DIY: fix a flat tire…
Aug 5th, 2009 by Leo
Soft tires are great for cornering, braking, and acceleration. Unfortunately they’re also great at picking up nails and getting embedded with glass. Most of the year it’s not a huge problem because tires often don’t get up to full operating temperature…when they’re cold they’re harder and more resistant to punctures. But in the summer your beautiful sticky tires act like nail magnets. So it’s a good idea to give your tires a quick check for nails and leaks before a long ride…
The nice thing about bikes is that you can temporarily fix most flat tires in a couple of minutes without removing the wheel…
Now people debate how far you should ride with tire plugs (temporarily repaired flats). Manufacturers recommend getting a “professional fix” where the wheel is taken off the rim and patched from the inside, or just replacing the tire asap. But in practice many people ride thousands of miles plus track days with plugs (provided you only have one or two, and not in the same quarter of the tire) and have no problems… So like most things you have to decide for yourself.
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to fix a flat using the “gummy worm” or rope style plug. There are other flat fix systems, a costlier one uses mushroom shaped plugs, which is a great idea, but most people find that the cheaper gummy worm system work a little better. I’m fine with either one, the mushroom system requires a little less hand strength, so if that’s a consideration, it’s worth the slightly higher price. But if you want to ride on the tire with a plug until it’s worn out, the gummy worm is the way to go.
With a little practice, you should be able to fix a flat in just a few minutes, and if you do it well it shouldn’t leak air. But you should check the tire pressure every day, often times plugged tires develop a slow leak losing one psi/day. When that happens I usually just live with it, but sometimes I’ll take out the plug and redo it.
Where do you get the tools? Any auto parts store, like Strauss, should have a kit for around $5. Don’t let the price fool you, it’s actually everything you need except for an air pump. If you want a kit you can take on long trips, it’s a good idea to get a portable air pump or a CO2 kit that can inflate one tire.
On a difficulty rating of 1 to 5, (1 being easiest), I’d give this a 2. Which is good because there are a lot of errant nails and screws on city streets. Cheers! Got any tips for better tire repairs? Share the wealth, in the comments!
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