David Haworth
Active Member
I know this is basic stuff, but I've just changed my first inner tube since my BMX when I was about 12. My wife and I were out on a ride around the local area with our 2yo on the child seat behind me. on the way back my wife got a flat tyre but decided to ride it the last half mile home.
After dinner and putting the child to bed I went to change the tube. I stuck the bike in my new aldi workstand and took the back wheel off and managed to get the tyre and tube out[1]. then I tried to fix it with a patch and foolishly put the tube back on the wheel and then tried to put the tyre on top. this was nigh on impossible and when I finally did it, the tyre just wouldn't blow up at all. I probably damaged it with the tyre levers.
so I figured out that I probably should have put the inner-tube into the tyre first so took it all apart again and broke out a brand new inner tube. blew it up a bit, stuck it in the tyre with the valve in the hole and worked it all round. this turned out to be rather easy which is odd as it seemed impossible before. then I discovered that this tube had a 32mm stem which meant I could barely see it coming out of the deeper rims on my wife's bike. I couldn't even inflate them. so I break out my last spare inner tube which has a 48mm stem and this time there's enough to pull it through and inflate and I got the thing working.
all in all, took me about an hour but I scored major hero points with my wife.
mental note, got to go and buy new spare inner tubes (with long stems) tomorrow...
I know it's not that impressive, but I'm pleased that I didn't end up having to call anyone.
[1] I'm sure the tube I took out was significantly bigger than the tyre it was in...
After dinner and putting the child to bed I went to change the tube. I stuck the bike in my new aldi workstand and took the back wheel off and managed to get the tyre and tube out[1]. then I tried to fix it with a patch and foolishly put the tube back on the wheel and then tried to put the tyre on top. this was nigh on impossible and when I finally did it, the tyre just wouldn't blow up at all. I probably damaged it with the tyre levers.
so I figured out that I probably should have put the inner-tube into the tyre first so took it all apart again and broke out a brand new inner tube. blew it up a bit, stuck it in the tyre with the valve in the hole and worked it all round. this turned out to be rather easy which is odd as it seemed impossible before. then I discovered that this tube had a 32mm stem which meant I could barely see it coming out of the deeper rims on my wife's bike. I couldn't even inflate them. so I break out my last spare inner tube which has a 48mm stem and this time there's enough to pull it through and inflate and I got the thing working.
all in all, took me about an hour but I scored major hero points with my wife.
mental note, got to go and buy new spare inner tubes (with long stems) tomorrow...
I know it's not that impressive, but I'm pleased that I didn't end up having to call anyone.
[1] I'm sure the tube I took out was significantly bigger than the tyre it was in...
have now also discovered why my topeak mini pump just wasn't working. I had to change it from schrader to presta compatibility by opening it up and turning some bits around...
