We all have been there, when you’re happily discovering a new city in a rent bike and.. boom! You get a flat tire and you don’t know what to do or whom to ask for some help. Relax, breathe and try to solve it asap so you can keep enjoying your holidays. Do you want to know what to do when you have a flat tire? Keep on reading!
Seal a puncture
The most important recommendation is to stop as soon as you notice the puncture. You’ll notice it, besides the sound, you’ll notice that you lose the control of your bike. Never keep riding because you may destroy the rub or even the rim.
Look for a safe place to stop and try to lighten the weight by taking the wheel off. Remember you may find your break blocking it. Do it carefully, it’s easier if you turn the bike upside down. If the flat tire is on the back wheel you may need a stick or paper to move the chain out. It’s easy calm down.
Take the rub and check if the inner tube is punctured or only deflated. If you don’t see it, touch the inside softly with your fingers. Once you notice it take it out. Don’t panic, the inner tube can be repaired with patches, but putting a new one is actually the best option.
How to patch a bike tire
Once you get to a safe place, you can patch the tire by yourself. It’s better to do it at a place where you can manipulate the tires easily.
The first step to patch a bike tire is inflating the inner tube in order to know exactly where the puncture is. The inner tube must be removed before you do this. If you have a sink around, take the inner tube inflated and submerge it into one full of water. You will see some bubbles escaping from the tube and there is exactly where the hole is.
In case you don’t have water near you, try putting some saliva over. You’ll see some bubbles where the hole is. Another option is to put the inner tube around your head, in order for you to hear where sound comes from. You can only do it if you are not surrounded by cars and noise.
Once you have located the hole, mark it and dry the inner tube. You can use a piece of cloth for that. This way the adhesive patch will stick properly.
Now it’s time to prepare the inner tube. The best way is by scoring the surface of the inner tube. Be sure you have sandpaper and score 3,5 centimeters around the hole. Once you have finished, apply and a thin layer of adhesive and even it.
Put the patch on the hole, but be are you place it in the center. Then you will only have to let it dry. Follow the instructions of your patch, because the time you will need to wait depends on the specific brand of the patch.
Once the patch is already dried, put everything back on its place and keep enjoying your holidays in the city.
