Pre-ride safety check--what do you look for?
12-24-19, 07:25 AM
#51
Junior Member
Perfect
Before every ride on the road bike:
- I inflate tires to the correct pressure.
- I check the tires aren't damaged (I don't want a blowout on a tire running at 7bar on a fast descent).
- Check the brakes are working.
- I check if the drivetrain needs lube and apply it if needed.
Before every ride on the mountain bike:
- I check the tire pressure by feel and inflate them if needed.
- I check the brakes.
- I check the fork and lockout are working ok.
- I check if the drivetrain needs cleaning, and clean if needed.
- I lube the chain.
Once a month on the road bike:
- I check there's no headset, hub or BB play.
- I check brake pad and rotor wear.
- I check rims are centered.
- I check shift cables and BB guide for damage
- I check hydraulic brake lines for damage.
- I check tire wear.
Once a month on the mountain bike:
- I check there's no headset, hub or BB play.
- I check brake pad and rotor wear.
- I check rims are centered.
- I check shift cables for damage.
- I check hydraulic brake lines for damage.
- I measure chain stretch and replace it if needed.
- I check tire wear.
Depending on the usage (usually 3 to 5 months), on the mountain bike:
- I replace the fork oil bath.
- I check the fork air piston and lube it if needed.
- I check the pedal axles and bearings and lube them if needed.
- I check chainrings, jockey wheels and sprockets for wear.
Once a year on the mountain bike:
- I check the rebound cartridge and replace oil if needed.
- I remove the BB and clean the crap inside the frame (if you didn't know, there's usually a drain on the BB to let water out).
As you can see, the road bike needs a lot less maintenance to keep it running smoothly, there are things that last so much in it that I almost never care to look them unless I feel something wrong while riding.
The mountain bike, on the other hand, requires constant maintenance to keep it running like new. It tends to chew up drivetrains for breakfast, especially in winter, and fork progressively looses smoothness if I don't pamper it (and it does it in a way that you can't almost notice until you do the maintenace and BAM! you find it feels like a different beast). Rear hub also tends to develop play and have to adjust the bearing preload sometimes.
- I inflate tires to the correct pressure.
- I check the tires aren't damaged (I don't want a blowout on a tire running at 7bar on a fast descent).
- Check the brakes are working.
- I check if the drivetrain needs lube and apply it if needed.
Before every ride on the mountain bike:
- I check the tire pressure by feel and inflate them if needed.
- I check the brakes.
- I check the fork and lockout are working ok.
- I check if the drivetrain needs cleaning, and clean if needed.
- I lube the chain.
Once a month on the road bike:
- I check there's no headset, hub or BB play.
- I check brake pad and rotor wear.
- I check rims are centered.
- I check shift cables and BB guide for damage
- I check hydraulic brake lines for damage.
- I check tire wear.
Once a month on the mountain bike:
- I check there's no headset, hub or BB play.
- I check brake pad and rotor wear.
- I check rims are centered.
- I check shift cables for damage.
- I check hydraulic brake lines for damage.
- I measure chain stretch and replace it if needed.
- I check tire wear.
Depending on the usage (usually 3 to 5 months), on the mountain bike:
- I replace the fork oil bath.
- I check the fork air piston and lube it if needed.
- I check the pedal axles and bearings and lube them if needed.
- I check chainrings, jockey wheels and sprockets for wear.
Once a year on the mountain bike:
- I check the rebound cartridge and replace oil if needed.
- I remove the BB and clean the crap inside the frame (if you didn't know, there's usually a drain on the BB to let water out).
As you can see, the road bike needs a lot less maintenance to keep it running smoothly, there are things that last so much in it that I almost never care to look them unless I feel something wrong while riding.
The mountain bike, on the other hand, requires constant maintenance to keep it running like new. It tends to chew up drivetrains for breakfast, especially in winter, and fork progressively looses smoothness if I don't pamper it (and it does it in a way that you can't almost notice until you do the maintenace and BAM! you find it feels like a different beast). Rear hub also tends to develop play and have to adjust the bearing preload sometimes.
12-24-19, 11:00 PM
#53
Senior Member
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Amt0571 I understand your points but agree with 02Giant and Racing Dan. While I inflate tires every ride I don't check them over, the brakes worked when I hung them up so what could go wrong, and every few rides I floss cassettes and wipe down the chain so that is taken care of but not before every ride. I usually have a 7 to 9 bike in a daily rotation going out of my currently 17 bikes and have been doing this for many of my 60+ years on mostly road bikes. I now use sticky notes on the bikes to denote things that need checking or repair before riding.
MTBs are a different kettle of fish and I agree with you to some extent but only if I find a note saying to "check chain" as it was a particularly dirty/sandy ride and never lube a chain after every ride even here in dusty Southern AZ.
But as a former Maintenance Manager and General Manager in heavy industry I would have loved to have an employees like you.
MTBs are a different kettle of fish and I agree with you to some extent but only if I find a note saying to "check chain" as it was a particularly dirty/sandy ride and never lube a chain after every ride even here in dusty Southern AZ.
But as a former Maintenance Manager and General Manager in heavy industry I would have loved to have an employees like you.
Last edited by easyupbug; 12-24-19 at 11:06 PM. Reason: word smith
12-26-19, 05:37 PM
#54
aged to perfection
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: PacNW
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I thought about this today as I assembled my Ritchey travel bike for it's annual winter outing in San Diego where the sun is shining and the riding is great.
The Break Away design requires complete assembly of bars, front brake, etc.
Before setting off on the first ride "out of the box" I make darn sure everything is tight and nothing is amiss.
This is kind of a different problem than taking a bike off the rack in your garage. I've never had a problem with it - but I do a full pre-ride check every time.
Mark Petry
Coronado, CA
The Break Away design requires complete assembly of bars, front brake, etc.
Before setting off on the first ride "out of the box" I make darn sure everything is tight and nothing is amiss.
This is kind of a different problem than taking a bike off the rack in your garage. I've never had a problem with it - but I do a full pre-ride check every time.
Mark Petry
Coronado, CA
Last edited by mpetry912; 12-26-19 at 05:43 PM.
