Originally Posted by
livedarklions
It depends for me on which bike and which kind of tires. But generally, I estimate about 10-15 minutes to swap out the tube and reinflate. It's a lot shorter than the wait I can expect for the ride to get there.
What are the issues? Maybe some people on the thread know a trick or two that could help you. Mine is to slightly inflate the tube I'm putting on before I put the stem through the hole so it becomes obvious if the tube is getting pinched between the tire and the rim while I tuck in the tire. As you can see by my use of "technical" terms, I am definitely no mechanic, but I've gotten pretty good at this one thing out of necessity.
Ignoring the last issue which was that I could NOT unscrew the overly tightened through-axle - it needed some good shots with a heavy mallet (although, a suggestion to try the open, bottom end of the seat post will be something I investigate)...
It is getting the tire off and more so, getting the tire back on. It was quite the experience. Two of us struggled for 10-15 minutes trying. Yes, pinching the bead to the rim center was tried. Peeling the skin off the thumbs so blood could be a lubricant was also in the mix!!! Honestly, I've had the same issue in the comfort of my backyard. But there I walked away for 20 minutes and attacked it with renewed vigor. Yup, I probably need either new rims or tires. What I do find miraculous, like the parting of the Red Sea, is that sometimes, just like that, after struggling, it just pops into place.
And, yes, I do first pump up the spare tube to make sure it is good. I also add enough air to make it easier to deal with than a piece of overcooked spaghetti. I generally inflate, check bead, deflate and check again as I do the final pump up. Mostly it is the tire/rim struggle that can take time - always in the hot sun (remarkable in Seattle). Also with no good place to support the wheel while inflating. But I do fix flats when I can. The through-axle incident was a badly gashed tire and I just deferred to the bike shop when I got home for the new tire, new tube and their labor.
Imposing on friends is definitely a last resort and now I understand the AAA will come to my aid. I might have to try that! If nothing else, they would probably have had a mallet!