What you need to know when it comes wheelchair tire replacement.

Knowing how to change a wheelchair tyre yourself means you're not stuck waiting for a repair shop. Here's exactly how I change the tyres on my everyday chair. The same process works whether you're replacing the whole tyre or just the inner tube.

This is part of our guide to wheelchair wheels: rear wheels, casters, tyres and push rims.

The short answer.

To change a wheelchair tyre, take the wheel off, let all the air out, and use two tyre levers to lift one edge of the tyre over the rim. Peel the tyre off, pull out the tube, then lever off the other side. Fit one side of the new tyre, slip in a slightly inflated tube, work the last edge on from the valve, and pump to the pressure on the sidewall.

When to change your wheelchair tyres.

How often you need new tyres depends on how much you push, the terrain you push on and the type of tyre you run. For me, it becomes pretty obvious. Look for:

Fabric showing through the tread. That's the casing underneath the rubber. Time to change.
A flattened tread. A new tyre is nicely rounded. When it wears flat across the top, it's done.
A puncture. More commonly, you'll just need a new tube after a flat.

Check your tyres every week when you check the pressure. It takes seconds, and it's the habit that saves you from a blowout halfway home.

What you'll need.

Item	Notes
2 new tyres	Same size as the ones on your chair now
2 new inner tubes	I replace mine whenever I change tyres
Tyre levers	A set of two or three
Pump	One that fits your valve and reaches your tyre's pressure

How to find the right tyre size.

Look on the sidewall of your current tyre. You'll see a code like mine, 25-559. The first number is the tyre width in millimetres. The second is the diameter of the rim it fits, and that's the one that has to match.

Your inner tube has its own size printed on it. Mine is a 26 x 1, which suits a 559 rim. Replace like with like, for both the tyre and the tube.

How to change a wheelchair tyre, step by step.

I get out of my chair to do this, as it's easier to work on the wheel on the floor or a bench.

1. Take the tyre off.

Pop the quick-release axle and slide the wheel off your chair. Take the cap off the valve, then press the valve in with the end of a tyre lever until there's no pressure left. The tyre should feel nice and loose.

Slide one tyre lever under the edge of the tyre and hold it in place. Hook a second lever under the edge about 3–4 inches (8–10cm) further along to pop that section over the rim, then move the first lever along and repeat. After two or three goes, you can peel the tyre off by hand.

Start at the valve, push it back through the hole in the rim and pull the tube out. Then lever off the other side of the tyre. It shouldn't take much this time, just a bit of gentle persuasion.

2. Check the rim.

With the bare rim in your hands, run your fingers around the inside. Feel for burrs, sharp edges or anything that could damage the new tube.

3. Line up the new tyre.

Shape the new tyre so it's easy to see where it goes, then push the first edge onto the rim by hand. You'll get about 70% of the way before the tension builds. If your hands can finish it, great. If not, use the tyre levers to ease the last section on.

4. Slightly inflate the new tube.

Pump just enough air into the new tube to give it a bit of shape. A tube with some form is much easier to fit.

5. Guide the inner tube back in.

Push the valve through the hole in the rim first, then thread the tube inside the tyre all the way around so it sits inside the rim.

6. Guide the tyre back on.

Start at the valve and roll the outer edge of the tyre into the rim, working away from the valve in both directions.

This is the tricky bit. The tension builds again, and now there's a tube inside that a tyre lever can pinch. Push the tube up inside the tyre as far as you can before you go further. If you see the tube sitting out from the tyre, back off, push it in and try again.

Then use your levers in small steps, leapfrogging one past the other. Small steps are easier than big ones. The last bit takes some force to pop in.

7. Inflate and refit the wheel.

Check the sidewall for the recommended and maximum pressure. On my tyres I run about 100 PSI. It might seem like a lot, but it makes the ride fast and smooth. Screw on the pump, get a bit of an arm workout in, then slot the wheel back on your chair.

Then do the other side.

Check your brakes. As your tyres wear down, your brakes can loosen. New tyres may change how they grip, so adjust them if they're too loose or too tight.

Recycle your old tyres. Plenty of tyre shops and recycling centres take them.

Common mistakes.

Pinching the tube. The most common way to get a flat straight after a tyre change. Tuck the tube right in before levering the last edge, and keep your lever steps small.
Forcing big sections at once. Small, incremental lever moves are easier on you and on the tube.
Skipping the rim check. A sharp burr can puncture a brand new tube.
The wrong size. Match the numbers on the sidewall, not the wheel size someone quoted you.

Which tyre should you put on?

On my everyday chair I run the Schwalbe One. It's lightweight and really smooth, which makes most urban terrain easy going. For off-road I swap to a Schwalbe Table Top. It has a medium-aggressive tread, so it still rolls reasonably smoothly, with extra grip for the ski field and off-road conditions.

I know many people run Marathon Plus tyres, and there's also a range of Kenda tyres. I ran Marathon Plus for years, but I found them quite hard on my hands. The Schwalbe Ones are much softer, which matters, because sometimes you grab the tyre for extra leverage rather than just your push rims.

Don't be afraid to try different tyres until you find one that suits where you roll.

What I carry when I travel.

A spare tube, tyre levers and a pump. They take up hardly any room and they turned a trip-ending puncture into a ten-minute fix.

FAQ.

How often should you change wheelchair tyres?

It depends on how much you push, where you push and your tyre type. Change them when you see fabric through the tread or the tread has worn flat instead of rounded. Check them weekly.

How do I know what size wheelchair tyre I need?

Read the code on your current tyre's sidewall, such as 25-559. The first number is the width in millimetres; the second is the rim diameter, which must match. Buy the same size tyre and a tube that suits that rim.

Can I change a wheelchair tyre myself?

Yes. All you need is a pump, two or three tyre levers, and a new tyre or tube. The hardest part is fitting the last edge of a tight tyre without pinching the tube.

What pressure should my wheelchair tyres be?

Use the recommended pressure printed on the tyre's sidewall, and never go over the maximum. I run my Schwalbe Ones at about 100 PSI.

Should I replace the inner tube when I change the tyre?

I do. A new tube is cheap, and it saves pulling everything apart again if the old tube was worn.

Do I need to adjust my brakes after changing tyres?

Sometimes. Worn tyres can leave your brakes loose, and new tyres can change the fit. Check they lock firmly without rubbing.

Keep your wheels rolling.

How do you change your tyres, and what do you run? Share it with the community in the comments.

I am a T10 complete paraplegic and acknowledge that not everyone has the function I do. Do your best with what you've got and continually look to improve your skills.

Happy Adaptdefying. – Mike