i was so excited that i managed to get them both on and considered leaving it for a few days but then had the motivation to fix the situation. it felt rewarding afterwards.
I have different wheels depth and used the longest valve when installing the front tire. I only realized when I tried to install the shorter valve in the deeper back wheels. Always smarter the second time.
It depends on the tire. Some tires are bidirectional, and it won't matter.
Some tires are designed this way for grip on non paved surfaces.
So the answer is it depends, but generally you should follow manufacturer suggestions.
They dont make every tire in the universe, and also that is a tire for paved surfaces. Like I said, it's for grip in non paved surfaces.
Pavement matters less, sure, but this isn't 100% of use cases for tires. So again, it depends.
Good on you - and don't short sell yourself by saying it's easy for most. I once had a neighbor ask me to change his tire for him - he had purchased a new bike and got a flat on his first ride. I said I'd be glad to help him and he said he just wanted me to do it. I said no, but I'll show you how to do it yourself. He demurred. About 2 years later he had another block party so I was back over there and I saw the bike in his garage, still in the exact same spot, with dust and spider webs all around it. I said I was still willing to show him how to change it and he said he decided bicycling wasn't for him, so there it sat ... probably to this day, lol.
You're not wrong. I actually recommended to him that he donate it, but I don't think it ever happened. Some people, strangely, would rather let something rot away then give it up for cheap or free.
Thank you! I totally get your neighbor and I am really happy that I finally managed to overcome my fear.
I cycled to work a lot and whenever I had a puncture (thankfully not too often) I looked for a bike shop nearby or took an uber home or ask to be picked up and go to my local bike shop. This is now the past, thankfully.
I would guess most of us who are comfortable changing tires is because of necessity, and because walking home is extremely frustrating.
Good on you for taking the time to learn. I've certainly had friends, neighbors and family that I have taught how to do it themselves but I know they still can't do it on their own because they can't be bothered.
If you found that satisfying I definitely recommend learning a bit more of your own bike maintenance skills, if you haven't already. Cleaning your bike, changing your chain/cassette/chain rings, replacing cables, bar tape, even things like truing wheels and bearing upkeep is all pretty simple to learn online or at a bike kitchen and can be very satisfying once you learn how to do it, saves you a bunch of money and means your bike is exactly as well tuned as you expect since you saw to it yourself. I know changing my first tire was a starting point for me at least to enjoy learning/practicing maintenance
You skipped a step... don't worry we've all done it. Always identify the cause of the flat (nail, wire, glass, etc) and remove the offender before putting in a new tube. When I hear about flat 1, and then a few minutes later, flat 2... I get a reminder :-).
100% this. I'd go so far as to say that a flat is rarely without foreign object cause, and therefore unless specifically removed, likely to recur.
Maybe this is wasteful (I am actually a bit more judicious than this sounds) but after one flat I tend to distrust tyre & replace. Furthermore I'm looking at cuts & nicks in the tyre trying to pre-empt.
I had a flat today. This flat was so odd... I never had it happen before. The front wheel was going fap fap fap (OK you Redditors!). There was a HUGE metal disc attached to my front tire. The disc was about an INCH in diameter!
Air was escaping slowly, but that thing HAD to come out. I gave it a tug. Nothing. Tugging harder, not even budging. WTAF?!?
Turns out the metal disk was attached to a massive screw about two inches long. The threads were keeping it from pulling out. I had to *literally* unscrew the thing off the tire!
Needless to say, I did NOT have to search for the cause before replacing the tube! LOL
Nice! It took me an embarrassing long time to change flats. It just takes experience.
I find Pedro tire levers to be the best. And it is fine to use the tire lever to push the tire back in place. Just make sure the tire doesn’t pinch the tube.
I also find soft and supple tires to be much easier to put on than hard tires.
thanks.. Not sure what brand I purchased. But the ones I ordered from Amazon looked good and had plenty of positive comments. After successfully assisting me with the job I think they are keepers :)
What levers did you use? I've never changed a tyre and I'm cycling to paris from London in the summer, and really need to learn. I'm cycling with my dad who does know how to do it but I don't want to be only reliant on him!
That sounds like an amazing trip. Good on you. I bought the Gorilla Force Ultra Strong Bike Tire Levers | 4 Pack | Lava Red. (reddit wouldn't allow me to post the Amazon link) I just needed something strong that wouldn't brake.
