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C. Mechanical Safety Check
Routinely check the condition of your bicycle before every ride.
Nuts, bolts & straps: Make sure nothing is loose. Lift the front wheel off the ground by two or three inches, then
let it bounce on the ground. Anything sound, feel or look loose? Do a quick visual and tactile inspection of the whole
bike. Any loose parts or accessories? If so, secure them. If you’re not sure, ask someone with experience to check.
Tires & Wheels: Make sure tires are correctly inflated (see Section 4.G.1). Check by putting one hand on the
saddle, one on the intersection of the handlebars and stem, then bouncing your weight on the bike while looking at
tire deflection. Compare what you see with how it looks when you know the tires are correctly inflated; and adjust if
necessary. Are the tires in good shape? Spin each wheel slowly and look for cuts in the tread and sidewall. Replace
damaged tires before riding the bike. Are the wheels true? Spin each wheel and check for brake clearance and side-
to-side wobble. If a wheel wobbles side to side even slightly, or rubs against or hits the brake pads, take the bike to a
qualified bike shop to have the wheel trued.
CAUTION. Wheels must be true for the brakes to work effectively. Wheel truing is a skill which
requires special tools and experience. Do not attempt to true a wheel unless you have the knowledge,
experience and tools needed to do the job correctly.
Brakes: Check the brakes for proper operation (see Sections 4.C). Squeeze the brake levers. Are the brake quick-
releases closed? All control cables seated and securely engaged? Do the brake pads touch the wheel rim within an
inch of brake lever movement? Can you apply full braking force at the levers without having them touch the
handlebar? If not, your brakes need adjustment. Do not ride the bike until the brakes are properly adjusted.
Quick Releases: Make sure the front wheel, rear wheel and seat post quick releases are properly adjusted and in the
locked position. See Section 4.A and 4.B.
Handlebar and Saddle Alignment: Make sure the saddle and handlebar stem are parallel to the bike’s center line
and clamped tight enough so that you can’t twist them out of alignment. See Sections 3.B and 3.C. If not, align and
tighten them.