Learning to change bike tires, replace tubes, reinstall chains ad make all manner of field repairs is an essential aspect of becoming a viable bicycle user. Unless you enjoy long walks back over distances easily covered on a working bike (Rule of Life: Your bike will peferentially break down at the far end of your day's trip at a point where no help is readily available)
These tasks are ususaly within the capacity of any biker equipped with a set of simple tools and a modicum of technical knowhow.
As far as the tire goes:
- Remove wheel from bike.(On back wheel this requires disengaging chain from sprocket) This process is made much easier by quick release drop-outs. Most modern bikes have these. Also, it's a good idea to shift the chain to the smallest gear located farthest to the outside of the cassette.
- Remove tube and or tire from rim depending on what has to be repaired. This process can not be done with out tools called Tire Levers. You need 2 of them. They are cheap and work great. Do not substitute tire levers for screwdrivers unless it's your last option. Start on on one area of the tire. Force the tire lever up under the tire bead and onto the edge of the rim. Pry up and down trying to get the tire off of the rim. With 26" mountain bike tires, this process is fairly easy but with 700c road bike tires and skinny tires, this process may take 5-10 minutes depending on brand of tire and experience at changing tires/tubes.
- Tip- When taking a tube out, leave one side of the tire on the rim. Pull out the flat tube, patch it or replace it, inflate it so that it takes shape and place the tube back under the tire.
- Repair or replace tube and or tire as required. Generally, patching a tube is a temporary fix. Replacing it is always your best bet if possible.
- Reinstall tube and or tire on rim. You can reinstall the tire with the tire levers again. Once again, this process is made more difficult by skinny/tight tires. Make sure that the tire bead is 'seated' properly on the rim.
- Reinstall wheel on bike (See previous note on chain)
- Inflate to proper pressure. Make sure to double check the tire to make sure it has seated properly on the rim.
- Adjust chain and brakes as needed.
