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Flat tyre in your rear wheel

After releasing your brake (explained in the previous page), it is time to release the wheel. To do it easier, choose the smaller chainring (on the front) and the smaller (on size) gear on the back. We do it to make the chain loose, wich will make easier to release the wheel.

After releasing your brake (explained in the previous page), it is time to release the wheel. If it has nuts, use your wrench tool. Usually they have quick releases. Open the lever and unscrew with your hands on the other side to open it.

Press with your hands where the arrows indicate in the rear derailleur at the same time you pull the wheel out of the slots. By pressing in this two points in the rear derailleur will be easier to remove the wheel.

Now, it is time to remove the tyre. To do it easier, use the tyre levers. One of the ends of the tyre lever is thinner and curvated. Put this end in between the tyre and the rim and press down. Tip! If you don't have tyre lever you can always do it with a table spoon! But not recommended for the spoon...

It is not necessary to remove the tyre completely, just one side is enough. Now, you have acces to the tube. Start with the valve, If it is schrader unscrew the plastic cap. If it is presta, unscrew the plastic cap and the steel nut (in red in the drawing). Don't worry about valve names! check the next drawings, they look like this once you remove the plastic cap

Schrader 

Presta

Press the valve inside the rim and take out the tube from the tyre

Now, check there is no spikes in the inner face of the tyre. Just palpate it or examine it with your hand. After it, take your new tube and inflate it slightly, enough to make it round. This will make it easier to put it inside the tyre. We will proceed the way around, starting with the valve. Look for the hole in your rim, and introduce the valve. Always perpendicular to the rim.

Continue introducing the tube inside the tyre. After it, put the tyre back inside the rim. To make is easier, use again the tyre levers, but the way around you used them on the begining. Be careful, don't puncture the new tube with the tyre levers

Make sure the tyre is completely inside the in the whole perimeter. Now, you can refit the wheel into your bike. Pay attention at the possition of the chain and the read derailleur. Follow the next drawing. Make sure the wheel axle it is completely stable into the slots. Press down firmly the wheel to check it and check if there is equal distance in between the rim and the frame legs. If you have a disc brake, be careful with your brake pads and the disc when refitting the wheel. 

Now it is time to tighten back the wheel. When using a quick release, screw the nut using your hand and close the lever. You need to feel tension on the lever when you close it. If you feel it too soft when you close it, open it again, screw on the other side a little bit more and close the lever again. If it is too stiff, unscrew the nut and close the lever again. If the wheel has nuts, use the wrench tool.

Very important! Don't forger to refit the brakes. Just do it the way around you did it before. Press where the arrows indicate and place the cable where it was before.

Let's see if everything is right. Brake firmly to check that you reassembly the brakes correctly. Lift the rear wheel and spin it. The brake pads shouldn't touch the rim or the disc brake. If this is happening, try to remove the wheel and refit it again making sure the axle is conrrectly inside the slots.

Last step: some exercise! inflate the tube using your pump and check after inflating that the complete perimeter of the tyre is inside the rim.

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