If you are a fan of bike riding, whether it’s a ride on a mountain, road trip, you will need some tips to make sure your bike is safe to ride with the M check before riding.
It’s difficult to tell if something wrong could happen with your bike when you are going on the ride. Therefore, checking the bike’s safety is essential for any rider to avoid any possible breakdown in the mid-ride or go on a long or short ride.
Since there are several things to check on your bike, whether it is a hybrid, mountain, or road bike. This guide will provide a pre-ride quick check over the bike’s general operation to make sure your bike is safe to ride with the M check. Doing so can make sure bikers have a safe and enjoyable ride ahead, especially for those who go on a long trail.
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What is the M-check
An M check is a general check for the bike’s operation to ensure that all bike parts are correctly working and the bike is safe to ride.
While there are various points to check across the bike, the M-check helps the rider follow the M letter shape to identify potential problems without missing any parts quickly. Thus, it makes sure the bike runs well and gives you comfort and safety over a long course of riding.
Starting from the front of the bike and moving in an M-shaped direction, we will look at five various critical points until the back of the bike. Those are front-wheel, handlebars, pedals, bottom bracket, cranks, seat post and saddle, and rear wheel.
The following guide will give a detailed checkup for your further information.
Front wheel
First thing first, it is essential to check the wheels. In this section, make sure that the front wheel is safely attached as well as the axle. Next, use the brake to stop the bike and make sure it can work properly. Try moving the wheel from side to side but make sure there is no movement in the axle.
The next step is to check the tire pressure with the gauge to ensure no punctures or damage signs.
Handlebars
In this section, you will need to check the handlebars in the right and tight position. Hold the wheels in between your knees and move the bars from side to side to ensure the handlebars do not move when the wheel is held fixed between your legs.
Besides, try squeezing both brakes to check if they are working in good order and in a comfortable and safe position to use. If you have to stretch yourself with the brake or the lever reaching the handlebars, you can adjust the brake by dialing in or out quickly.
Pedals, bottom bracket and cranks
In this part, you can check the pedals by giving them a spin. A good functioning pedal won’t freely spin as grease would stop it. Therefore if you find those pedals not working correctly, it’s time to have them replaced.
Another critical point to check is the bottom bracket and cranks since the bottom bracket and cranks are essential parts that push the pedal to make the bike move. However, the bottom bracket can eventually wear out over time.
You can check by putting the pedal with one up and one down and apply the brake to see if the bottom bracket is in good working order. If, at that position, the bottom bracket and the crank are moving, then it’s time to have some maintenance on these parts.
You also need to check if your pedals are safely attached and freely spinning. If not, it might be time to have them fixed or replaced.
Seatpost and saddle
As important as the other sections to keep you comfortable and safe riding, your seating on the bike is a crucial point to check. Make sure it’s not too high or too low that can affect your back or make your hands stretched to use brakes and handlebars as well as your legs to put on the ground.
You can slightly move the saddle up and down and make possible adjustments o keep your saddle at the correct position.
You can give it a jiggle to make sure to keep it in the right and tight position so that you can ride comfortably over a long ride.
Rear wheel and drivetrain
Finally, similar to the front wheel, you will need to check basic stuff like the rear wheel, safely attached, and axle. Then, use the brake to stop the bike and make sure it can work properly. Try moving the wheel from side to side but make sure there is no movement in the axle.
As important as the front wheel and the nearby parts, you will need to screen through tire pressure, any puncture check before any ride, the gears, and chain to make sure it is well-lubricated, clean, and has no rust. In case the chainring has any damage or lost any teeth, make sure to have it replaced before riding.
Final thoughts
To sum up, whether it is a hybrid, mountain, or road bike, it’s essential to have a quick check over the bike’s operation before any ride. By simply moving the M-shaped check directly from the front wheel, handlebars, bottom brackets and crank, saddle, and finishing at the rear wheel, you can make sure your bike is safe to ride with the M check easily without leaving any critical points on the bike.
While there are various points to check across the bike, the M-check helps the rider follow the M letter shape to quickly identify potential problems without missing any parts and make sure the bike runs well and gives you comfort over a long course of riding.
Although it would take a lot of time to check different bike parts, it would be worth saving time if any errors happen on the trail.
