This will be an information page on how to do some of the more basic things as it pertains to bicycle maintance, check back periodically, as soon as I can get my wife to take some photos of me working on my bike then I will have that particular subject up.
Ok, after having this site for the past year and then some, here we go. Found a photographer and here is the first how to. How to change a tire with out any tools, your own bare hands.
So for this example I'm using the Giant TCR that my buddy Matt has loaned me, which just happens to need a new tube so this works out good
Believe it or not, the front tire is actually flat in the photo so this is what we are doing first. First you will want to open up the brakes to that the tire will fit back into the well once the wheel gets put back on
After that you will want to go ahead and take the wheel off the bike.
Now once you have released the skewer you will need to loosen the skewer even more to get the wheel past the saftey catches that all forks have designed into them. Now with the wheel off and with it being flat, the next part is easier than it may seen, you will want to compress one end, so that you can create a gap on the other end.
Then you can just roll the tire and tube off.
And you get this
Me manly man, now is the time that you will want to inspect the inside of the tire to make sure that you don't have any thing that will puncture your new tube, take it from me, take the extra 10 seconds to make sure that the tire is clear. Next take the new tube out that is being modeled by my daughter
(Oh daddy is putting me on his cycling website and I all I want is a new pair of shoes)
Now why am I looking angry, well I can't find my floor pump and having to air this thing up with a frame mounted travel pump, now why am I airing up the tube with out it being in the tire. Not to test it, but when you put a new tube in you will want to make it semi round before you put it in the tire to put back on the wheel to aviod the tube twisting or creating a puncture while trying to re-installing it.
Now you will want to put the valve stem on first on the wheel and then the same way that you took the tire off you will want to put it back on. (Yes I cleaned the garage after this photo shoot was completed, one delima at a time, first bike then garage). And what you wind up with is
Now with tubes with Presta Valves which is what I'm about to show you, there is a lock nut to put the valve stem in its proper place, now with me stating that you will need to remember to take this lock nut off before you take the tire off or the tire will not completely seperate, those with the schrader valve which looks like the valve stem on your car, You do not need to worry about that.
Then inflate to the recommended by the tire manufacture this tire is recommended to be inflated to 120 psi and with this pump
That ain't happening. I was able to get it to 90 psi, which I'm happy with. Now re-instal on the bike
Now remember that you loosed the skewer to get it off, so before it will get snug you will need to tighting the skewer, but allow for enough room for the quick release to lock into place.
Bingo, new tube installed, and you did it, put the valve cap on and test ride. Congratulations, you are on your way to becoming a self sufficient bicycle mechanice.
Hopefully it will not take me another year to get another topic up. Have fun, Ride safe and wear your helmet.