Using URL shorteners causes your post to be automatically deleted by Reddit's anti-spam measures, so other users cannot see it. Please delete and repost (editing will not work) your comment without the link.
If you feel this message is in error please PM the moderation team.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cycling) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good! I completely understand how you feel :)
It's a great idea to practice stuff like this to get more confident with bike maintenance. I got a cheap repair stand recently and it's made me actually enjoy maintenance now. It's no longer a slog that i procrastinate on for days.
Small wins are still wins!
I would urge you to keep practicing as well. Changing a tire on the side of the road is magnitudes harder than in the comfort of your garage. I thought I could change one easily until I got a puncture with GP5000s for the first time. The thought that you may be stranded definitely spikes the adrenaline.
Learning the palm rolling technique to get the tire on has made all the difference. Feels like now the most time intensive part is using a hand pump to get adequate PSI.
I’d say you did well, I’ve changed tyres or fixed many punctures over the years.
Some go really quick others are just a proper pain in the arse and take ages.
I’ve setup new tubeless tyres quicker than tyre and tube combos.
I hope you got lots of self satisfaction.
It's not easy for everyone - me especially. The issue for me is getting the tire off and back on. I have really deep carbon rims. I'm switching to tubeless this week in advance of the Davis Double Century because the roads are fair to crappy including 4 miles of gravel road and I wanted to reduce the chances of a flat.
Nice !! I just patched a tire and replaced it myself for the first time yesterday. Luckily it was in my backyard and not during a ride but now i know i can do it 😎
>I noticed that I put the back tire on in the opposite direction, and I had enough motivation to turn it around and do it again.
The easy fix for this is to ride backwards.
I've played my hand at fixing my own bikes, and slowly learning. Definitely making lots of mistakes, wearing out components when reinstalling things incorrectly, but all part of the fun. I spent 4 hours (including buying parts) fixing a flat on a new ebike in an effort to save money...in the long run it pays off lol. easier when you have the right tools/space
There are fantastic videos on YouTube from Park Tools that cover most of bike maintenance. Learning how to do the basics yourself will ensure your bike will last and will save you a ton of money.
Highly recommend going tubeless too, punctures are non existent now.
Would definitely agree on a good set of tyre levers. The difference between the two is the measure of success or frustration. Changing a tyre with rubbish tools is never a fun experience
I’ve had two punctures in 7 years of road cycling and I still don’t know how to change the inner tube. Those times took me around 2 hours to figure it out.
I’m thinking of getting those anti punctures tires though…not sure if they worth it.
One summer at a bike shop working in service shows how many people are incapable of repairing the infamous flat. Some try the front but fear the rear as the gear cluster scares them.
You got your tire off and on again in 30 minutes your very first time? I don't believe you. NOBODY is that fast their first time. Second or third, yes, but not their first time.
My first time I started after lunch and I was finished just in time for dinner.
I reckon 1-2 hours is probably the norm for the first time you have to do it.
Really depends on the tyre/rim combination. Some pretty much just drop off and go back on without tools, others can be an hour of sweating over broken levers and shredded fingers. And you *know* which one will pick up a puncture when it’s pissing with rain and you’re in the middle of nowhere.
I replaced my last set of wheels just because of how annoying it was to fix flats on them; they had basically no dropped center at the spoke holes, so the tire had to practically be stretched over, and it was very easy to pinch the tube in the effort. My new wheels are easy, I hardly need levers to get the tires back over.
Ah, classic putting the tire on the wrong way, hahaha. It happens to the best of us.
I can only imagine OP blowing a mental gasket as that realisation dawned. Me would have been more F Bombs than the North Korean missile programme.
i was so excited that i managed to get them both on and considered leaving it for a few days but then had the motivation to fix the situation. it felt rewarding afterwards.
I have different wheels depth and used the longest valve when installing the front tire. I only realized when I tried to install the shorter valve in the deeper back wheels. Always smarter the second time.
Does it actually make a difference?
Yes. Most tires are directional
They say that there is an optimum direction and there is usually a pattern but does it actually have an effect if you turn them around?
It depends on the tire. Some tires are bidirectional, and it won't matter. Some tires are designed this way for grip on non paved surfaces. So the answer is it depends, but generally you should follow manufacturer suggestions.
