Patching a bike flat
Difficulty: Medium · Time: approx. 30 minutes
A flat is annoying but almost always fixable yourself – and cheaper than a new tube. Usually a small thorn, shard or cut has caused the hole.
The order matters: find the hole reliably, patch the tube cleanly and, above all, search the tyre for the foreign object – otherwise the next tube goes flat straight away. Allow about half an hour.
What you'll need
- Puncture kit (patches, vulcanising glue, sandpaper)
- Two or three tyre levers
- Pump
- Bowl of water (to find the hole)
- Optional: spanner or Allen key to remove the wheel
Step by step
- 1
Remove the wheel
With a quick-release, open the lever; otherwise loosen the axle nuts. Rear wheel: shift to the smallest gear first, it makes unhooking the chain easier.
- 2
Lever off the tyre and take out the tube
Let all the air out. Lever the tyre over the rim edge with one tyre lever, work along with the second. Then pull the tube out, valve last.
- 3
Find the hole
Inflate the tube and pass it slowly through water – bubbles mark the hole. No water? Listen for the hiss near your ear. Mark the spot.
- 4
Apply the patch
Dry the area around the hole, rough it up, apply a thin layer of vulcanising glue and let it go tacky. Press the patch on firmly from the centre outwards and hold for a minute.
- 5
Check the tyre and refit
Run your fingers around the inside of the tyre and remove the foreign object. Inflate the tube slightly, insert it, mount the tyre (by hand if possible), check it's seated, inflate fully and refit the wheel.
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Upload a photo →Frequently asked questions
- Are self-adhesive patches good enough?
- As a roadside fix, yes. Patches with vulcanising glue hold better long-term because they truly bond with the rubber. For home repairs prefer the glue type.
- The tube is intact but loses air – why?
- Then the valve is often leaking. On a Presta or Schrader valve, check it's seated and tighten it; if that doesn't help, replace the valve or tube.
- How much pressure should the tyre have?
- The range is printed on the tyre sidewall (in bar or psi). Within that range go by feel: softer rolls more comfortably, harder rolls more easily.