These tips should be used after every ride and will help the increase the duration of your bike’s life.
First, grab hold of the tire and shake it side to side to check if there is any play in the wheel bearings. Then, move up to the saddle and shake it side to side and up and down to see if there is any play in the seat and the seat collar. The reason you want to do this is so you don’t come off after a ride and injure yourself.
Check Saddle and Seat Post for Movement
Move on to the bottom bracket. Wobble the crank arms from side to side to see if the bottom bracket area has any play. Move to the handlebars and check that your brakes have good force behind them. You need to make sure that these work correctly since they are the only thing on the bike helping you to stop.
Next thing to check is your headset. Pull on the front brake, shake the bike back and forth, and see if there is any movement in the headset. If this is damages and unnoticed you could break your forks and steerer.
Check your stem bolts, all four should be tightened or your handlebars will come loose. Move to the front wheel. Check it for play like you did the rear wheel.
Make Sure Stem Bolts are Fully Tightened
Bounce the bike on the ground. Listen for any odd noises or strange sounds. Pedal backwards to check for sound in the chain. If there are, put some lube on the chain. Lastly, clean your bike after each ride.
If you have any problems, check our TheBikeTube’s tutorials or hit a bike shop.