13
Repairing a Puncture
If your tyre is losing air, first check to see if the valve is broken. You do this by moistening the
valve opening. If bubbles form, the valve is leaking. The cause of this can be that some dirt has
accumulated beneath the valve. If the valve is still leaking after cleaning, it must be replaced.
If the valve is functioning properly but the tyre still loses air, then unfortunately you have a
puncture. With the proper repair tools, such as the Dillenger repair toolkit this can be fixed
swiftly in 6 steps. In some cases the tube can be repaired without removing the wheel from the
bike.
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Check the tyre. Maybe you’ll notice a nail or a piece of glass, for instance. If so, then you know
where the puncture is located. Remove the battery and then turn the bicycle upside down.
Make sure not to damage the handlebar and seat when you do this. Then remove the valve
cap.
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Press the edge of the tyre towards the middle of the rim and insert the first tyre lever
between the tyre and the rim. Be careful not to catch the tube between the lever and the tyre
or you will have another puncture. Insert the second tyre lever between the tyre and the rim
about a hand’s breadth away from the first lever and move the tyre over the lip of the rim.
Now work the free edge of the tyre around the rim.
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Now push out the valve stem and remove the tube from within the tyre. Inflate the tube. If
the leak in the tube is a big one, you will immediately hear air escaping. A small leak can be
detected by placing the tube in a bucket of water.
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If you have located the puncture, mark the spot on the tube using a ballpoint pen. Now you
can empty the tube completely and dry it. Clean the puncture area well with a piece of emery
cloth. Then smear on a not-too-thick layer of rubber solution and let it dry for a few minutes,
following to the manufacturer’s instructions. Subsequently you can stick a patch on it, which
you should press firmly onto the tube.
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To check if the puncture has been repaired, inflate the tube and hold it under water. If the
leaking has stopped, put the tube back on the rim. Be sure to check that the rim tape is
properly located in the middle of the rim, because it protects the tube from the spokes. Push
the valve stem back through the hole and give the tube a few pumps of air. Now carefully
check the inside of the tyre for sharp objects that might cause leakage. If you slowly keep
moving the wheel around it’s easy to place the tube around the wheel and inside the tyre.
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Subsequently you can push the tyre back over the rim, starting at the valve. Push the valve
stem in as far as possible, ensuring that the tube will be positioned correctly. This way you
can push the entire tyre back over the rim while making a tilting movement with the wrist
area of your palms. You might need to apply quite a lot of force, but don’t be tempted to use
a tyre lever for the last section. There is a high chance that you will poke a hole in the tube by
doing so, meaning that you would have to start the process all over again. Also check that no
part of the tube is caught between the tyre and the rim. If this is not the case, inflate the tyre.
Finally, you just have to screw the dust cap back on and you are ready to ride off.