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If you have ever owned a bicycle, or if you ever intend to own a bicycle, something you will have to do is change a bicycle tire. From flat tires to tire tread wear, tires wear out frequently and must be replaced, so read ahead to learn how to change a bike tire

How To Change Bike Tire In 13 Steps

1. Loosen the nuts that hold the axle to the frame – If they are too tight to loosen, you can spray them with lubricant. Some modern bicycles do not have nuts. They have a quick release which can be loosened and removed.
2. Remove the wheel – Remove the wheel from the frame. If it’s the rear wheel, make sure you don’t get the chain caught up in the gears. If it’s the front wheel, it’s a little easier because you don’t have to be content with the chain. If the wheel isn’t coming off easily make sure the brakes have been released because they can interfere with the removal of the wheel.
3. Deflate the tube – Press down on the inner part of the valve until all of the air has been released.
4. Remove the wheel and tube from the rim of the bicycle – If you do not know how to change the bike tire, this step is very important.

   You do not want to scratch or damage the rim. Use a tire lever, or the handle of a spoon or similar object, and carefully ease under the wheel moving around the rim. You may also need to unscrew a small nut at the base of the valve stem to take the inner tube out completely.

5. Inspect tube – If you are learning how to change a bike tire because you have a damaged tube, determine where the puncture is.
6. Remove any embedded or sharp object from the tire casing
7. Either patch or replace the inner tube, or put on your new tire
8. Check the tire wall for direction – Most companies will put an arrow or other indicator to determine the direction of the rotation of the tire because some tires have a tread that is direction-specific.
9. Ease the partially inflated tube into the tire – Locate the valve and line up properly with the hole in the rim. Make sure no part of the tube is sticking out.

Tip: Keep your fingers away from loose beads on worn-out tires.



It can be a little tricky to change bike tires without sliding your fingers under the loose beads, but you need to be conscious to avoid the loose beads.

If the rubber has worn away - and the chances are high that it has if the tire is old - you may get a painful cut. So, watch those fingers!

10. Insert the other side of the tire into the rim - If you are just learning how to change a bike tire, this can be tricky at first, but you'll get the hang of it. You may need to use the same tool to ease the tire back onto the rim that you used to ease it off of the rim. Once again, be careful not to scratch or damage the rim in any way.
11. Inflate the tube. Make sure you inflate the tube slowly and carefully - Check to make sure the tire is on evenly and there is no gapping.
12. Reattach the wheel
13. Give your bike a test drive - If this is your first experience with how to change a bike tire, make sure the tire feels like it is on properly and securely under safe circumstances before taking it out riding.

Summary

Learning how to change a bike tire is one of the most important things you can learn to do as a bicycle owner. It has to be done so frequently that it is worth learning how to do it on your own instead of packing up your bike and taking it to a repair shop and paying somebody every time you need a tube or tire replaced.

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