How to Fix a Flat Tyre on Your Bike: Step-by-Step Guide

Getting a puncture is one of cycling's great levellers — it happens to every rider sooner or later. The good news is that fixing a flat tyre is a genuinely learnable skill that takes about 10–15 minutes once you've practised it a couple of times. This guide walks you through the full process for a standard clincher tyre (the most common type on modern bikes).

What You'll Need

  • Spare inner tube (matched to your tyre size — check the sidewall of your tyre for size markings)
  • Two tyre levers
  • Mini pump or CO2 inflator
  • Puncture repair patch kit (optional, as backup)

Step 1: Remove the Wheel

If you have a quick-release lever (most road and gravel bikes), flip it open and remove the wheel. For thru-axle wheels, unscrew the axle lever. For the rear wheel, shift to the smallest sprocket first — this makes reinstallation much easier. Release any rim brakes by unhooking the brake cable before removing the wheel.

Step 2: Deflate the Tyre Completely

Press the centre pin on a Presta valve (or use your fingernail on a Schrader valve) to release any remaining air. A fully deflated tyre is much easier to remove from the rim.

Step 3: Remove the Tyre from the Rim

Insert one tyre lever under the tyre bead (the edge that hooks into the rim) and hook it onto a spoke. Insert the second lever a few centimetres along and lever the bead over the rim edge. Once you have enough tyre off, run one lever around the entire circumference to free one side of the tyre completely. You only need to remove one side — leave the other bead seated in the rim.

Step 4: Remove the Inner Tube

Pull the inner tube out from between the tyre and rim, starting at the valve. Unscrew the valve nut (if present) and pull the valve through the rim hole last.

Step 5: Find the Cause

This step is often skipped and is the reason people get two flats in a row. Run your fingers carefully around the inside of the tyre to feel for the sharp object (glass, thorn, staple) that caused the puncture. Also inspect the rim tape to ensure no spoke heads are protruding. Remove any debris before fitting the new tube.

Step 6: Fit the New Inner Tube

  1. Add just a small puff of air to the new tube — enough to give it shape without being fully inflated.
  2. Insert the valve through the rim hole and tuck the tube evenly inside the tyre all the way around.
  3. Starting at the valve, push the tyre bead back onto the rim with your thumbs, working around both directions simultaneously.
  4. The last section near the valve may be tight — use your palms to roll the bead over. Avoid using tyre levers at this stage as they can pinch and puncture the new tube.

Step 7: Check and Inflate

Before inflating fully, check that no inner tube is visible or pinched between the tyre and rim — run your thumb around the entire circumference on both sides. Then inflate to the pressure printed on your tyre sidewall (measured in PSI or bar). Reinstall the wheel and you're ready to ride.

Tips for Next Time

  • Practice at home before you need to do it roadside. It makes a huge difference.
  • Keep a small saddle bag with a spare tube, levers, and a pump always attached to your bike.
  • Carry two spare tubes on longer rides — flats occasionally come in pairs.
  • Consider tubeless tyres once you're more experienced — they resist punctures far better and can self-seal small holes with sealant.

Fixing a flat is one of the most empowering things to learn as a cyclist. Once it feels routine, you'll never dread a puncture again.