Installing a new bike tire and inner tube in 5 minutes, by The Eclectic Handyman on YouTube. 5 min 43 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 43 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Check the size on your old tire sidewall, such as 26 x 1.95, and buy a tire and inner tube that match it.
Remove the wheel from the bike. Open the brake if needed and release the quick-release lever or unbolt the axle nuts.
Let all the air out of the tube by pressing the valve core. Then push the tire bead away from the rim all the way around.
Slide a tire lever under the bead and hook it to a spoke. Use a second lever a few inches away and run it around to free one side of the tire.
Pull the old inner tube out, starting at the valve. Then lift the tire off the rim completely.
Run a finger or a cloth around the inside of the tire and rim to find thorns, glass or a sharp spoke end, and remove anything you find.
Fit one side of the new tire onto the rim. Put a little air in the new tube so it holds shape, then tuck it inside the tire.
Push the valve through the rim hole and seat the second tire bead onto the rim by hand, working around the wheel.
Check that the tube is not pinched under the bead. Inflate slowly to the pressure printed on the tire sidewall.
Refit the wheel, close the brake and spin it to check the tire sits evenly on the rim.
Tips and common mistakes
Use plastic tire levers, not screwdrivers, so you do not puncture the new tube or scratch the rim.
Add just enough air to give the tube shape before fitting it, which helps prevent pinching.
If the tire will not seat by hand, work the last section toward the valve rather than away from it.
Check the tire pressure before every ride and top it up to the number on the sidewall.
Questions
Do I need to replace the tire when I change the inner tube?
No. Replace only the tube if the tire is in good shape. Fit a new tire when the tread is worn or the casing is damaged.
How do I know which inner tube size to buy?
Read the numbers on the tire sidewall, such as 700 x 25c or 26 x 1.95, and match them to the tube range on the box. The valve type must also match your rim.
Why does my new tube keep going flat?
Something sharp is probably still inside the tire or rim. Run a cloth around the inside and check the rim tape covers every spoke hole.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
