Checking your bike's safety points
Like any mechanism, your bike occasionally needs a few basic checks to guarantee you the best performance. We will only address the controls here. Even if you are a novice in mechanics, these inspections are accessible to all and will alert you if you need to go to your mechanic to correct a problem. Indeed, a problem can be embarrassing at best but can endanger your life at worst! From the headset to the hubs, here are 13 points of control essential to ensure the good condition of your bike.
1/ Control the play in the hub
Have the wheel play sideways. If you feel a play, the hub needs to be revised.
2/ Check the tension of the spokes and the wheel buckling
Pinch the spokes 2 by 2. If there is too high a difference in tension between 2 spokes, the wheel needs to be unbuckled. Rotate the wheel in the air by fixing the rim edge (and not the tyre edge): if the rim movement isn't linear, the wheel must be unbuckled.
3/ Control the play in the blades
Tighten the front brake and, with the hand on the leg and the fingertips on the blade, lightly play the bike back and forth. If there is play between the leg and the blade, the fork guide rings and the fork seals need to be changed.
Be careful, the brake pads always show a little play in the brake caliper, this play is normal and not to be confused with play with the blades.
4/ Check the headset
Tighten the front brake and, with your hand on top of the headset, lightly play the bike back and forth. If you sense play, you need to tighten the headset.
Caution: the pads always have a little play in the brake caliper, this play is normal and not to be confused with the play in the headset.
5/ Adjust the headset
Loosen the stem by unscrewing the 2 tightening screws. With a 5mm BTR wrench, tighten the screw above the steering tube; for proper adjustment, the play should disappear and the rotation of the fork should remain fluid.
Caution: excessive tightening will result in premature wear of the bearings on the headset.
6/ Tighten the stem
Screw progressively the 2 screws of the stem with a torque wrench until you reach the recommended torque.
Caution: if one screw is tightened completely, then another screw is, only the first screw will be effective and the risk of breakage will be important.
7/ Use the torque wrench
Set the wrench to the selected torque.
When the tightening torque is reached, the handle of the wrench will tilt suddenly while the head will remain fixed.
8/ Control the play in the crankset
Holding both cranks at the same time, the crankset should be played laterally. If there is play, the crankset must be replaced.
9/ Check the tightening of the pedals
When tightening the rear brake, check the tightening of the pedals using a pedal wrench. Be careful, the screw thread is reversed on the left hand crank, so turn counterclockwise to tighten it.
10/ Tip for loosening the pedals
When transporting your bike in a car, for example, it may be necessary to disassemble the pedals.
After hours of use in sometimes extreme conditions, the pedals may seize up. To gain more strength, you can press the opposite pedal with your foot to loosen the pedal.
When reassembling, use a copper grease to prevent further seizing.
11/ Check the alignment of the derailleur
Your transmission is recent, your stop settings are good, your cable tension is first-rate, but... The gears don't shift correctly!
The last thing to check is the alignment of your derailleur hanger. Indeed, if it isn't perfectly aligned with the frame, it must be straightened or even replaced.
12/ Inspect the wear of the pads
Before a long outing or an excursion in extreme conditions (Downhill, muddy ground), it would be wise to control the wear of your pads. Stand over the caliper and visually check the condition of the seal (a pad consists of a metal support and a resin or sintered metal seal). If one of the two linings is too much worn, the brake must be checked; if the pads are worn, replace them.
Caution: some pads work better under certain conditions, so you can adapt your choice of pads to the driving conditions.
13/ Check the tyre pressure
The pressure of the tyres affects the piloting sensations: while driving at low pressure, you'll gain more comfort and control in the curves, while by driving at high pressure, you'll obtain more efficiency and lose some side grip. It's therefore important to regularly check the pressure of your tyres in order to retain the dynamic qualities of your mount.
You'll find the pressures tolerated by your tyres by reading the inscriptions visible on the sidewalls (box no.3 in the picture). For example, our bike accepts pressures from 2.2 to 4.3 bar (or 32-62 PSI). A, underinflated tyre will present an increased risk of puncture and its sidewalls will wear prematurely, whereas an overinflated tyre will expose you to the risk of having your wheel coming off its rim and the suspension bars will wear out too quickly.
