Bike Maintenance Basics: The 2-Minute Pre-Ride Bike Check Every Cyclist Needs

You clip in for a sunrise ride, find your rhythm, and 10km from home you hear a grinding noise or feel a tyre going soft. Most of those moments are not bad luck. They are small problems that were there before you left.

A quick check before every ride catches most of them. Here is the routine, what to carry, and when to hand the bike to a mechanic.

Photo: SportPlus.sg / Isis Ang

The ABC Quick Check at a Glance

The Check, Step by Step

A: Air

Inflate your tyres to the pressure listed on the side of the tyre. A floor pump with a gauge is far more reliable than squeezing the tyre. Then spin each wheel slowly and look at the tread for cuts, embedded glass or flints, and wear.

B: Brakes

Pull each brake lever. It should stop short of reaching the handlebar. Look at the pads: they should be clean, straight and make proper contact, and if they have grooves, you should still be able to see them.

C: Chain

The chain should move freely, be free of rust and be lightly oiled. Use a bike chain lubricant rather than a solvent spray. While you are there, hold each crank arm and push it sideways: it should not knock or move.

Quick Releases and the Final Check

Make sure every quick-release lever or thru-axle is closed. Then give the bike a gentle bounce, looking and listening for anything loose, and take a slow, short ride to check that your saddle and handlebars are set right and everything works.

Two minutes in the driveway beats an hour at the roadside.

What to Carry on Every Ride

• A Spare Tube or Tubeless Plugs: Whichever suits your tyres.
• Tyre Levers: To get the tyre off the rim.
• A Mini-Pump or CO2 Inflator: To get you rolling again.
• A Multi-Tool: With the hex keys your bike uses.

When to See a Mechanic

The ABC check catches day-to-day problems. It does not replace a proper service. If your gears keep skipping, your brakes feel soft or noisy, or something creaks that you cannot trace, book the bike in. Our guide to the signs your bike needs a service explains what each one usually means.

Book a Bike Service with BikeCraft One on ATHLO+

BikeCraft One's General Service ($85) is a tune-up covering gears, tyres, brakes, bolt tightening and chain lubrication, finished with a short test ride. For more, there is a Half Service ($180) and a Full Service (from $290). See all options on our bike servicing page.

Ready to look after the part that wears fastest? Read How to Clean and Lube Your Bike Chain next.