- 1). Remove the wheel with the flat tire from the bike. Do this by loosening the axle nut and the brake calipers. The axle nut is usually only hand tight, and does not require any special tools to remove it.
- 2). Open the valve for the inner tube of the tire and squeeze out the rest of the air in the tire. This helps get the tire loose as well as making it easier to remove the tube. Now press the beads of the tire together, away from the rim edge.
- 3). Hook one end of one tire lever under the bead of the tire. Hook the other end of the same lever on a spoke to hold it in place. Repeat this procedure on the same side of the tire, but so that the second lever is opposite the first. Use a third lever to pry the bead of the tire from the rim, sliding it all the way around so that half of the tire is on the rim and half is off.
- 4). Reach into the tire and remove the tube. Take care around the valve stem, sliding it through the hole so that it is not damaged. Leave the rest of the tire on the rim.
- 5). Partially fill the tube with air to find the leak. After finding the leak, open the flat repair kit and take out the contents. Find the sandpaper or metal scraper that is in the kit. Scuff the area around the hole, a little bigger than the patch from the kit. The scuffing helps the patch adhere to the tube.
- 6). Open the glue from the kit. Spread a layer of glue on the tube, over the scuffed area. It is okay to go past the scuffed area. The glue will be wet and shiny at this point. Wait until the glue dries and gets dull looking before applying the patch. This usually takes about five minutes.
- 7). Remove the backing from the patch, being careful not to touch the sticky surface. Apply this to the tube over the dried glue. Press it firmly into place. Inflate the tube slightly. This helps to keep it from pinching by the tire during tire mounting. Reinsert the tube back into the tire and onto the rim, threading the valve stem through its hole.
- 8). Work the tire back onto the rim. You can use your hands or a tire lever for this job. If you use a tire lever, be extra careful to stay away from the tube so that it does not get pinched or punctured. Once the tire is on the rim, squeeze the bead together and make sure that the tube is where it is supposed to be. Inflate the tube and tire with the air pump to about half of the recommended air pressure.
- 9). Place the wheel back on the bicycle, and tighten the axle nut and reengage the brake calipers. Ensure the wheel turns freely. Finish inflating the tire to the correct air pressure. The bike is now good to go again.
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