Maintenance

Five essential pre-ride checks

The simplest checks of tyres, brakes, bolts, gears, and cables can lead to a hassle-free ride
A quick pre-ride check of your tyres' rolling surface and sidewalls can prevent a much longer inspection at the road side.
Removing debris from the surface of brake pads can provide more efficient braking and prevent unnecessary scarring to the brake track
The trusty chain checker measures the degree to which a chain links has stretched
Applying a layer of cable lubricant to the inner will allow it to move freely inside the outer. Silicone lubricant on exposed sections will help prevent corrosion
The consequences of a loose stem bolt could be catastrophic. A quick tighten can easily be incorporated in a routine of pre-ride checks

The pursuit of marginal gains championed by Team Sky principal, Dave Brailsford, and his team of secret squirrels has long been trumpeted as a means to success.

Marginal losses, sadly, are easier to achieve, and frequently occur as the result of an, ahem, relaxed maintenance regime. A few, simple pre-ride checks, however, can eliminate many of the issues likely to remove any pleasure from that longed-for ride.

Ten minutes set aside at the beginning of each ride to check bolts, brakes, cables, drivetrain and gears can help to ensure a happy and safe ride, uninterrupted by mechanical disaster.

Here are five pre-ride checks that should keep you rolling.

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