Prior to going on a bike ride, you want to check your bike over to make sure it’s safe for the ride.
We use the M-check. It starts at the derailleur, up to the saddle, down to the bottom bracket, up to the handlebars, and down to the front wheel. During the M-check, it is always good to check your frame for any wear or damage.
Start at the derailleur, checking it over for any wear. Also, make sure the cable is not frayed or worn. Check the chain for kinks and make sure it is true. Check the cassette by doing a run through of the gears and make sure everything is switching properly.
Move on to the hub. Give the hub a wobble to make sure there is no movement. Check the skewer holding the wheel for proper tension. Then move up to the tire. Make sure there are no cracks or balding, as well as tire pressure. Lastly, check the brakes.
Check Hub for Wobble
Move up to the saddle. Make sure it is straight and that there is no movement. Move towards the bottom bracket. There should be free rotation of the crank. There should be no movement in the bottom bracket when giving it a wobble.
Move Handlebars to Check Headset for Play
Near the handlebars, take hold of the brakes. Make sure the brake levers are functioning properly. There should be no play in the headset or any of the gear levers. Check the front tire. Make sure there is free movement, and check the brakes.