Changing a bike tire might sound like the easiest task in the world, yet we’re all too familiar with that heartbreaking image of a helpless-looking rider standing on the edge of the road with a broken tire lever in hand. The right tools and a good technique will get you out of trouble in races, Gran Fondos and local club rides. We’ll guide you through the process of fitting a tire and inner tube properly.
Difficulty
easy
Required tools
Instructions
Now it’s time to pump up the tire. We recommend an air pressure of around 6-7 bar in the front tire and 7 bar in the rear – the wider your tires, the lower pressure you can run without risking punctures, with the added benefit of a massive gain in comfort.
Important: Every tire has a bead seat line. If the tire is sitting properly the line should be running evenly along the rim and be completely visible.
If that’s not the case, try to add more air until the tire pops into the rim properly. Once the tire is properly fitted you can decrease the pressure to your needs.
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Words: Christoph Bayer, Manuel Buck Photos: Valentin Rühl