How to: fix a flat

This subject has been covered a thousand times over all over the internet, but I've decided to try my hand at describing this all important element of bicycle maintenance.

What you'll need:

-two or three tire levers

-a patch kit (the glue kind, not the glueless kind---those don't work)

-a bike pump

-a 15mm or adjustable wrench if your wheel is not quick release

1. Using either the quick release on your hub, or a 15mm wrench, remove the wheel with the flat tire.
2. Use the tapered end of a tire lever to pry under the bead of the tire and bend the tool down until you can hook the hooked end onto a spoke.
3. Repeat step two with another lever about 5" away from the first lever on the same side of the rim.
4. Many advise against "sliding" a tire lever in order to unseat the bead as this may cause it damage. Here you may either slide your first or second lever in order to keep pulling the tire off the rim, try to do so by hand, or repeat step 2 again with a third lever.
5. After the tire has been removed from the rim, keep the tire and tube aligned.
6. Put a few pumps of air into the tube and locate the leak
7. Check the corresponding spot on the tire for any debris (broken glass, thorns, nails) that might remain in the tire prepared to flat your tube again.
8. Clean the area around the leak on the tube with the scuffer included in your patch kit.
9. Apply glue in an area larger than the patch you attend to use.
10. Allow glue to dry fully.
11. Peel protective backing from your patch, and stick it to the glue, carefully pressing the edges down and being sure of a good seal.
12. Reinsert the tube into the tire.
13. Insert the valve stem into the valve stem hole on the rim.
14. Seat the tire on the rim working one side at a time with your hand pulling the tire back onto the rim.
15. Inflate to your preferred pressure or the tire's recommended pressure.
16. Ride your bicycle.

Prevention: keep your tires well inflated, avoid riding through glass and other sharp objects when possible, pay attention to the wear on your tires and replace them if they are badly worn.

Note: I highly recommend patching flatted tubes. Some prefer to replace tubes with new ones, but this is rather wasteful. A properly patched tube can be very reliable.