5.2 wheels

Tube Replacement (Tubed Tire)

Tube Replacement (Tubed Tire). Step-by-step procedure for bike maintenance — tools, time, and what to watch out for.

Difficulty ★☆☆ easy
Time ~10 min
Applies to All bikes with tubed tires (some Road, most Commuter, most City)

Tools

  • Tire levers (2–3)
  • pump
  • new tube or patch kit

Procedure

  1. Remove the wheel

    from the bike.

  2. Deflate the tire fully

    Press the valve core (Schrader: depress the inner pin; Presta: unscrew the lock nut and press the stem).

  3. Push the bead inward

    (toward the rim center) all the way around the tire — this breaks the bead seat and gives you slack to work with.

  4. Insert a tire lever

    under the bead, hooking it over the rim's edge. Pry the bead up and over the rim.

  5. Hook the lever

    to a spoke to hold the bead up.

  6. Insert a second lever

    about 10 cm from the first, working in the same direction. Pry the bead up and slide along — the rest of the bead should peel off easily.

  7. Reach inside and pull the tube out

    (push the valve stem up through the rim hole first).

  8. Inspect the tire for the cause of the puncture

    — run your fingertip carefully around the inside of the tire. You're looking for a thorn, glass, wire, or a sharp protrusion. If you don't find and remove it, the new tube will puncture immediately.

  9. Inspect the rim

    — make sure the rim tape covers all spoke holes and isn't torn. A peeking spoke nipple can cause repeated punctures.

  10. Inflate the new tube slightly

    — just enough to give it shape, not enough to stretch.

  11. Insert the valve stem

    through the rim hole.

  12. Tuck the tube into the tire

    , working around the wheel.

  13. Push the second bead back over the rim

    by hand — start opposite the valve. Most of the bead goes on easily; the last 15–20 cm is the tight bit.

  14. Use thumbs to roll the last section

    over the rim. Avoid tire levers if possible — they can pinch the tube. If necessary, use levers but very carefully.

  15. Push the valve stem upward

    before final seating, so the tube isn't trapped under the bead at the valve area.

  16. Inflate to a low pressure

    (10–20 PSI). Check that the bead is seated evenly all the way around — there's a molded line on the tire's sidewall that should sit just above the rim, equally on both sides.

  17. Inflate to full pressure

    — see tire sidewall for max PSI.

  18. Reinstall the wheel