Check it—the Checklist

We realize the temptation to jump on two wheels and go. But there’s stuff to think about before heading out. Use our handy checklist to make sure your ride is as safe as it is fun. We also tell you how to fix a flat fast. And lastly, there’s the Rules of the Road—learn ‘em, use ‘em. Peace.

Fix a Flat Rules of the Road

Before you head out

  • Always wear a helmet. No ifs, ands or buts. (It’s not really your butt we’re worried about here, it’s your head. So use it.)
  • Check bike tires to make sure they’re properly inflated. (See the bike’s instructions for correct PSI.)
  • Make sure the brake pads come in full contact with the rim for full-stopping power.

Fix a flat—fast

First off, once you get a flat, stop riding.
You might think “eh, I can go a little further.” But you’ll risk damaging the wheel rims if you do that.

Next, release any leftover air by pressing on the valve.

Turn your bike upside down to remove the wheel—it’s easier this way. If it’s not a quick release, use a 15mm box or crescent wrench to remove the nuts. You might have to release your brakes in order to get the wheel through the brake pads, so squeeze the brakes together and unhook the cable from the brake pad.

Remove the tire by slipping a tire lever under one side of the rim. Then, slide a second lever under the rim and work it around the wheel. Once you get one side of the tire off the wheel, it’ll be easy to remove. Which you should now do, along with taking out the tube.

Check inside the tire for pesky rocks or objects that caused the flat. You may not find anything. That’s okay. It probably fell out already.

Now, you have two choices:
1) Patch up a hole in the damaged tube. Or 2) get yourself a new tube.

If you want to be resourceful and try to patch up the tube, you’ll need to find the hole. Pump up the tube a little bit and stick it in a pail of water. Squeeze the tube and look for the bubbles. That’ll tell you where the hole is. Then, just use a tire patch tube kit to repair the hole.

Now, inflate your repaired tube, or your new tube, a bit. Enough so that it holds it’s circular shape just a little bit. Then tuck the tube back into the tire.

Now place the tire and tube back onto the wheel. Start with the valve from the tube and stick that through the hole in the wheel. Then, place one side of the tire on the wheel. This will be easy. The tricky part is getting the other side of the tire onto the wheel.

Hold the wheel in your lap and pop the tire onto the rim using your thumbs, your fingers resting on the backside of the rim, as you work your hands around the wheel, away from each other.

Bend over and put that last, tough section of the wheel on your knee. Hold the tire with your weaker hand to keep it steady, and with your dominant hand, work about an inch of the section onto the rim. Pop it on by pushing down and forward with the heel of your hand. You can use a tire lever to wedge the tire back onto the rim, but you run the risk of popping the tube this way, so if you can avoid it, you should.

We’re almost done. Now just inflate the tube to about 15-20 psi, and rock the tire back and forth all the way around the rim to get everything into it’s proper place.

Then just inflate the tire, and you're good to go.

Rules of the Road

Helmets rule.
Whether it’s an aggressive mountain ride or a leisurely outing, always wear a helmet. Check out the Helmet section for more tips.

Learn the traffic laws
Your bike is considered a vehicle. Follow stop signs, traffic lights and traffic laws. And always ride on the right-hand side of the road.

Signal when to make turn
Use the proper hand signals to let drivers know where you’re headed and when you’re stopping.

Bicycling Turn Signals

Be visible
At night, wear reflective clothing and make sure your bike has suitable reflectors and lighting.

Walkers still have the right of way
Drivers have to slow down for walkers and so do bikers.

Leave three feet between you and a parked car.
Cars don’t have to be speeding to cause you problems. A driver in a parked car might open their door or pull out suddenly. This happens a lot.

Never-evers
Don't fool around, weave in and out of traffic, or run stop signs. Don’t hitch rides with moving vehicles. And unless you’re on a tandem, never ride with more than one person on a bike.