How to Change a Flat Tire
Written by Jim Levesque, Owner and Head Coach at Grit Endurance. Learn more about Jim’s background here!
Learning to change a flat tire can be one of the most intimidating aspects of triathlon and cycling for a beginner. If that’s you, don’t worry, we were all there at one point, and you too can quickly become an expert! It just takes knowing what to do and practicing a few times to sharpen your skills! If you aren’t sure where to start, watch our 6-minute instructional video and then follow these steps!
1. Get a flat tire kit: Go to your local bike shop or online and make sure you have a spare tube, 2 tire levers, a CO2 cartridge and a valve for the CO2 cartridge. You’ll also want a saddle bag or other way to carry these with you on every ride.
2. Practice changing your tire following these steps (reference the video for more detail):
Take your wheel off
Use the tire levers to pull one side of the tire off the rim
Pull the tube out of the tire
Replace the tube with your spare and make sure it is fully within the tire
Push the tire back onto the rim
Put the wheel back on the bike
Fill the tire back up with your CO2 cartridge or with a pump if you have one
It sounds difficult and intimidating, but after practicing a few times, you’ll improve quickly. We also will have a flat-tire changing clinic on August 18th, so you can practice with the guidance of a Grit Endurance coach!