failing to fix a flat

[DebW]

maybe i will practice with the rear when i can get out on the bike long enough so i can get the gear onto the littlest cog at the back-- cant get enough speed riding in the living room to change down :-)

but i did it - twice on the front - thank you for your encouraging words that i WOULD learn to do it okay - you were right :-)

Congrats! Good to hear that you and your tires have come to a cooperative agreement.

To get the gear into the smallest cog, you don't need to ride the bike. Simply move your rear gear shifter multiple clicks until you've gone far enough to get to the smallest cog if you were riding. Then lift the back of the bike and pedal it a couple revolutions and the chain will be where you want it. Because you're going downhill on the cogs and the derailleur is spring-loaded that way, it works nicely. After you change the flat, you'll want to get out of the small cog before you start riding. In this case, move the shifter one click, then pedal until the chain jumps one cog, then move another click and pedal again, etc.