dummy

[Grog]

Practice, practice, practice. In the comfort of your garage (or living room).

It's very empowering to be able to fix your own flats, plus it's not that hard and an important safety issue (you don't want to be caught somewhere where you can't walk back from with a flat tire, or have to rely on strangers, etc.).

Get yourself the right tools for the job (search this forum for threads about what we carry on rides) and just do it!

[KnottedYet]

when I took a (FREE!) fix-a-flat class the instructor had us all change our back tire. We had to deal with the "guts", and really they weren't that big a deal once you saw how it went together.

If the back wheel intimidates you (and it sure as heck intimidated me!) practice just taking it on and off before you practice changing the tube. Just remember to lift the derailleur by rotating it back with your hand before you put the wheel into the drop-outs and it all goes peachy.

[RoadRaven]

Call me a dummy too... I have changed a couple of tyres, but do my best to not be in that position and have been known to rely on my mobile phone rather than tyre levers. The tyres on my training bike are extremly tight, and difficult to get off. If I am tired, the effort is sometimes just too much. Latest flatty was on Thursday and my partner had come down to meet me to ride home with me.

Picked up a piece of glass and I was pleased he was there, after a long day at the office it was easier to let him do it - he's so much quicker than me.