Fix That Flat

Prepared riders won’t find themselves stranded on road, trail

Blake Harrison (left) shows how to repair a flat tire July 16 with help from bike-repair instructor Joel McCourt at the Greenway Bike Shop at the Jones Center in Springdale. Fixing a flat is easy and takes only minutes.
Blake Harrison (left) shows how to repair a flat tire July 16 with help from bike-repair instructor Joel McCourt at the Greenway Bike Shop at the Jones Center in Springdale. Fixing a flat is easy and takes only minutes.

Do much bicycle riding and one thing is going to happen besides burning calories and working those muscles. You’re going to have a flat.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Blake Harrison (left) demonstrates how to put the tire back on the wheel after replacing the tube by starting at the valve stem and working around the wheel. His twin brother, Harrison Phillips, works on a tire at right.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Alex Munoz shows the repaired tire ready to roll along again.

Unless your bike stays in the garage, flat tires are inevitable, said Joel McCourt, bike mechanic and teacher at the Greenway Bike Shop at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale. McCourt teaches bike repair to teenagers to prepare them for a possible career in bicycle repair and maintenance.

Carrying a few small items on a bike can prevent being stranded miles from home on an urban trail or out in the woods on an isolated mountain bike path. Be prepared to fix a flat and you’ll be pedaling along again in minutes.

A spare inner tube, compact pump and tire levers are the essentials, McCourt said. A small bag that fits under the seat will hold the tube, levers and pump if the pump is small enough. Larger pumps attach to the bicycle’s frame.

Learning to deal with flats starts when you buy the bike, before you leave the bike shop. You need to be able to get the wheel off before you can fix a flat.

“Have the sales person at the bike shop show you how to get the front and rear wheel off and get them back on. That’s what they’re there for,” McCourt said. After the sales rep shows you, do it yourself once or twice in the shop while they watch.

Now that the wheel is off, you’re ready to fix the flat. It’s easy, as McCourt’s students demonstrated at the shop last Thursday.

Simple procedure

First, get the tire half-way off the wheel so one side of the tire is still on the wheel and the other side is off. This can be done by hand , or you may need to insert a tire lever between the wheel rim and tire bead and pry the bead away from the rim. Run the tire lever around the wheel until one side of the tire is off the rim. Leave the other side on the rim.

Next, pull the punctured tube out of the tire. Run your fingers along the inside of the tire, feeling for any object that might have caused the flat and remove it.

Now you’re ready to install a new tube. Inflate the tube just enough so it has a round shape. Insert the valve stem into the valve-stem hole in the wheel. Now, starting at the valve stem, push the tube inside the tire.

Pop the other side of the tire back on the wheel, starting at the valve stem and working around the wheel. The last six inches of tire can be difficult to get back on the wheel. If so, use a tire lever to pry the tire bead up so it snaps into rim. Only insert the tire level between the wheel and the bead of the tire or you could ruin the tube.

Inflate the tire part way and make sure none of the tube is sticking out from under the tire. Air the tire up to the proper pressure, put the wheel back on and pedal away.

A computer search will reveal videos and articles on flat-tire repair. It’s a good idea to practice at home.

“Fixing your first flat tire out on the road isn’t a lot of fun,” McCourt said.

Patches are available, but it’s easier to replace the tube. One option is to patch the punctured tube at home and use it as a spare tube.

McCourt’s rule of thumb is, if your ride is 20 miles or less, carry one tube. If it’s more than 20 carry two tubes.

Under-inflated tires are a major cause of flats. The best prevention is proper tire inflation, McCourt said. Tires lose pressure even when they just sit overnight. Inflate your tires before every ride.

Be prepared and you’ll be pedaling, not walking, back to the car or home after the inevitable flat tire occurs.

Flip Putthoff can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAFlip

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