Routine care

Pre-ride check

Five minutes before every ride that catch most mechanicals before they happen: tyres, brakes, axles, bars and the drivetrain, checked in one pass around the bike.

Also known as: M-check, bike safety check, pre ride check

Key facts

Skill level
1/5
Time
5 min
How often
before every ride
Tools
pump with a gauge, multi-tool

The M-check

Walk around the bike in the shape of an M — front wheel, up to the bars, down to the cranks, up to the saddle, down to the rear wheel — and check each point on the way.

  1. Front wheel. Axle tight, no wobble in the hub, tyre in good shape, pressure set.
  2. Fork and headset. Hold the front brake and rock the bike: no knocking. Stanchions clean.
  3. Bars and stem. Hold the wheel between your knees and twist the bars: nothing moves.
  4. Brakes. Both levers firm well before the bar; pads not worn to the metal.
  5. Cranks and pedals. No play when you push the crank sideways.
  6. Saddle and dropper. Clamp tight, the dropper goes down and comes up.
  7. Rear wheel and drivetrain. Axle tight, chain clean and lubed, gears shift.

Anything loose, knocking or soft is a reason to fix it before the ride, not after.

Related articles

  • Disc brakes — Brakes that squeeze a steel rotor on the hub instead of the rim. Hydraulic disc brakes are the standard on mountain bikes: strong, controllable with one finger and unbothered by mud.
  • Chain care — A clean, lubed chain shifts better, runs quieter and saves the cassette and chainring. Clean and lube it every few rides and replace it before it wears out everything else.
  • Tyre pressure — The cheapest upgrade on any mountain bike. Too much air and the tyre skips and slides; too little and it squirms, burps and hits the rim. The right number depends on you, the tyre and the trail.
  • Suspension setup — Half an hour with a shock pump makes a bigger difference than most upgrades. Set the air pressure by sag, then rebound, then compression — one change at a time.
  • Tubeless setup — Converting a wheel to tubeless: tape the rim, fit a valve, mount the tyre with sealant and seat it with a burst of air. Forty-five minutes the first time, fifteen once you know it.
  • Singletrack — A narrow trail, about as wide as one bike, winding through the terrain. The heart of mountain biking: most of the riding worth driving to is singletrack.