There's no need to fret because even the least mechanically inclined among us can handle a flat tire fix. After you've done it a few times, it's a less-than-10-minutes task. First, you'll need a pump ($15 and up), a set of plastic tire levers ($5 to $10) and either a new tube (about $5) or patch kit (about $3). Then heed the following:

1. Remove the wheel from the bicycle. Most bikes have a quick release mechanism that lets you flip the wheel out in seconds. If you don't know how to use the quick release, ask a bike shop denizen to show you.

2. One end of each tire lever should have a small lip on it. Pop that lip between the edge of the tire and the wheel's rim. Work the lever under the edge of the tire (the "bead"), and pry the bead over the edge of the rim.

3. Use another lever a few inches to the right of the first one to pry up more tire. Repeat with the third lever. The rest of the tire bead should then easily flop over the rim, exposing the tube.

4. Pull the tube out of the tire, and wiggle the valve out of the hole in the rim. Note that you need pop only one tire bead over the rim rather than completely separating the tire from the wheel unless you're installing a new tire.

5. Now the most important step: Carefully feel along the inside of the tire for something sharp-a thorn, a shard of glass, a sliver of metal-that made the tire go phfffft. Pluck any sharpies out of the tire, or you may be fixing another flat 10 minutes from now. If you checked carefully but found nothing, that's okay; sometimes whatever caused the flat has come and gone.

6. If you're patching the hole in the tube, follow the instructions in the patch kit. By the way, a properly patched tube is every bit as good as a new one.

7. Use your pump to give a few puffs to the new/freshly mended tube-just enough so the tube's round shape comes alive.

8. Work the valve into the hole in the rim, and then tuck the rest of the tube up into the tire. Then nestle the tube so it sits in the channel directly above the rim.

9. Make sure there's no bit of tube pinched between the rim and tire bead. Then pop the tire bead back over the edge of the rim. This is usually the hard part of tire changing, in that many tires are a tight fit. Just keep yanking the tire bit-by-bit until in one triumphant moment it pops over the rim completely. Stuck? If you absolutely cannot pop the tire on by hand, use a tire lever for that final bit, but be very careful; it's easy to pinch and puncture the tube this way.

10. Inflate the tire to the pressure recommended on its sidewall. If you're without a gauge, pump until you can barely depress the tire when you squeeze it hard with your fingers. Install the wheel on the bike, and off you go.

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