This is the first of a one part tutorial on bicycle maintenance.

1. Carry your bike to the local bicycle shop.

2. Curse the harried staff soundly for needing a week to fix a flat.

3. Google “repair bicycle tire”

4. Click down the results page until you find Jim Langley’s site

5. Watch Jim’s video tutorial because you are too lazy to read his text

6. Curse your bicycle pump because it has the wrong valve attachment and you have no adaptor

7. Repair tire (walking to the service station twice)

8. Inflate far too much (anticipating a slow leak)

9. Try to remember to buy another tube SOON as your repair will undoubtedly fail