Maintenance

Five essential pre-ride checks

Tighten up

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

Tighten up

Check the bolts on the bike are tight. The consequences of a stem bolt worked loose do no bear thinking about. That irritating creak from the saddle could be cured with a quick twist of an Allen key.

Many have a torque setting, which should be adhered to: over tightening the seat clamp on a carbon frame, for example, can cause damage. Typically, the torque rating for these bolts is 5nm or 6nm.

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