How to Fix A Flat Tyre

When someone asks you to fix a flat tyre, I'd usually recommend to say NO. It's my day off and today I was asked to do it by the gf, and well I couldn't say that, could I?

I've made a mistake previously by taking the bike to a bike shop before. They take one look at gaijin and they see dollar signs in their eyes. No, this time I was going to do it completely myself.

The hardest part is getting the outer tyre on and off the rim of the bike. Once I did that it was pretty easy. I bought the equipment from the trusty Don Quijote store, a 3 pack of ring spanners (1,280 yen), the tube (498 yen), and outer tube (998 yen). Not all the stores have bike supplies. This was in Yokohama.

It was the back tyre so I had additional challenges with the brake assembly and chain, but I put all the pieces in a orderly manner so I wouldn't have left over screws.

If you plan to do this yourself I'd suggest checking out a YouTube video.

It took me about an hour (only because I took my time to make sure I did it "right").

A wise man, Confucius I believe, said "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime". So true. I've learnt to catch my fish! Luckily it didn't turn out like this other proverb, "Give a man enough rope and he will hang himself". Oh.