road and the tube. Getting your bike ready for winter explains when tougher tyres are worth it. Sheldon Brown's guide to flat tyres goes deeper into the causes, if you are curious.
Once the wheel is back on, run through the safety check before every ride to make sure the brake is closed again.
About the author
Owner and mechanic at Larch Lane Cycles
Experience Qualified bicycle mechanic who has run the workshop since it opened
Ruth opened Larch Lane Cycles to fix the bikes people already own. She writes the repair guides on this blog, and she still does most of the wheel builds herself. Her rule for every post: if you can do it at home with basic tools, she shows you how. If you should not, she says so.