A puncture in the wheel of the bicycle is something very habitual, but not everybody knows how to solve the situation without going through the bike shop.
It is not the most complicated fault, but, like everything, you have to know what is the procedure to follow.
Jenni Gwiazdowski is the director of The London Bike Kitchen , a bike shop in the heart of London, United Kingdom.
The specialist told the BBC what to do to fix a puncture and what materials are needed.
Attentive, cyclists:
If the tire burst, you will have to change it for another, but if it is a smaller hole, you can fix it yourself.
The first step is to free the wheel from the frame of the bicycle.
It will be easier if you put wheels on top, resting on the floor on the seat and the handlebar.
To remove the front wheel of the bike, remove the braking cable from the brakes and help your thumbs to release it.
If it is the rear wheel , then you will have to remove the wheel carefully from the chain.
The next step is to remove the camera or gut of the tire.
To do this, you must embed two levers for tires just at the opposite end of the wheel valve (the part that allows us to fill the air chamber).
The levers are simple plastic tools that are inserted between the tire and the tire, loosening it little by little.
Step 2: At the end opposite the valve, insert 2 levers for tires.
"You have to place the two levers at the same time and pull the tire to the side," explains Jenni.
Next, you have to carefully remove the inner tube or chamber.
And then inflate the tire to find the air leak.
Step 4: Inflate the wheel
Now you have to look closely at which area has suffered the puncture. You can pay attention to the sound to hear if the air escapes and use the sense of touch until you notice a change.
Some people put the wheel inside a bucket of water to locate the puncture quickly by looking at which area the bubbles come out.
When you find the perforated part, mark it with an X.
Then polish the area.
The idea is to prepare the surface to stick the patch.
You can use a small metal scraper or simply a piece of sandpaper,
The vulcanizing solution is a kind of "glue" that dries up in what takes time to drink coffee, says Jenni.
Cover the area with this substance and, once it has dried, place the patch, making sure it is well adhered. You have to hit it at once.
The next step is to put the camera back inside the tire. It is essential that the valves of both rings are aligned.
With your hands, you must make sure that the tube fits properly. "It's the last part but the hardest part," says Jenni.
Never use a screwdriver for this step, or any object that could damage the rubber.
Step 8: Make sure the valves are aligned
Finally, connect the wheel again on the bike.
If it is the front, adjust the brake. If it's the back, place the chain.
It is important to check that the wheel valve remains fixed and that the camera does not come out of the tire on either side.
Finally, re-inflate the tire.
Step 9: put the wheel on the bike
Step 10: inflate a tire
Once you fix the camera do not forget to check that the rubber does not have any problem so that the wheel does not click again And ... ready!
Materials you need:
- Patches for bicycle wheels
- Sandpaper
- Vulcanizing solution tube ("glue")
- Levers or removable
- An inflator
