Fix a flat tyre in 10 minutes – step by step

A flat tyre is the most common bike breakdown – and in most cases you can fix it yourself in under ten minutes. You need two tyre levers, a spare tube (or a patch kit) and a pump.

Step by step

1. Remove the wheel. With rim brakes, open the brake first, then release the quick release or axle nuts.
2. Free the tyre. Use a tyre lever to hook one side of the tyre over the rim and work it loose all the way round.
3. Inspect the tube. Take the tube out, inflate it slightly and find the hole (your ear or water helps). Feel inside the tyre for glass, thorns or splinters – otherwise the next tube will flat immediately.
4. Replace or patch the tube. Inflate the new tube slightly, insert it, and push the tyre back over the rim (ideally without levers, to avoid pinching the tube).
5. Inflate. Bring it to the pressure printed on the tyre (e.g. 4–6 bar for city bikes) and refit the wheel.

Where to find air and tools in Zürich

The City of Zürich runs a network of free bike pumps, and several locations have 24h repair stands with pro tools. See our list of free bike pumps and the cycling map.

If you’d rather have help, our ranking of self-repair workshops lists supervised workshops – or, for a roadside breakdown, call a mobile bike service that comes straight to you.

When to go to a workshop instead

If the tyre itself is damaged, the wheel won’t true cleanly, or it’s an e-bike rear wheel with a hub motor, it’s worth a trip to a workshop.