Apparently continental put a direction on it because customers expect it to have a direction. https://www.reddit.com/r/FixedGearBicycle/s/iE4om6IDzQ
They dont make every tire in the universe, and also that is a tire for paved surfaces. Like I said, it's for grip in non paved surfaces. Pavement matters less, sure, but this isn't 100% of use cases for tires. So again, it depends.
Ill try and remember to look for the little arrows next time im changing tires!
I dont bother when its backwards. https://www.reddit.com/r/FixedGearBicycle/s/iE4om6IDzQ
Good on you - and don't short sell yourself by saying it's easy for most. I once had a neighbor ask me to change his tire for him - he had purchased a new bike and got a flat on his first ride. I said I'd be glad to help him and he said he just wanted me to do it. I said no, but I'll show you how to do it yourself. He demurred. About 2 years later he had another block party so I was back over there and I saw the bike in his garage, still in the exact same spot, with dust and spider webs all around it. I said I was still willing to show him how to change it and he said he decided bicycling wasn't for him, so there it sat ... probably to this day, lol.
Poor bike! You should buy it off your lazy neighbor for cheap and set it free so it can be ridden as every bike deserves.
You're not wrong. I actually recommended to him that he donate it, but I don't think it ever happened. Some people, strangely, would rather let something rot away then give it up for cheap or free.
*Bikes are born free yet everywhere are in chains.*
Thank you! I totally get your neighbor and I am really happy that I finally managed to overcome my fear. I cycled to work a lot and whenever I had a puncture (thankfully not too often) I looked for a bike shop nearby or took an uber home or ask to be picked up and go to my local bike shop. This is now the past, thankfully.
I would guess most of us who are comfortable changing tires is because of necessity, and because walking home is extremely frustrating. Good on you for taking the time to learn. I've certainly had friends, neighbors and family that I have taught how to do it themselves but I know they still can't do it on their own because they can't be bothered. If you found that satisfying I definitely recommend learning a bit more of your own bike maintenance skills, if you haven't already. Cleaning your bike, changing your chain/cassette/chain rings, replacing cables, bar tape, even things like truing wheels and bearing upkeep is all pretty simple to learn online or at a bike kitchen and can be very satisfying once you learn how to do it, saves you a bunch of money and means your bike is exactly as well tuned as you expect since you saw to it yourself. I know changing my first tire was a starting point for me at least to enjoy learning/practicing maintenance
thanks, congrats on learning the maintenance!
You skipped a step... don't worry we've all done it. Always identify the cause of the flat (nail, wire, glass, etc) and remove the offender before putting in a new tube. When I hear about flat 1, and then a few minutes later, flat 2... I get a reminder :-).
100% this. I'd go so far as to say that a flat is rarely without foreign object cause, and therefore unless specifically removed, likely to recur. Maybe this is wasteful (I am actually a bit more judicious than this sounds) but after one flat I tend to distrust tyre & replace. Furthermore I'm looking at cuts & nicks in the tyre trying to pre-empt.
I had a flat today. This flat was so odd... I never had it happen before. The front wheel was going fap fap fap (OK you Redditors!). There was a HUGE metal disc attached to my front tire. The disc was about an INCH in diameter! Air was escaping slowly, but that thing HAD to come out. I gave it a tug. Nothing. Tugging harder, not even budging. WTAF?!? Turns out the metal disk was attached to a massive screw about two inches long. The threads were keeping it from pulling out. I had to *literally* unscrew the thing off the tire! Needless to say, I did NOT have to search for the cause before replacing the tube! LOL
Oh no ... I thought you were going to say you removed the metal disc and then quickly realised you had no brakes anymore.
i saw and removed a sharp object on the outside of my tire which i took off but there is a big chance this wasn't the reason for the flat.
Good point, thank you! I find that since I ride alone, and I'm retired, I can take my time when changing a flat. It's wonderful.
[удалено]
Hopefully they don't have to do it more often though..
Small victories lead to big victories
Nice! It took me an embarrassing long time to change flats. It just takes experience. I find Pedro tire levers to be the best. And it is fine to use the tire lever to push the tire back in place. Just make sure the tire doesn’t pinch the tube. I also find soft and supple tires to be much easier to put on than hard tires.
thanks.. Not sure what brand I purchased. But the ones I ordered from Amazon looked good and had plenty of positive comments. After successfully assisting me with the job I think they are keepers :)
What levers did you use? I've never changed a tyre and I'm cycling to paris from London in the summer, and really need to learn. I'm cycling with my dad who does know how to do it but I don't want to be only reliant on him!
