Tire levers are a must have for anyone who wants to do their own bike maintenance. Flat tires are one of the most common fixes you can perform yourself. Tire levers come in all shapes, materials and sizes. Pretty much anything they sell at your LBS (local bike shop) will be adequate. They only cost a few bucks and they will pay for themselves after only a few tire repairs. If you are going to be using the tire levers heavily then the plastic ones with a steel core are a good way to go, very durable. But if you are only using them occasionally the plastic ones will be fine.