The world has changed quite dramatically with COVID-19 and it's had a major impact on the cycling industry. In most cases in the past, getting a flat fix done was an in-and-out kind of thing - at the very worst, it took our mechanics a one-day turn-around. However, with cycling now becoming the top method of getting around Toronto, bike shops are overwhelmed with bicycle service requests and require appointment bookings, sometimes weeks in advance (even for flat fixes).

With this maintenance guide, we hope to help those that are mechanically confident to replace a tube on their Nihola cargo bike that they purchased at Curbside Cycle! Many of the steps are very critical to safety, especially when reinstalling everything. Do not force anything into place - if something isn’t working properly, you must take your bicycle to a bike shop to be inspected by a mechanic. 

Fahrrad bikes come stock with wheels that require a 15mm wrench to remove. You'll also need allen key set that includes a 2mm allen key - you can easily find these at your local hardware store. You will also need a bicycle air pump and tire levers, both found at your local bike shop! We find it easier to perform a flat fix on the front wheels of the Nihola if placed on a box. If you do not have a bicycle repair stand at home, placing your bike upside down will be the best method to do any at home service on your bike. If tire is loose enough, you can run the tire lever all the way around until one side of the tire is off the rim.

Follow these steps and GIF closely. Have the bike in the 1st gear. Insert the 2mm allen key into the pulley hole. Gently push forward and the cable will show slack. Grab onto the cable and pull it out of the guide and out of the cable "hook".

For this demonstration, we have the wheel on the bike. Do not do this at home. Instead, put the wheel onto a tabletop or lying down on your lap. Insert the 1st tire lever between the tire and the rim alongside the air valve. You can start prying and guiding the tire lever around the tire. If the tire is too tight, try pushing the tire in on both sides all around the wheel to loosen it from the rim. You can also use up to 3 levers to make the job easier! Once you have pried one side of the tire off of the rim, you can remove the tube and inspect it to figure out what caused the flat. Most common flat, usually caused by glass, thorns, nails or other sharp road debris. Remove the object from your tire before re-installing a new tube to prevent an immediate second flat. Commonly happens if your tire is not at the proper tire pressure or if you hit a curb or pothole with extreme force. Caused by a protruding spoke, or the rim tape needs replacing due to old age. We recommend going to your local bike shop for them to install new rim tape before putting in a new tube to avoid a second flat.

Using just your hands, get the tire back onto the rim! Using tools could result in puncturing the tube. Work your way from the valve to the other side. When it gets tighter to put on, massage the tire from side to side and all around.

Once you have the tire back on the rim, slowly inflate the tire, inspecting the bead (tire edge) to ensure there's no bulging and that the tire is seating properly on the rim. There is usually a line (either printed or raised) just above the rim that will indicate if the tire is seated. If it seats properly, you can bring the tire to the recommended pressure printed on the side of the tire. We generally recommend 60-65 PSI for urban city use on Fahrrad bikes. You do not have to worry about this for the front wheel! Tighten down your wheel securely, ensuring the chain is properly tensioned and reinstall the gear shift cable. You can follow the steps above in reverse if you need a reminder! Re-engage the v-brake, spin the wheel and test everything out - if everything's kosher, you can turn your bike over and go for a ride!