Friday, July 8, 2016

Fixing my Daughter's Bike Tire

Difficulty Level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Insane):
Easy

Process:
My daughter's bike had been flat for some time and I finally got around to have a look at it.

After taking the tire off and inflating the inner tube I quickly located the leak close by the valve stem. I hauled out my bike tire fixing kit, roughed up the surface and stuck one of those patches on it. I wasn't quite sure if it was gonna work because I grew up using the good-ol glue and rubber patch and as I expected, after I put everything back together it was still leaking.

So I took off the tire once more and used the "real" stuff, scruffed up the inner tube, slathered on some high-VOC glue (the good stuff) and put on a rubber patch.

After putting it all back together, blowing up the tire and testing for leaks it was fixed. Now, I have to say, right after I put the tire back together and tested for leaks with a soap-and-water solution it was still giving me some bubbles but I figured it was just some air that was trapped between the tire and the inner tube. A few days later I checked the tire and it was still holding the air so I knew I was good to go. Now she's able to happily drive around again!

Pictures:
The bike before I took off the tire
Using a $15 bike repair kit, I removed the tire from the rim
Close-up of the bike repair kit
locating the leak in the inner tube
The bubbles mark the spot
Circling the leak
Putting on the rubber patch (2nd try)
Another view
The second kit I used
Escaping air that was trapped between the tire and the inner tube
Another view
Close-up of the tire size
Tools:
Bike repair kit
Adjustable wrench

Materials:
Bike repair kit

Cost:
$0.00

Time:
1hr

Savings:
$25.00

Conclusion:
Air is still holding after a few weeks

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