Tire

• The object may still be lodged in the tire or tread

• Inspect tire surface, both inside and outside, including sidewall

• Run your fingers inside the tire to feel for it, being careful not to cut yourself

• Check inside tears for bits of glass

• If there is a large tear or hole in the tire rubber or sidewall, you may need a "boot"

• If you find something, remove and discard it

• The wheel rim is made with holes between the rim sidewalls for spoke nipples. A rim strip covers the holes or nipples.

• The strip protects the inner tube from sharp edges in the base of the rim and from spoke ends and nipples that might puncture the tube.

• Inspect the rim strip whenever changing a tire or inner tube. Look for tears and rips, and make sure the rim strip is centred over the nipple holes.

Tube

• Inspect the tube for holes - there may be more than one

• Take your pump and put a few strokes of air into the tube; you can safely inflate the tube to twice its normal size

• find the hole by listening for air hissing from the puncture; you may need to rotate the tube while holding it close to your ear

• You may also be able to feel the air on your skin - holding the tube close to your lips is a popular method since the skin above your lip is very sensitive

• If the hole is tiny you may want to mark it with a piece of chalk or crayon

• If all else fails, immerse the inflated tube into water and watch for bubbles

• Disaster prevention
• Tire inflation & valve types
• Tools and equipment
• Obvious tears
• Removing the wheel
• Removing the tire & tube
• Inspecting the tire & tube
• Patching the tube
• Reinstalling the tube
• Reinstalling the wheel
• Temporary boot repair
• Causes of punctures