A leak or puncture usually causes flats on your bike tire in the tube. The tire tube is part of the bike between the wheel rim and tire tread. You can easily deal with a small puncture by using a tire patch, but if the damage is too massive, you might have to learn how to change a bike tire tube to save you from getting stranded in the street in case your bike tire suddenly flattens out.
If you are new to the cycling world and ultimately have no idea about how to get your tire tube replaced, this will be the perfect time to learn. This article will let you know how to change inner tube on road bike—or any bike in a few easy steps. However, readers should be aware that some bikes might be different from one another. So, you might refer to your bike instructions when needed.
Tools You Need to Change a Bike Tube
For bike wheels not equipped with a quick-release axle, riders might have to prepare an Allen wrench around 15mm to remove the bolts. The other essential things that you need to prepare are:
- Screwdriver or tire levers;
- Road bike inner tube for replacement;
- Hand pump or track pump—either one will do;
- Allen wrench, as mentioned before.
You might also consider getting the bike stand and a pair of gloves to get the job done easily.
Change Bike Tube
Basically, there are two main steps in changing a bicycle’s inner tube. First, remove the tube and second install a new inner tube. The following is a detailed explanation of each process:
1. How to Remove Bike Tire Tube
While it seems pretty frustrating at the beginning, removing the bike tire tube is not as complicated as you imagine. But you will have to remove the bike wheel from your bike frame first to proceed with the tube removal.
To remove the bike wheel from the frame, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Flip the bike upside down or place it on a bike stand, whichever seems more convenient;
- Step 2: If your bike uses rim brakes, you need to disengage the brakes. If your bike is using disc brakes, you can skip this step;
- Step 3: Loosen the nuts enough to allow you to pull free the wheel;
- Step 4: If you are removing the rear wheel of your bike, you might have to pull out the chain off the gear disc;
- Step 5: Pull the wheel out of the bike frame.
If removing the rear wheel, make sure you shift the gear to the smallest cog to make it easier to remove the wheel. For a bike with hydraulic brakes, you must be careful not to squeeze the lever when pulling out the wheel.
To get the road bike inner tube out of the tire, you may do the following:
- Deflate your tire before removing it from the wheel. You can use small tools like the thin Allen wrench to depress the plunger inside the cylinder of the Schrader valve or unscrew the top part of the stem to release the air from the Presta valve;
- Stick a screwdriver or lever in between the tire and wheel and go around the wheel to take out one side of the tire;
- Pull out the inner tube to examine the tire to eliminate any sharp objects and debris that might cause another puncture to the newly installed inner tube.
2. How to Change a Bike Tire Tube
Once you have removed the tire tube from the tire, the next thing you need to do is to change the bike tire tube into the new one and learn how to put a bike tire back on the rim. You can follow these steps:
- Step 1: Get the new bike tire tube and ensure it is of the correct size and valve type. You can check on the bike tire tube size chart or look at the sidewall of the tire for more accuracy;
- Step 2: You can insert the new inner tube by placing the valve inside the hole in the rim before inserting the rest of the inner tube into the tire. To make it easier, you can consider inflating a little air in it;
- Step 3: Press the tire back into the wheel and tuck the tire back into the rim while turning the wheel. Make sure to check the part of the bike that you have tucked in is no longer coming out;
- Step 4: You can use the screwdriver or prying tool when the tire is about to be tucked in to help you easily tuck in the last bit inside the rim. Be careful not to push the tools inside the tire too far not to cause fresh punctures on your new tube tire;
- Step 5: Once the tire has been perfectly seated inside the rim, use the hand pump or air compressor to inflate your new tire. Don’t forget to fasten and cap back on once you have finished your job.
Conclusion
Getting a flat tire is the most common thing for a cyclist. There are two types of flat tires, the puncture, such as:
- Slow leaks: this is caused by tiny holes in the inner tube and is usually hard to spot. You can replace the inner tube first and put the old one in water to spot the tiny hole;
- Punctures: the most common to happen on a bike tire, usually caused because of the bike tire rolling on sharp objects;
- Pinch cuts or snake bite: this flat happens because the tire’s inner tube is pinched between the rim and stone from the ground;
- Blowouts: this is usually caused by too much air inside your bike tire. Hence, it is highly recommended not to exceed the maximum PSI printed on the tire’s sidewall.
On the notes, while you can learn how to change a bike tube without tire levers, it is still recommended to use tire levers (preferably one made of high-quality plastic material), so you don’t need to use too much muscle power to pull out the tire off the rim.
Changing a bike tire might seem challenging, but once you get used to it, you will find it pretty simple. However, if you are not confident in changing the bike tire on your own and decided to search for “bike tube replacement near me” on the internet, it will be best for you to bring your bike to a trustworthy bike shop like the Rodalink one-stop cycling shop.
At Rodalink, you will directly get assistance from a professional and experienced team to get your Polygon bike tire changed and any other maintenance needed to keep it at its best-performing state. You can also register to be part of the Rodalink community member by completing the free registration to get a special price for the service fee. You will also get special deals and be eligible to join exclusive events for members only.
If this is your first time stepping into the cycling world and trying to find the best bike with high-quality components to start your cycling journey at the best price, you might have to look at our Bike Collection.
Polygon bike is manufactured with a lightweight frame material combined with high-quality components from well-known brands like Shimano and FOX, yet offering the most affordable pricing compared to any bike from other brands with the same quality. By purchase through Rodalink, your bike will be delivered in ready-to-ride form, so you can immediately hit the road. So what are you waiting for? Visit Rodalink and get your dream bike now at Rodalink.