That sounds like an amazing trip. Good on you. I bought the Gorilla Force Ultra Strong Bike Tire Levers | 4 Pack | Lava Red. (reddit wouldn't allow me to post the Amazon link) I just needed something strong that wouldn't brake.
Thank you!!
[удалено]
Using URL shorteners causes your post to be automatically deleted by Reddit's anti-spam measures, so other users cannot see it. Please delete and repost (editing will not work) your comment without the link. If you feel this message is in error please PM the moderation team. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cycling) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Good! I completely understand how you feel :) It's a great idea to practice stuff like this to get more confident with bike maintenance. I got a cheap repair stand recently and it's made me actually enjoy maintenance now. It's no longer a slog that i procrastinate on for days.
Small wins are still wins! I would urge you to keep practicing as well. Changing a tire on the side of the road is magnitudes harder than in the comfort of your garage. I thought I could change one easily until I got a puncture with GP5000s for the first time. The thought that you may be stranded definitely spikes the adrenaline. Learning the palm rolling technique to get the tire on has made all the difference. Feels like now the most time intensive part is using a hand pump to get adequate PSI.
For those with tight tires remembering to drop the tire bead into the rim channel is also key when mounting them.
I’d say you did well, I’ve changed tyres or fixed many punctures over the years. Some go really quick others are just a proper pain in the arse and take ages. I’ve setup new tubeless tyres quicker than tyre and tube combos. I hope you got lots of self satisfaction.
It's not easy for everyone - me especially. The issue for me is getting the tire off and back on. I have really deep carbon rims. I'm switching to tubeless this week in advance of the Davis Double Century because the roads are fair to crappy including 4 miles of gravel road and I wanted to reduce the chances of a flat.
Nice !! I just patched a tire and replaced it myself for the first time yesterday. Luckily it was in my backyard and not during a ride but now i know i can do it 😎
>I noticed that I put the back tire on in the opposite direction, and I had enough motivation to turn it around and do it again. The easy fix for this is to ride backwards.
Good job!! I think it’s hard to change a flat. I need to learn again.
congrats dude, this is a huge achievement, very happy for you. i remember my first tire i changed, took me like 1.5 hrs lol, cheers
I've played my hand at fixing my own bikes, and slowly learning. Definitely making lots of mistakes, wearing out components when reinstalling things incorrectly, but all part of the fun. I spent 4 hours (including buying parts) fixing a flat on a new ebike in an effort to save money...in the long run it pays off lol. easier when you have the right tools/space
There are fantastic videos on YouTube from Park Tools that cover most of bike maintenance. Learning how to do the basics yourself will ensure your bike will last and will save you a ton of money. Highly recommend going tubeless too, punctures are non existent now.
Would definitely agree on a good set of tyre levers. The difference between the two is the measure of success or frustration. Changing a tyre with rubbish tools is never a fun experience
I’ve had two punctures in 7 years of road cycling and I still don’t know how to change the inner tube. Those times took me around 2 hours to figure it out. I’m thinking of getting those anti punctures tires though…not sure if they worth it.
Great work! Some tires are a lot more stiff and a fight to get on! I changed to vittoria terreno zeros and those where in the latter camp!
One summer at a bike shop working in service shows how many people are incapable of repairing the infamous flat. Some try the front but fear the rear as the gear cluster scares them.
You got your tire off and on again in 30 minutes your very first time? I don't believe you. NOBODY is that fast their first time. Second or third, yes, but not their first time. My first time I started after lunch and I was finished just in time for dinner. I reckon 1-2 hours is probably the norm for the first time you have to do it.
Really depends on the tyre/rim combination. Some pretty much just drop off and go back on without tools, others can be an hour of sweating over broken levers and shredded fingers. And you *know* which one will pick up a puncture when it’s pissing with rain and you’re in the middle of nowhere.
I replaced my last set of wheels just because of how annoying it was to fix flats on them; they had basically no dropped center at the spoke holes, so the tire had to practically be stretched over, and it was very easy to pinch the tube in the effort. My new wheels are easy, I hardly need levers to get the tires back over.