TECH SUPPORT
Fix That Flat Whether you’ve changed tons of flats or zero, these simple tips can help you make your next flat fix go much smoother.
Prepare Replace tires when you start to see signs of wear, like patches of very thin rubber. Carry these on every ride: spare tube, CO2 canister(s) and dispenser, pump (optional if you have CO2), patch kit, two tire levers. Whenever riding, scan the road far ahead for debris and glass.
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Remove the Wheel
The front wheel is easy; here’s the best way to take off the rear wheel: Put the chain in the smallest ring in the front and the smallest cog in the back. Open the quick-release and widen the brake pads if needed. Pro Tip: Avoid greasy hands: Stand on the non-drive side facing the back, hold the saddle with your left hand, lift the rear of the bike off the ground and give a firm rap with your right hand on the top of the rear tire. The wheel will fall free from the frame’s (appropriately named) dropouts.
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TRIATHLETE.COM | May 2011
Remove the Tube
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Install New Tube
Open valve and let out remaining air. Remove tire bead from the rim (one side only). If one tire lever won’t do the trick, place your second lever in about 4 inches away, then keep playing “leap frog” until the tube is exposed. Remove wounded tube. Inspect the tire for the flatcausing culprit; remove if possible.
Pro Tip: Before attempting to place the tube inside the tire, add a little air with your mouth, CO2 or pump to give the tube a bit of shape. Place the wheel vertically on the ground, resting against your knees, with the side of the wheel with the tire unhooked facing away. Lay the partially shaped tube into the tire opening. Lift the wheel up to rest against your waist horizontally with the open part facing the sky and the valve at 12 o’clock. Starting near
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Bike Gear 101
Reinstall the Wheel
Place the wheel back into the open space between the chain segments and rest the top portion of the chain onto the smallest cog in back. Lift the wheel back up into the frame, aligning the quick-release axle with the opening in the dropouts. Tighten up the quick release and the brakes, checking to see that the wheel is in straight and not rubbing the brake pads. Pro Tip: Practice removing and installing the rear wheel at home before you flat. //SCOTT FLIEGELMAN
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Clincher or tubular tires? Tech-loving tri geeks have been debating this topic for years, and there still isn’t a consensus as to which style of tire is speedier. In reality, neither will give you a big performance advantage over the other. Clinchers are more affordable. Tubulars are lighter and more fun to ride. Changing a flat for either style requires a specific technique that takes a few tries to master but is relatively simple once you have it down.
NILS NILSEN
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the valve, use your thumbs to begin to close the tire bead back onto the rim, working down to 9 and 3 o’clock. Rotate the whole wheel 180 degrees so that the unfinished segment is now up at 12 o’clock, and work inward to fully enclose the tube. (You should be able to finish with just your thumbs, but keep a tire lever handy to help close up the final few inches if needed. Make sure you do not pinch the tube against the inside of the rim with the lever.) Ensure that all of the tube is inside and not pinched between the tire and rim. Inflate tube.